New England Cottontail Conservation Efforts

1. New England Cottontail Conservation Efforts Anthony Tur US Fish and Wildlife Service New England Field Office Concord, New Hampshire

5. Obligate users 1.0 New England cottontails RELATIVE USE 0.5 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 AGE OF STAND

11. I- 293 Route 3 Hawthorne Drive 1998 Everett Turnpike Hawthorne Drive 2008 Habitat loss is the primary threat.

13. Summary of Findings • 86% Contraction in Range Since 1960. • NEC in 150 of 2,300 patches searched. • ~ 60% patches are considered habitat sinks. • EC is 5x more abundant. • Primary threat is habitat loss and fragmentation

14. Candidate Designation2006

15. State Wildlife Agencies have expressed a desire to preclude the need to list the NEC.

16. Candidate Conservation in the USFWS Assess species status and assist in the development and facilitation of voluntary conservation tools, so that those species do not need the protection of the Endangered Species Act.

18. Listing Consideration Section4(b)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act states that the Service will take ’’* * * into account those efforts, if any, being made by any State or foreign nation, or any political subdivision of a State or foreign nation, to protect such species *” when making listing decisions.

19. Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making Listing Decisions(PECE) • policy is intended to facilitate voluntary development of conservation efforts with Partners. • identifies criteria used to guide the Service when evaluating conservation efforts. • policy does not establish standards for conservation efforts.

20. Basic Elements of PECE In evaluating these efforts, the Service will need; • Certainty that the Conservation Effort will be Implemented (9 elements) • Certainty that the Conservation Effort will be Effective (6 elements)

21. Certainty of Implementation • Level of effort needed to address threats is identified. • Authority for the actions is described. • Level of commitment to the effort by the Parties is described, including funding. • Implementation schedule is provided.

22. Certainty of Effectiveness • Threats are identified and addressed. • Adaptive management principles are incorporated.

24. Adaptive Management Model

25. Conservation Design • Identify Conservation Focus Areas. • Identify Goals and Objectives for each. • Compile Focal Area Plans into Rangewide Conservation Strategy.

26. Conservation Goal • Implement conservation actions, throughout the range, to establish: • 1 NEC focal area capable of supporting 2,500 or more individuals; • 5 focal areas each capable of supporting 1,000 or more individuals; and • 12 focal areas each capable of supporting 500 or more individuals;

27. Objectives • Avoid further loss and fragmentation of existing populations; • Implement conservation actions that increase patch quality, quantity, and connectivity; • Establish management agreements to ensure that large, source populations remain viable and their habitats remain suitable; • Evaluate the role of eastern cottontails as a non-native competitor and implement conservation actions that address this threat, as appropriate.

28. Green Infrastructure Model for NEC Conservation Dispersal Corridor Patch Focal Area Step 1. Identify focal areas. Step 2. Improve patch quality, quantity and connectivity. Step 3. Link focal areas through dispersal.

29. Identify Focal Areas and Rank Focal Areas

30. 257 75 735 225 2100 1575

31. Organizational Structure for Conservation of the New England Cottontail Legend = Task = Personnel ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATION PLANNING NEC Executive Board Allocate Resources Develop Conservation Agreement Identify Assumptions NEC Research Team Biological Planning DesignStudy Rangewide NEC Management Team Conduct Study State Coordinator Prioritize Actions & Compliance Screen Develop Conservation Design Evaluate Design Modify Design Provide Technical Assistance FOCUS AREA ORGANIZATION MONITORING & REPORTING CONSERVATION DELIVERY Assess Habitat and Population Response NEC Survey Focus Area Coordinator Prioritize Actions Translocation Outreach & Recruitment Track Progress Project Screening Delivery Focus Area Conservation Team Habitat Management Site Planner Easement & Acquisition Standards Land Protection Acquisition Partner

32. 1Research and Development • Investigate local opportunities and vulnerabilities Business Model Framework • 2Marketing • Use analytical technology to identify and characterize landowners (the “market”) that may be recruited to benefit a target resource • Assess focal area • Develop rangewide plan. • Quantify needs. • Establish timeline. • 3Advertising • Conduct outreach • 4Technical Sales • Employ technical sales expertise that is versed in land and natural resource transactions and restoration concepts • 5Delivery • Develop efficient mechanisms to deliver conservation projects • 6Business Information System • Track real-time spatial information on the status of sales and delivery to measure model approach

33. Ranked Parcels to Target Landowner Recruitment

34. MONITORING • On-going research at UNH • Determine detection rates. • Develop population estimation tools. • Spatial Patch Occupancy Model (SPOM)?

35. Hot Topics • Formation of Executive Committee • NRCS Initiative • ($6.8 million request for 5 years to deliver 2,500 acres of habitat on private land) • Captive Breeding Efforts • Development of Inbound Marketing Tools • April Tech. Committee mtg. at the NEFWC.

36. Certainty of Implementation • Level of effort needed to address threats is identified. • Authority for the actions is described. • Level of commitment to the effort by the Parties is described, including funding. • Implementation schedule is provided.

37. Certainty of Effectiveness • Threats are identified and addressed. • Adaptive management principles are incorporated.

38. NEC as a barometer NEC Conservation is not single species management • dispersal limited • year round resident • area sensitive • extreme habitat specialist