The High Divide Conservation of Continental

Connectivity through Community Based Collaboration

Great  Northern  Landscape  Conservation  Cooperative  Connectivity  Workshop            Bozeman,  MT          April,  2015  

Heart  of  the  Rockies  Initiative  

Greater  Yellowstone  Ecosystem  (2003)  

Crown  of  the  Continent/Upper  Columbia  (2005)  

High  Divide  (2010)  

Central  Idaho  Wilderness  Buffer  (future  work)  

WHERE  WE  WORK-­‐-­‐LANDSCAPES    

Greater  Yellowstone  Ecosystem  

                       Conservation  Accomplishments  

Oct.  9,  2014   HAMILTON,  MONTANA  

194,483  acres  119  projects  

1.2  million  acres  806  projects  

2004   2004-­‐2013  

Increasing  the  Pace  of  Conservation  through  .  .      Science  Delivery    Collaborative  Conservation  Planning    Capacity  Building    Development  of  Project  Capital    Outreach  to  Share  and  Celebrate  the  Conservation  Story      

The  High  Divide  

The  High  Divide  connects  large  core  protected  areas  in  the  U.S.  Rocky  Mountains—Yellowstone  National  Park,  the  Crown  of  the  Continent,  and  Central  Idaho’s  

vast  Wilderness  Areas.  

Idaho  and  Montana  

Courtesy    Rowan  Nyman,  fishonphoto.com  

The  High  Divide  Landscape        Continental ly  Significant  Connectivity    

Wolverine    Metapopulation  Connectivity  Model  

Grizzly  Movements  

Elk    Migrations  

Sage  Grouse,  Mule  Deer    &  Pronghorn  Migrations  

Generalized  Movements  

Pronghorn—Long distance Migration

Courtesy  WCS  

The  High  Divide  Landscape  

Courtesy    Rowan  Nyman,  fishonphoto.com  

High  Divide—Idaho  and  Montana  LANDSCAPE  FEATURES   HEALTHY  WILDLIFE  POPULATIONS      

whose  long-­‐term  persistence  depends  upon  ecological  linkage    between    large  protected  core  areas  

Courtesy    Rowan  Nyman,  fishonphoto.com   Courtesy  Jeff  Burrell,  WCS  

High  Divide—Idaho  and  Montana  LANDSCAPE  FEATURES   CULTURAL  LEGACY      

of  Native  American  lands,  trails  and  traditional  uses  

Photos  Courtesy  Big  Hole  National  Battlefield,  NPS  

High  Divide—Idaho  and  Montana  LANDSCAPE  FEATURES   WORKING  RANCHLANDS      

that  are  central  to  the  region’s  economy  and  communities  

Courtesy  Trust  for  Public  Land  

High  Divide—Idaho  and  Montana  LANDSCAPE  FEATURES   RECREATION        

nationally  important  dispersed  recreation  land  and  waterways  

Courtesy  Terry  R  Thomas,  IDF&G   Courtesy  RMEF   Courtesy  Prickly  Pear  Land  Trust  Courtesy  Gallatin  Valley    Land  Trust  

High  Divide—Idaho  and  Montana  LANDSCAPE  FEATURES   HEADWATERS    

for  sensitive  fish  and  quality  water  for  human  uses  

Courtesy  Lemhi  Regional  Land  Trust   Courtesy  PJ  Johnson  cc  

SOCIAL, POLITICAL CONTEXT

Ø  Rural, small populations

Ø  All-lands approach to agriculture

Ø  High percentage of public lands

Ø  Strong economic and recreational connections to public lands

Ø  Mistrust of federal government and outside interests

High  Divide—Idaho  and  Montana  

High  Divide  Conservation  through  Local  Initiatives    Community  Based  conservation  in  the  Madison  Valley,  Upper  Henry’s  Fork,  Centennial  Valley,  Beaverhead  Valley,  Big  Hole  Valley,  Salmon-­‐Lemhi,  Idaho’s  Lost  Rivers,  Pioneers  Alliance,  Sawtooth  NRA.    Over  the  past  25  years  .  .  .    

•  754,323  acres  protected      

•  $437.5  million  invested  in  conservation  easements  &  fee  title    

 acquisitions  

•  Restoration:  152,560  acres,  775  river  miles  $18.7  million  

•  Need  now  to  secure  past  investments  by  protecting  and  restoring      

 remaining  landscape  connections  

   

The  High  Div ide  Col laborat ive  Landscape  

MONTANA

Land  &  Water  Conservation  Fund  Conservation  Landscape  Project  

Conserved Properties  

Centennial Mtns  

Pioneer Mtns  

Salmon  Dillon  Frank Church

River of No Return Wilderness   Yellow

stone NP  

Island Park  

BUILDING  COLLABORATION  HIGH  DIVIDE  CONSERVATION  COLLABORATIVE    

Community Engagement Collaboration  requires  local  community  engagement  •     Invite  all  stakeholders  to  the  table  •     Learn  their  needs  •     Incorporate  into  goals  

Ø Platform  for  Trust  Ø Safe  Place  for  Risk-­‐takers  Ø Results  matter  

 

BUILDING COLLABORATION USDA  Forest  Service  Region  1  –  Missoula,  MT  

 Beaverhead-­‐Deerlodge  National  Forest    Gallatin  National  Forest  

USDA  Forest  Service,  Region  4    -­‐-­‐  Ogden,  UT    Caribou-­‐Targhee  National  Forest    Salmon-­‐Challis  National  Forest    Sawtooth  National  Recreation  Area  

 USDI  Bureau  of  Land  Management  -­‐  Idaho      Upper  Snake  Field  Office    

                                         Salmon  Field  Office    Challis  Field  Office      Shoshone  Field  Office  

USDI  Bureau  of  Land  Management  -­‐  Montana    Dillon  Field  Office  

 

USDI  Fish  &  Wildlife  Service,  Region  1,  Portland,  OR    Camas  National  Wildlife  Refuge  

USDI  Fish  and  Wildlife  Service,  Region  6    Montana  Acquisition  Office,  Great  Falls,  MT    Red  Rocks  Lake  National  Wildlife  Refuge  

 USDI  National  Park  Service    Columbia  Cascades  System  Support  Office    Craters  of  the  Moon  National  Monument    Nez  Perce  National  Historic  Park    Big  Hole  National  Battlefield    Yellowstone  National  Park  

 USDA  Natural  Resources  Conservation  Service    MT  and  ID;  Sage-­‐Grouse  Initiative  

 Great  Northern  Landscape  Conservation  Cooperative  

HIGH  DIVIDE  CONSERVATION  COLLABORATIVE    

BUILDING COLLABORATION Montana  Dept.of    Fish,  Wildlife  &  Parks  Nez  Perce  Tribe;  Nez  Perce  Trail  Foundation  Central  Idaho  Rangelands  Network  Centennial  Valley  Association  Madison  Valley  Ranchlands  Group  Slash  J  Ranch  Flying  A  Ranch  Inc.  Idaho  Department  of  Fish  and  Game  Kalsta  Ranch  Co.  Lee  Martinell  Ranch  Co.  Turner  Enterprises  Flying  D  Ranch  Snowcrest  Ranch  Red  Rock  Ranch  Teton  Regional  Land  Trust,  Driggs,  ID  Lemhi  Regional  Land  Trust,  Salmon,  ID  Wood  River  Land  Trust,  Hailey,  ID  Gallatin  Valley  Land  Trust,  Bozeman,  MT  Bitter  Root  Land  Trust,  Hamilton,  MT  The  Nature  Conservancy,  Montana  The  Nature  Conservancy,  Idaho  Henry’s  Fork  Lodge  Idaho  Adventures  

Rocky  Mountain  Elk  Foundation  Dillon  Sage  Grouse  Working  Group  Wildlife  Conservation  Society  Future  West  Craighead  Institute  Center  for  Large  Landscape  Conservation  Northern  Rockies  Conservation  Cooperative  Salmon  Valley  Stewardship  Heart  of  the  Rockies  Initiative  The  Conservation  Fund  Trust  for  Public  Land,  Bozeman,  MT  Greater  Yellowstone  Coalition  Henry’s  Fork  Legacy  Project  Pioneer  Alliance  Big  Hole  River  Foundation  Henry’s  Fork  Foundation  Sonoran  Institute  Big  Hole  Watershed  Committee  Yellowstone  to  Yukon  Initiative  Madison  Watershed  Partnership  Project  Lighthawk  Western  Rivers  Conservancy  

HIGH  DIVIDE  CONSERVATION  COLLABORATIVE    

BUILDING  COLLABORATION  HIGH  DIVIDE  CONSERVATION  COLLABORATIVE    

Working Across Boundaries

Define  landscape  through    ecological  and  cultural  connections      -­‐  More  than  the  sum  of  the  parts    Reliance  on  science        -­‐  ID  &  MT  state  wildlife  agencies      -­‐  GNLCC,  federal  agencies      -­‐  Wildlife  Conservation  Society      -­‐  Craighead  Institute      -­‐  Northern  Rockies  Cons.  Coop.    Local  expertise—stakeholder  input    

HIGH  DIVIDE  CONSERVATION  COLLABORATIVE    

Collaborative Goals OUR  SHARED  VISION  IS  TO  CONSERVE:  

•       Working  ranchlands  central  to  communities,  economy  and  way  of  life  

•       Nationally  important  dispersed  recreation  land  and  waterways  where  youth    

         get  into  nature  

•       A  cultural  legacy  of  Nez  Perce,  Continental  Divide,  and  Lewis  &  Clark  Trails  

•       Ecological  linkage  between  protected  core  areas  to  conserve  wide-­‐ranging    

         wildlife  in  response  to  climate  change  

BUILDING  COLLABORATION  

HIGH  DIVIDE  CONSERVATION  COLLABORATIVE    

Collaborative Goals OUR  SHARED  VISION  IS  TO  CONSERVE….  

•       Restored  headwaters  for  sensitive  fish  and  human  uses  

•       Crucial  core  and  migratory  sage  grouse  habitats  

•       Open  land  in  the  Wildland  Urban  Interface  to  protect  life  and  property  and  reduce  fire  costs    

BUILDING  COLLABORATION  

HIGH  DIVIDE  RESOURCE  THREATS:  

•         Residential  and  commercial  development  

•         Habitat  fragmentation  

•         Connectivity  barriers—physical  and  cultural  

•         Loss  of  public  access  

•         Destruction  of  heritage  sites  

•         Energy  transmission  development  

 

     

“Uncontrolled development in this landscape is our biggest threat. To me

that’s like mud-wrestling in the Sistine Chapel.”

                                                                                                                                                           -­‐  Nelson  Ishiyama,  owner  Henry’s  Fork  Lodge,  Island  Park,  Idaho  

HIGH  DIVIDE  

LANDSCAPE  CHALLENGES  

•  Securing  landscape  integrity  for  wide-­‐ranging  fish  and  

wildlife,  including  Threatened  &  Endangered  species  

•  Making  room  for  natural  processes  (e.g.  natural  

disturbance)  while  preventing  spread  of  noxious  species  

•  Climate  Change  

     

HIG

H D

IVID

E

HIG

H D

IVID

E

The  High  Divide  Landscape  Migration  Bottleneck  Priorities  

Identification  of  priority  connectivity  bottlenecks  =  priority  conservation  targets  

SCIENCE  DELIVERY  TO  OUR  PARTNERS  

Portal  through  Databasin.org  HEART of the ROCKIES CONSERVATION ATLAS

HIGH  DIVIDE  CONSERVATION  COLLABORATIVE    

Current Activities Conservation  of  Target  Resources  and  Linkdages-­‐LWCF  

FY2016  LWCF  Proposal  submitted  in  08/14  for  $36.5  Million  in  acquisition  capital  

▪  -­‐  $17.9  million  ranked  high  in  President’s  FY2016  budget  

FY2017  LWCF  Pre-­‐proposal  due  in  early  May  

Stakeholder  Selected  Priority  Next-­‐Step  Conservation  Strategies  ▪     Workshops  in  Dillon,  MT  –  February  2015                                Aligned  Capacity  Building  Workshops  

Adopted  all-­‐lands  all-­‐hands  model  with  application  to  :    Connectivity,  Sage  Grouse,    Water  Conservation  and  Restoration,  Forests  and  Wildland  Urban  Interface  

Stakeholder  Outreach  

             Local  county  commissions;  National  decision  makers:  congressionals,  administration  

 Lighthawk,  Resource  Media  &  Headwaters  Economics  assisting  with  outreach  

 

 

   

HIGH  DIVIDE  CONSERVATION  COLLABORATIVE    Next Steps Phase  One  of  Landscape  Conservation  Design—What  is  Conservation  Success?    Spatial  assessment  of  current  and  future  conditions  (biological  and  socioeconomic)  with  evaluation  of  system  stability—evaluate  scenarios  for  example  focal  areas      Focal  Species:  Sage  Grouse,  Wolverine,  Mule  Deer,  headwaters  salmonids        Ecosystem  Processes:  Natural  wildfire  and  mitigation,  invasive  terrestrial  plants      Modification  (HMI)  with  3  connectivity  scenarios  per  time  period:    M/A  to  M/A,  G/S  to  G/S,  M/A  to  G/S      Model  future  conditions  based  upon  current  trends,  policies,  and  climate  change  

 Headwaters  Economics  human  footprint  analysis  through  statistically  valid  trend  projection  

 Stakeholder  engagement—stakeholder  workshops,  local  land  use  plan  review  to  identify  desired  future  conditions—water,  vegetation,  communities,  ecosystems  

 Spatially  model  broad  and  fine-­‐scale  core  habitat  and  connectivity  needed  to  sustain  desired  conditions  

 Modeling  outputs  for  key  ecosystem  services  (forage  biomass,  water  etc.),  invasives  

 

   

   

High  Divide  Planning  Area  

The  HD  Planning  Area  includes    all  the  focal  areas  identified  within  HOTR’s  High  Divide  Conservation  Plan  plus  connected  focal  areas  within  the  Greater  Yellowstone  Ecosystem  and  the  Crown  of  the  Continent—the  High  Divide’s  

nearest  neighbors.  

Landscape  Conservation  Design  

ACHIEVEMENT  OF  DURABLE,  MEANINGFUL  OUTCOMES    

LESSONS  LEARNED  

Work  collaboratively,  engage  stakeholders  from  Day  One.      Open  source.  Create  a  safe  place  for  change  and  conservation.    Earn  Trust.  

Collaborative  goals  set  by  all  stakeholders  

Landscape  scale  across  boundaries—all  lands/all  hands  approach.  

Linkage,  connectivity  

Resources  and  people—families,  economy,  culture,  legacy  

 

ACHIEVEMENT  OF  DURABLE,  MEANINGFUL  OUTCOMES    

LESSONS  LEARNED  

Sharing  good  science—need  for  data  sharing/availability  from  state  and  federal  agencies,  academic  researchers  to  make  information  accessible  and  usable  for  on-­‐the-­‐ground  conservation  practitioners.    

Scale  is  vital.  High  resolution  resource  data  are  essential  to  efficient  conservation  delivery.    

Benefit  of  using  best  available  information  to  create  cost  efficient,  meaningful  and  durable  ecological  outcomes.  

Results  matter—stay  the  course—steward  the  collaborative  

Celebrate  Success—Life  is  good!!  

Thank  you:  

By  Ilona  McCarty.  Courtesy  Lemhi  Regional  Land  Trust