Developing a Blueprint for Conservation of Biodiversity in

Lake Erie

A multi-partner initiative with anticipated support from the Great Lakes National Program Office of the USEPA through the

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

Summary of PresentationSummary of Presentation

IntroductionIntroduction

•• Project goalProject goal

•• OutcomesOutcomes

Process for developing the BlueprintProcess for developing the Blueprint

•• OverviewOverview of the CAP process (with examples from Lake of the CAP process (with examples from Lake Huron, Western Lake Erie Basin)Huron, Western Lake Erie Basin)

Project TimelineProject Timeline

DiscussionDiscussion

Mission of The Nature Mission of The Nature ConservancyConservancy

•• To conserve the plants, animals, and natural To conserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.need to survive.

BinationalBinational Conservation Blueprint Conservation Blueprint for the Great Lakesfor the Great Lakes

Biodiversity Conservation Priority Areas in the Lake Erie Basin

Biodiversity of Lake ErieBiodiversity of Lake Erie

•• Great Lakes are a GLOBAL priority for Great Lakes are a GLOBAL priority for freshwater conservationfreshwater conservation——a young and a young and unique freshwater systemunique freshwater system

•• Each Great Lake has distinctive physical and Each Great Lake has distinctive physical and chemical attributes and is a unique setting for chemical attributes and is a unique setting for evolution and biodiversityevolution and biodiversity

•• Lake Erie is the “warmest, shallowest, and Lake Erie is the “warmest, shallowest, and fishiest” (i.e., most productive) of all the Great fishiest” (i.e., most productive) of all the Great LakesLakes

•• Biodiversity is inextricably linked to human Biodiversity is inextricably linked to human well being well being

Lake Erie Issues

VHS

Botulism

Algal fouling Beach postings

Nutrients, Sediments,Watershed Hydrology,

Invasive Species,Climate Change,

Habitat loss

Invasive species

Contaminants in fish and wildlife

Project GoalProject Goal

Develop a multi-partner Blueprint for Biodiversity Conservation for Lake Erie that highlights the conservation features (e.g., species, systems, processes, functions) that represent the biodiversity of the lake, identifies the key threats to these features, and develops long-term strategies to conserve a functioning system.

Project OutcomesProject Outcomes

• Identify biodiversity conservation needs:

•• Synthesize regional and spatiallySynthesize regional and spatially--explicit data, explicit data, conservation strategies and measures of conservation strategies and measures of successsuccess

• Integrate needs & results from existing initiatives

•• Identify priorities for protection and restoration Identify priorities for protection and restoration activitiesactivities

•• Initiate coordinated implementation of Initiate coordinated implementation of biodiversity conservation actions biodiversity conservation actions

Lake ErieLake ErieLake ErieLake ErieBlueprint for Blueprint for Blueprint for Blueprint for BiodiversityBiodiversityBiodiversityBiodiversityConservationConservationConservationConservation

Lake Erie Lake Erie Lake Erie Lake Erie LaMPLaMPLaMPLaMP

StateStateStateStateWildlife Wildlife Wildlife Wildlife

Action PlansAction PlansAction PlansAction Plans

State of the State of the State of the State of the LakeLakeLakeLake

Lake Erie Lake Erie Lake Erie Lake Erie Nutrient Nutrient Nutrient Nutrient

Management Management Management Management StrategyStrategyStrategyStrategy

Lake ErieLake ErieLake ErieLake ErieHabitat Habitat Habitat Habitat

Classification and Classification and Classification and Classification and MapMapMapMap

Other Other Other Other State/Provincial/ State/Provincial/ State/Provincial/ State/Provincial/ Local Planning Local Planning Local Planning Local Planning

EffortsEffortsEffortsEfforts

Conservation Action Planning (CAP)Conservation Action Planning (CAP)

ConservationAction

Planning

•• US Environmental Protection US Environmental Protection AgencyAgency

•• The Nature ConservancyThe Nature Conservancy

•• Michigan Natural Features Michigan Natural Features Inventory Inventory

•• State Heritage ProgramsState Heritage Programs

•• State Departments of AgricultureState Departments of Agriculture

•• State Departments of Natural State Departments of Natural ResourcesResources

•• State Departments of State Departments of Environmental Quality or ProtectionEnvironmental Quality or Protection

•• US Fish and Wildlife ServiceUS Fish and Wildlife Service

•• Ohio Environmental CouncilOhio Environmental Council

•• Local Conservation DistrictsLocal Conservation Districts

•• Sea GrantsSea Grants

• Environment Canada

• Nature Conservancy Canada

• Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

• Parks Canada

• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food

and Rural Affairs

• Ontario Ministry of the Environment

• First Nations

• Conservation Ontario

• Conservation Authorities

• Local Watershed Groups

Potential funders

Core Working Group

Steering Committee (LaMP+)

Experts and Stakeholders

•• Conservation targets (or biodiversity features)Conservation targets (or biodiversity features): : Ecological systems, natural communities, Ecological systems, natural communities, speciesspecies

•• Planning scopePlanning scope: : Area encompassed by conservation targets, Area encompassed by conservation targets, sources of threat, and areassources of threat, and areas for taking actionfor taking action

Biodiversity: Lake Huron

and associated

nearshore and

aquatic habitats.

Planning region: Lake

Huron basin. This

scope focuses on the

geographic area that

may impact the

biological diversity of

interest.

Lake Huron Scope

What biodiversity are we trying to conserve or restore?

• Benthic/pelagic offshore system

• Nearshore• Coastal wetlands• Coastal terrestrial systems• Native migratory fish• Islands• Aerial migrants

Lake Huron Biodiversity Features

What is our best estimate of how the biodiversity we care about is doing?

Burbot photo © Engbretson Underwater Photography

Lake Huron Viability SummaryLake Huron Viability Summary

What threats are creating problems and what is the estimated seriousness of these threats?

Round Goby photo © Engbretson Underwater Photography

Who are the key stakeholders with vested interest in the project, what factors are driving critical threats, and what opportunities exist?

What specific outcomes are we trying to achieve?

• GOAL: By 2030, at least 60% of

the coastal terrestrial system will be

in natural land cover, at least 80% of

the high quality migratory bird

stopover habitat will be in

conservation management, and the

artificial shoreline hardening index

will be below 15%.

What actions are needed to achieve the outcomes?

•Objective: By 2015, the benefits of Farm Bill practices to WLEB targets and KEAs will be understood and decision tools will be developed and implemented to facilitate effective targeting of practices.

•Strategy: Develop and make available supportive tools, and encourage decision-making based on spatially-explicit information that can be used to target appropriate BMPs in priority places Action

•Action: Partner with Purdue University to develop models and decision support tools,

and make these accessible to practitioners.

•Action: Work with at least four local USDA offices within the Maumee River watershed,

as well as regional and state level offices to test and refine the decision support tools for

locating BMP's

Dams and Barrier Strategy: Implement an Integrative Approach to Dams and Barrier Management

Objective 1: The 2011 Lake Huron Binational Partnership Action Plan includes plans

for tributary management

Objective 2: By 2015, Complete a Tributary Management Plan for Lake Huron

• Lake-wide objectives for fisheries, invasive species, sediment/wetland values, etc.• Explicitly state tributary management needs• Develop recommendations for dam/barrier management (e.g., keep, remove, modify,

allow, prevent barriers).

Strategic Actions• Complete Ontario barriers GIS layer• Complete attributes for barrier inventory• Map habitat use for key species• Review of watershed plans, lake-wide objectives, other non-natural resource plans. • Map priority coastal wetland and nearshore areas.• Risk assessment of priorities due to climate changes • Select priority tributaries to develop management objectives• Develop draft management objectives for each priority tributary• Public comment on draft management objectives thru partnership. • Finalize objectives and management plan.

Are our actions achieving the desired outcomes?

Key Ecological Attribute: Chemical/physical characteristics

Indicator: Average Annual SRP concentrations in nearshore waters in µg/L

From “Status of Nutrients in the Lake Erie

Basin” 2008.

What do we specifically need to do, and who will do it?

How should we adapt our

actions and share results

to achieve impact at

broader scales?

Implementation ChallengesImplementation Challenges

•• Garnering support of implementation Garnering support of implementation organizations organizations

•• FundingFunding•• Integrating strategy into local watershed, coastal Integrating strategy into local watershed, coastal

& land use planning (domestic and & land use planning (domestic and binationallybinationally))•• Integrating actions across watersheds & coastal Integrating actions across watersheds & coastal

areasareas•• Integrating science and monitoring of lakes, Integrating science and monitoring of lakes,

coastlines, & watershedcoastlines, & watershed•• Communication/education especially Communication/education especially

stewardshipstewardship

Anticipated Project TimelineAnticipated Project Timeline

•• October October –– December 2010December 2010

•• Establish steering committeeEstablish steering committee

•• Establish project scope and identify biodiversity Establish project scope and identify biodiversity features/conservation targetsfeatures/conservation targets

•• Establish project websiteEstablish project website

•• January January –– May 2011May 2011

•• Compile and synthesize data and information on Compile and synthesize data and information on conservation targets and threats, conservation conservation targets and threats, conservation strategies and priority areas from other plans and strategies and priority areas from other plans and initiativesinitiatives

•• Complete initial assessments of target viability and Complete initial assessments of target viability and threatsthreats

Anticipated Project TimelineAnticipated Project Timeline——cont’dcont’d

•• May May -- June 2011June 2011

•• Workshop 1 to review and refine viability and threat Workshop 1 to review and refine viability and threat assessments and develop initial conservation assessments and develop initial conservation strategiesstrategies

•• June June –– December 2011December 2011

•• FollowFollow--up webinars to complete viability and threat up webinars to complete viability and threat assessmentsassessments

•• Compile work to date and prepare initial chapters of Compile work to date and prepare initial chapters of final reportfinal report

•• January 2012January 2012

•• Workshop 2 to refine conservation strategies and Workshop 2 to refine conservation strategies and measures of successmeasures of success

Anticipated Project TimelineAnticipated Project Timeline——cont’dcont’d

•• February February –– April 2012April 2012

•• FollowFollow--up webinars to refine strategies and measuresup webinars to refine strategies and measures

•• Steering committee develops implementation planSteering committee develops implementation plan

•• May May –– September 2012September 2012

•• Prepare final report and supporting spatial dataPrepare final report and supporting spatial data

•• Disseminate productsDisseminate products

Questions/DiscussionQuestions/Discussion

http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/erieblueprinthttp://conserveonline.org/workspaces/erieblueprint