[APWG] Wildlife in a Changing Climate - FAO 2012
Marc Imlay
ialm at erols.com
Thu Jan 5 06:49:34 CST 2012
This article was published in the current isssue of the Chesapeake.
Marc Imlay, PhD,
Conservation biologist, Park Ranger Office
Non-native Invasive Plant Control coordinator.
(301) 442-5657 cell
Marc.Imlay at pgparks.com ialm at erols.com
Natural and Historical Resources Division
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
www.pgparks.com
Climate Change and Plant and Animal Wildlife Migration Corridors
In the article, Warming Planet Pushing Species Out of Habitats Quicker Than
Expected,
<http://www.livescience.com/15640-species-shifting-climate-change.html>
http://www.livescience.com/15640-species-shifting-climate-change.html
Jennifer Welsh comments that 'Habitat fragmentation and changing ranges of
predators, prey and pollinators (for plants) also influence species' ability
to survive in any specific habitat. If a species can't reach the next bit of
livable habitat, they would be
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=aajwdndab&et=1107222753886&s=1050&e=001wOJ8v_
iz9yFmmRDqQhJstVROv0XlLxTsGrRHTO3NWaC8VPReIIZTY0tgq569vnWWQuY4J_4YMPUyWXRyIf
_0KX7SzssGyIDOYKHjMKriMSKlzmuomR8vTj-l0nnu1AkzD7bOyxVSu2uvxnLppzgZ0gyffjPH98
KxZz-gvUugAnCnd9ObzkZNVA9pWFmqwcskkvfEMxazv38=> stuck where they are until
climate changes led to their extinction." "You could have a population where
effectively you have the living dead," Thomas said. "You have adult
individuals, which are alive, but without recruitment [the creation of
offspring], the individuals die off."
Providing plant and animal wildlife migration corridors is a critical tool
in our response to Climate Change. Corridors 1,600 feet wide, to include
aquatic, riparian and upland habitat is generally sufficient for most
species, based on research studies. Besides Habitat being restored or
preserved, invasive species and water pollution have to be controlled enough
for the plants, animal, and fungi to migrate. Overharvesting lumber,
menhaden fish, etc. is also an issue.
Tools include Program Open Space, Water pollution control, Conservation
Easements, Transfer Development Rights, Forest Conservation property tax
reduction plans, and Smart Growth with a cap at the non-developed location.
Smart growth alternatives to new highways is critical.
One of the most successful approaches has been to save an area before it is
owned by developers. One of the most common and unnecessary causes of
transfer of natural areas to development has been lack of awareness that
there are many ways to reduce property taxes to affordable levels. This is
particularly important when descendents receive land their parents wanted to
preserve but have difficulty in paying the inheritance and property taxes.
Detailed information for the following abstracts for providing plant and
animal wildlife migration corridors is provided in the Land Preservation
Tool Kit.
<http://maryland.sierraclub.org/> http://maryland.sierraclub.org/
http://maryland.sierraclub.org/action/p0161.asp
<http://maryland.sierraclub.org/action/p0384.asp>
http://maryland.sierraclub.org/action/p0384.asp
<http://maryland.sierraclub.org/action/p0196.asp>
http://maryland.sierraclub.org/action/p0196.asp
Establish and Maintain Greenways to Avoid Fragmentation:
The critical importance of preventing habitat fragmentation by
maintaining greenways is now widely documented and understood. Living
forms native to the area, both animals and plants, depend on the
availability of sufficient space and food sources and shifting
locations of habitat and food sources in order to be able to thrive
and even to survive.
General management principles include providing wildlife migration
corridors for re-colonization between natural areas following local
extirpation due to seasonal, man-made, or climatic stresses. Stresses
include natural disturbances such as the mosaic pattern of storm
events, drought, diseases, fire, competitors, predators, prey,
succession, floods and seepages. Some populations of plants and
animals are "sources" of individuals which migrate out and replenish
other populations known as "sinks". In addition, sufficient space is
needed for large animals with large home ranges.
For example, in the general region proposed for the Cross County
Connector Extension spotted salamanders utilize vernal pools and ponds
that are temporary over time. Many semi-aquatic insects, salamanders,
frogs, snakes and turtles utilize aquatic and terrestrial habitats in
their life cycle. The buffer zone for 95% of a population of
salamanders would extend 534 feet from the wetland edge into the
closed canopy terrestrial habitat.
The maximum corridor width which most birds and many mammals, plants
and invertebrates cross roads sufficiently to reproduce and maintain
populations is two lanes.
A forest reserve primarily requires protection of the forest interior
for birds including the area sensitive species and wide ranging
species such as raptors.
"The Mattawoman is forty times more productive of anadromous fish than
the seven other Chesapeake tributaries repeatedly monitored by DNR"
including blueback and alewife herring in Chapman Forest. Lack of, or
inadequate culvert placements at stream crossings block fish passage
and isolate them from runs.
<http://maryland.sierraclub.org/action/p0162.asp> Conservation Easments
Conservancy for Charles County (See web site) An excellent article on
conservation easements and donations of natural areas appears in the spring,
2007, issue of NATURE CONSERVANCY vol. 57 No. 1. on page 16.
LAWS FOR THE LAND, New Federal Tax Law helps Families Preserve
Their Properties.
Reference the website of the Maryland Environmental Trust, to whom a
conservation easement can provide an additional tax break and which lists
contact information for local land trusts such as the Charles County
Conservancy throughout the State.
Program Open <http://maryland.sierraclub.org/action/p0163.asp> Space
Consult www.dnr.state.md.us/greenways/greenprint/
<http://maryland.sierraclub.org/templates/layouts/www.dnr.state.md.us/greenw
ays/greenprint/> to see if the natural area
proposed to be purchased is already recognized as a priority area. If it is
not, conduct a survey with biologists for high quality natural features
including wetlands. Offer to compensate the biologists if possible since
many of these individuals, while often volunteering, are swamped with such
requests. Compensation will enable the field of available experts to expand
for all the citizens of Maryland.
See www.dnr.state.md.us/pos.html
<http://maryland.sierraclub.org/templates/layouts/www.dnr.state.md.us/pos.ht
ml> to pursue the application process with
local government agencies.
Forest Conservation Plans
Forest Stewardship Plans Offer Landowners Tax Breaks-and More
Landowners, do you want to preserve your land or restore
it to its natural state for future generations? For doing
this, you can get financial assistance, including a property
tax reduction on your land, assessed on its value set
at about $150 per acre. The current value depends on the
current market based assessment.
Endangered Species Tool Kit
To determine if an endangered species may occur in your natural area of
concern there are regulatory and non regulatory lists. They are both
valuable for legal, geographic and scientific support. Determine if any
listed species are indicated for your county or are in the species range
that county lies in The species should be carefully surveyed for during
the appropriate season for identification because most studies are
inadequate in this respect. Reports by a developer or agency that a
species is not known from the site is frequently because surveys have
not been conducted. As an example of the distinction between scientific
lists and regulatory lists, only about 2% of the cave species in the United
States are listed by the federal government as endangered or threatened.
The Nature Conservancy has determined that 95% are actually imperiled.
In many cases a single event such as one chemical spill from a nearby
highway can wipe out an entire species such as blind salamanders,
cavesnails and crayfish.. Sewage, pesticides, heavy metals, and fertilizers
wash into sinkholes and karst is destroyed directly by roads, quarries,
and construction of buildings.
See www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/espaa.asp and
www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/rteanimals.asp
for the state endangered species act which is supported by Code
of Maryland Regulations 08.03.08 and the official State Threatened
and Endangered Species list as well as species occurring in Maryland
that are listed or candidates for listing on the Federal list of Endangered
Species list, and additional species.
Wetland Surveys Compliance with Sections 401 & 404 of the Clean Water Act
To stop development we delineate obligate and facultative wetland plants.
SOS (Save Our Streams) and Audbon Naturalist Society offers a course.
April-May is the best time to identify species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service has listings of wetland plant species by region available on the WWW
at URL HTTP://www.nwi.fws.gov/Ecology.html
-Non-Native Invasive Species Control
Non-native invasive species of plants such as English Ivy, Japanese
Stiltgrass and Kudzu are covering the natural areas that we in the
conservation
movement have worked so hard to protect from habitat destruction,
erosion and water pollution. Just as we are making progress on wetlands,
stream bank stabilization, and endangered species, these plants from
other parts of the world have typically covered 20-90% of the surface
area of our forests, streams and meadows. Many of us feel demoralized
and powerless to combat these invaders that have few natural herbivores
or other controls.
The Maryland Native Plant Society, Anacostia Watershed Society and Sierra
Club are establishing a program to provide local groups and public and
private
landowners with several models to draw upon in the region. We are assisting
in developing a major work effort (three to five years) at each site to
remove
massive populations of about a dozen species. Regular stewardship projects
are
conducted in all seasons including winter, early spring, late spring,
summer, and
late summer.
This high-intensity program is followed by a low-intensity annual
maintenance program to eliminate plants we have missed, plants
emerging from the seed bank, and occasional plants migrating in
from neighboring areas.
Erosion & Sediment Control
When the risk of erosion is significant, it may be better to apply
herbicides rather than mechanically removing non-native invasive
plants, leaving the plant's roots to hold the soil, and its
dead foliage as a cover.
Native plant re-vegetation may be necessary with native species
that are not cultivars and are obtained from the wild or from nursery
stocks originally collected locally in the wild. There are several
well researched species mixes that include 12-16 herbaceous
and shrub species including nitrogen fixers.
_____
From: apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
[mailto:apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of Pamela Zevit
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 12:35 PM
To: 'IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group';
apwg at lists.plantconservation.org; beehive at elert.ca
Subject: [APWG] Wildlife in a Changing Climate - FAO 2012
( invasive species starts on page 51)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. pp.1-124
Forestry Papers. Rome, 2012
Ed. E Kaeslin et al.
<http://www.fao.org/forestry/30143-0bb7fb87ece780936a2f55130c87caf46.pdf>
http://www.fao.org/forestry/30143-0bb7fb87ece780936a2f55130c87caf46.pdf
For the past twenty years climate change has been high on the international
agenda. Together with desertification, soil degradation and biodiversity
loss, it is
widely recognized as the major environmental threat the world is facing.
Evidence
is increasing that warming and other climate-related changes are happening
more
quickly than anticipated, and prognoses are becoming worse.
This publication analyses and presents how climate change affects or will
likely
affect wild animals and their habitats. Although climate change has already
been
observed and monitored over several decades, there are not many long-term
studies
on how the phenomenon is affecting wildlife. There is growing evidence,
however,
that climate change significantly exacerbates other major human-induced
pressures
such as encroachment, deforestation, forest degradation, land-use change,
pollution
and overexploitation of wildlife resources. Case studies are presented in
this
book that describe some of the body of evidence, in some instances, and
provide
projections of likely scenarios, in others.
Pamela Zevit, R.P. Bio
Adamah Consultants
Coquitlam BC Canada
604-939-0523
<mailto:adamah at telus.net> adamah at telus.net
Re-connecting People & Nature
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