Conserving Bird Habitat in

California’s Central ValleyBob Shaffer, CVJV Coordinator

JVC Meeting Austin, TexasDecember 2006

Central Valley Joint Venture

formed in 1988

Central Valley Wetlands Decline

CVJV Coordination Office

• Coordinator: Bob Shaffer

• Assistant Coordinator: Ruth Ostroff

• Science Coordinator: Rob Holbrook

• Communications Coordinator: Jill Shirley

It’s all about the Partnerships!

Who Comprises the Central Valley Joint

Venture Board

Management Board Private Partners

• 9 mgt board partners• 11 ex-officio members

• Audubon California• CA Association of Resource Conservation

Districts• California Waterfowl Association• Defenders of Wildlife• Ducks Unlimited, Inc.• PRBO Conservation Science• River Partners• The Nature Conservancy• The Trust for Public Land

NGO Partners

• CA Dept. of Water Resources• CA Dept. of Fish and Game• CA Resources Agency• CA State Parks• CA Wildlife Conservation Board• US Natural Resources Conservation Service• US Army Corps of Engineers• US Bureau of Land Management• US Bureau of Reclamation• US Environmental Protection Agency• US Fish and Wildlife Service

State/Federal Ex-Officio Partners

CVJV Area of Influence

Nine Basin Focus Area

The CVJV ToolboxSome of the ways the Joint Venture gets things done

• CA Inland Wetlands Program (WCB)• Comprehensive Wetland Habitat Program (DFG)• Presley Program a.k.a. CA Waterfowl Habitat Program

(DFG)• State and Federal Easement Programs (FWS, DFG)• Farm Bill Programs (NRCS/FSA)• Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (FWS)• Valley-Bay CARE & MARSH Programs (DU)• NAWCA grants• Pintail, Mallard and Wood Duck Programs (CWA)• Central Valley Conservation Program (BOR)• CVPIA Programs (BOR/FWS)

– 56 NAWCA projects – 502,000 ACRES Protected, Restored

and Enhanced.– $37 million in NAWCA grant funding– $202 million Federal/non-Federal

leveraged.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act Grants in the

Central Valley

2000 North American 2000 North American Bird Conservation Bird Conservation

InitiativeInitiative

www.nabci-us.orgwww.nabci-us.org

2006 Implementation Plan

2006 Plan Expanded Role:

• Wintering waterfowl• Wintering shorebirds• Breeding waterfowl• Breeding shorebirds• Riparian birds• Waterbirds

Conservation issue #1:

American Basin

American Basin

Location

CVJV American Basin Working Group: A forum for land protection planning in

CVJV priority area

• Needs 25K acres of additional wetlands.• Focus area has high development threat, high

wildlife values.• Working with landowners to establish a core

wildlife refuge in the area (5K ac).• Ag/Wetland easements to surround core area

(10K ac).

CVJV American Basin Working Group (cont’d)

• Multi-partners w/funding and resources.• Landowners contacted and many

interested.• Within multiple counties – NCCP/HCP

areas. • Giant Garter Snake Recovery Plan.

American Basin Work Group• California Department of Fish and Game• Central Valley Joint Venture• Ducks Unlimited• Placer County Planning Department• Placer County Resource Conservation District• Sutter County Planning Department• Sutter County Resource Conservation District• The Placer Land Trust• The Trust for Public Land• Wildlife Conservation Board• US Fish and Wildlife Service

Core Area Identified

American Basin

American Basin

Agriculture, Wetland, Riparian, and Urban Interaction

Focal Area and

NCCP/HCP Efforts

American Basin Where are we now?

• Have we waited too long?

• Unanticipated urban development = skyrocketing land values.

• Now appears to be high effort for small gain.

• Too late to continue efforts?

• Should efforts be redirected where acquisition/restoration is easier (cheaper)?

Conservation issue #2:

Tulare Basin

Tulare Basin Location

– Public agencies, private organizations, and private individuals share information, coordinate, and collaborate on conservation projects led by the participant organizations

– Concerned with the protection and restoration of natural communities in the Tulare Lake Basin.

Tulare Basin Working Group

Tulare Basin Wildlife Partners Mission: To protect, enhance, and restore

wildlife and their habitats in the Tulare Lake Basin

Provides strategic assistance to:– Tulare Basin Wetland Association– DFG– FWS– BLM– CVJV

Current Projects

• BOR funded three conservation plans in Tulare Basin– Goose Lake– Tulare Lake – Sand

Ridge– Kern Lake – Buena

Vista Lake

Current Projects

Proposal to link endangered species habitat and wetland areas on the West side of the Tulare Basin to East side undeveloped lands

Tulare Basin Where are we now?

• Projected urban growth, dairies, sludge farms high in basin.

• New NGO galvanizing partnerships, seeking new funding sources.

• Lack of Water is the key Issue.• Number of Endangered species high.• There’s still time - CVJV will continue high level

of support to achieve the protection and restoration of all existing wetlands in the basin and restore 26,000 acres of wetlands.

Thank You!