Natural Resources in DoD Current Issues and Program Priorities

L. Peter BoiceDeputy Director, Natural Resources

1. Hot Issue: Candidate Species2. Policy and Guidance 3. Evaluating DoD’s Natural Resource

Programs4. Tools and Training5. Partnerships6. Looking Ahead

Current Issues and Goals

1. CANDIDATE SPECIES

Center for Biological Diversity and Wild Earth Guardians filed suit with USFWS on 757 species

Judge approved settlement September 10, 2011 USFWS agreed to:

A 6-year schedule for final listing decisions on 251 species on the candidate list

Developing initial findings on 506 other species Formal data call to DoD Components

Key species Level of concern (Red, Yellow, Green, White) Information available

Background

LEVEL OF CONCERN ARMY NAVY

MARINE CORPS

AIR FORCE TOTAL

RED 6 0 1 1 8

ORANGE 25 6 1 3 29

YELLOW 45 38 3 4 71

TOTALS  72 43 5 6 110

Level of ConcernSUMMARY RESULTS

Red knot (3 Military Services; 31 installations)

Greater sage grouse Washington ground squirrel Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly Streaked horned lark Roy prairie pocket gopher Louisiana pine snake Lesser prairie chicken

Key Species Identified

Collect updates through FY 2013 EMR

Implement processes that ensure INRMPs adequately address candidate species on an ongoing basis

Ensure INRMPs are up-to-date

Next Steps

2. POLICY AND GUIDANCE

DoDI 4715.03 INRMP Implementation Manual Tripartite MOU Migratory Bird MOU DoD Partners in Flight Plan DoD Partners in Amphibian and Reptile

Conservation Plan

Current and Pending Documents

Purposes

Improve the integration of mission and stewardship

Integrate a conservation ethic throughout DoD

Facilitate military readiness and cost-effective policies through sustained use of natural resources

Identify opportunities for improved cooperation, information sharing, technology demonstration and transfer, and public communications

www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/471503p.pdf

Natural Resources ConservationInstruction, DoDI 4715.03

General INRMP provisions Coordination, review and public comment Implementation and special management Ecosystem-based management INRMP contents

In Formal Coordination

INRMP Implementation Manual

Clarifies definitions for: Compliant INRMP INRMP Review INRMP Update INRMP Revision

Streamlined review process Anticipate by end of June Companion USFWS Sikes Act Guidance Update

To be published NLT September 2013 Definitions consistent w/ MOU Help ensure USFWS input to annual Focus Area

metrics

Sikes Tripartite MOU

Adds responsibilities for implementing Executive Order 13186

Clarifies information sharing among Migratory Bird Council members

Provides guidance for implementing changes in cantonment areas and best practices for non-readiness activities (e.g., reducing amount of reflective glass, using native plants for landscaping)

Anticipate update before end of fiscal year

Migratory Bird MOU

3. Evaluating DoD’s Natural Resource

Programs

Natural Resource Metrics Goals:

Evaluate effectiveness of natural resources support to the military mission

Assess overall health and trends of each installation's natural resources program

Identify and correct potential funding and other resource shortfalls

Natural Resources Focus Areas

FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY 10 FY 11

Installations 4 29 2 2 1 8 0 5

5

15

25

35

Num

ber

of I

nsta

llati

ons

Critical Habitat Designation Avoidance

INRMPs and Critical Habitat Exclusions51 installations and satellites have used INRMP exclusion: 4(a)(3)(B); 22 more than once

Majority of recent occurrences – Hawaii plants99 total difference species

34 bases used readiness exclusion: 4(b)(2)1 since 2006 (two coral species)

Front office query – what do we get for this level of investment?

Conservation Expenditures

FY 2011

FY 2012

FY 2013

FY 2014

REQUEST $320M

$380M $379M $363M

ESTIMATE $325M

$408M $380M

ACTUAL $394M

$388M

Program Budget ElementsPROPOSED

Manpower Education and Training (Natural) Listed and At-Risk Species

Endangered Species Act Wetlands

Clean Water Act Natural Resources Conservation & Rehabilitation

Sikes Act Marine Mammal Protection Act Other Natural Resources

Migratory Bird Treaty Act Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

4. TOOLS AND TRAINING

Purposes Define Needs and Address Gaps

Information Exchange

Strategic Planning

Sikes and ESA courses developed and implemented. Now online only: www.Dodworkshops.org/Training.html

No additional Legacy-sponsored course offerings projected

Evaluating alternative training methods e.g., webinars, distant learning

Natural Resources Courses

www.dodworkshops.org/Workshops.html

Informational Workshops

Biodiversity www. Dodbiodiversity.org

Invasive Species Outreach www.dodinvasives.org

Other Tools

5. PARTNERSHIPS

Improve understanding of DoD mission and stewardship needs

Place DoD lands into larger regional context, and leverage resources across geopolitical boundaries

Enhance resource sharing and cost efficiencies

Ease INRMP approval and implementation Increase management flexibility Demonstrate DoD’s community engagement

Why Partner?

Economy Act (31 USC 1535 and 1536)

Sikes Act (16 USC 670c-1)

Legacy Program (10 USC 2694)

REPI (10 USC 2684a)

Authority to Partner

Internal DoD

External – Federal US Fish and Wildlife Service USDA Forest Service Bureau of Land Management

External - NGO National Military Fish and Wildlife Association Cooperative Ecosystem Study Units Cooperative Conservation Non-Profit Organizations

Partnership Efforts

Internal DoD DoD Readiness and Environmental Protection

Initiative (REPI): www.denix.osd.mil/sri/repi

DoD Partners in Flight: http://dodpif.org

DoD Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation: www.parcplace.org/resources/dod-parc.html

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Key partner – regulator Regular meetings between DoD

NR Program and Ecological Services,Migratory Bird, and Endangered Species offices

Award-winning outcomes• 2012 Presidential Migratory Bird Stewardship

Award (Burrowing Owls)• 2013 Military Conservation Partner

Award (Naval Base Coronado)

Federal Agencies

Coalition of military installation natural resource managers and contractors

Future: more webinars and other online resources

External: National Military Fish and Wildlife Association (NMFWA)

Currently a member of 15 CESU units CESU – New Regions for 2013

Pacific Northwest, Great Basin Ft. Worth District

FY12: 62 new and 65 continuing projects $34.0M Sliding scale fee

External: Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs)

Regional Partnerships Ecosystem Management Initiatives SE Regional Partnership for Planning and

Sustainability (SERPPAS) and Western Regional partnership (WRP)

Cooperative Invasive Species Management AreasLocally Implemented Partnerships

National Public Lands Day Bat Conservation International National Wild Turkey Federation Ducks Unlimited

External: Cooperative Conservation

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Caught in the Crosshairs: Combating the Illegal Wildlife Trade in Iraq &

Afghanistan www.wcswildlifetrade.org/military

Pollinator Partnership Variety of project funded, primarily through National Public

Lands Day www.pollinator.org

National Wildlife Federation Scanning the Conservation Horizon: A Guide

to Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment www.nwf.org/vulernabiltyguide

The Wildlife Society New Military Working Group www.wildlife.org/subunits/working-groups

External: Non-Profit Groups

6. LOOKING AHEAD

Limited travel – mission essential Alternative means of communications

Compliance-driven requirements will dominate budget decisions (e.g., Listed and at-risk species)

FWS expected to propose additional changes to ESA rules and policies

Continued off-base partnership opportunities Climate change focus → missions and facilities Sustainability (e.g., water)

Looking Ahead

Websites DoDNaturalResources.net DENIX.osd.mil/NaturalResources DoDLegacy.org

Natural Selections Newsletters Publications/Brochures YouTube Animations

http://dodnaturalresources.net/Animation.html www.youtube.com/watch?v=zipNe0rnu3E

Social Media DoD Facebook and Blog Twitter: @DoDNatRes

Outreach

Questions?

Peter.Boice@osd.mil