Inventory and Monitoring Terrestrial Fauna Inventory and Monitoring Terrestrial Fauna Linking Field Activities to Budget Processes

Species at risk increasing Regulatory and other requirements increasing Funding not keeping pace Issue-based approaches not effective Inventory and Monitoring Activities Are Not Keeping Pace with Issues Requires a “systems” approach and use of corporate data standards to facilitate data exchange and reduce costs

FS Inventory & Monitoring Framework: Applying a Systems Approach Translate local and national issues and requirements into inventory questions Identify basic data needed to develop meaningful answers to inventory questions Collect/compile basic and digital data and load into NRIS-Fauna Use automated tools to search for the strongest relationship between field and digital data Translate data into information/knowledge for decision makers Prepare inventory and monitoring reports for assessment and planning processes QUESTIONS FIELD DATA DIGITAL DATA MODELS EVALUATION REPORTS

FSH or GTR: Common Stand Exam TEUI Aquatic Inventory Terrestrial Fauna FS Resource Information Management - Corporate Standards, Protocols, Data Bases Data Standards & Protocols Data Collection NRIS Databases Field Users

Corporate Data and Tools Your Platform for Inventory, Assessment, and Effects Analysis

Corporate Inventory & Monitoring Protocols Corporate inventory & monitoring protocols: - Collect BASIC resource data, not interpreted data - Are linked at various scales - Utilize a systems approach to allow data aggregation - Respond to a wide-range of inventory questions - Include spatial and attribute data collection - Provide direct loading into field data recorders and NRIS-Fauna, other NRIS data bases Documented in Forest Service Handbooks or General Technical Reports to: - Ensure Federal and Agency data standards are met - Incorporate scientific information and processes - Document metadata - Describe QA/QC procedures - Enable replication over the landscape and time

15 Standard Core GIS Layers  NRIS – Fauna linked to: Species Occurrence Layer  NRIS – Terra linked to: TEUI/AEUI  NRIS – Water linked to: Watersheds, Water Bodies, and Stream Network Layers  ALP – linked to: Land Ownership Layer  INFRA – linked to: Roads/Trails, facilities, range allotment boundaries, etc. Core GIS Layers are Linked to Corporate Databases:

Direct link to ABI/TNC and other non-FS databases Interactive capability between spatial and attribute data Standardized analysis tools Linked to habitat relationship models and monitoring systems Field data recorders support corporate inventory protocols Links to other NRIS/INFRA data Meets all FGDC/Agency standards Centralized support and help desk Upgrades based on user needs NRIS – Fauna Your Platform for Analysis and Documentation NRIS – Fauna Features

FS Budget Framework Understanding Ecological Components of the Budget

Program Budget Direction Use of NFIM Funds must meet three tests: Above-Project Purpose Documented I&M Protocols/Metadata Integration/Coordination Inventory, Assessment and Monitoring: Defined as different and distinct activities Reported as different accomplishments Separate direction and funding

NFIM Activity Descriptions Inventory (IMMAXX job codes) Consists of data collection and data management needed to analyze of the resource conditions Meets multiple information needs at various scales above the project-level Assessment (IMMBXX job codes) Characterization of ecosystems at two scales to provide context for management Identify management options – no decisions Monitoring (IMMCXX job codes) LRMP monitoring activities Preparation of Annual Reports

Accomplishment Reporting (MAR) Inventory (IMMAXX job codes) Acres of Terrestrial Fauna Inventory at the Landscape Scale Acres of Terrestrial Fauna Inventory at the Subregion Scale Assessment (IMMBXX job codes) Number of Broadscale Assessments Number of Watershed Assessments No reporting elements for Fauna Assessments Monitoring (IMMCXX job codes) Number of Annual Monitoring and Evaluation Reports No reporting elements for Fauna Monitoring Reports

FS Program Budget Development Understanding Budget Ecological Processes

NFIM Program Connections NFIM funded Terrestrial Fauna Inventories (IMMAXX Job Codes) supports: Broadscale Assessments for LRMP Revision or Amendment Watershed/Landscape Assessment NFIM supports participation of wildlife biologists, botanists in Assessments (IMMBXX Job Codes). Monitoring (IMMCXX Job Codes) funded by NFIM supports: MIS/Viability Monitoring described in LRMP

NFIM Program Components Broadscale Assessment X FY Watershed Assessments Broadscale Assessment Y FY03 – 18 Watershed Assessments FY Watershed Assessments Monitoring MA MBMA MB MC MB MA MB MA MB MA MB MC Project Analyses Project Plan Revisions

Number of Assessments x Watershed Assessment Acres Broadscale Assessment Acres 2 NF & 1 NG (NFS and adjacent lands) No MAR Item - Information in Annual Report Terrestrial Fauna Inventory - Landscape Scale Terrestrial Fauna Inventory - Subsection Scale Terrestrial Fauna Monitoring Terrestrial Fauna Habitat Inventory No MAR Item – Interpreted from other data 16 x 125,000 = 2.0 million acres 1 x 6.5 million = 6.5 million acres No target Example: FY01 Target Estimates This methodology is used in lieu of calculating inventory cycle for NFS lands or other methods

Terrestrial Fauna Inventories At the Landscape Scale Terrestrial Fauna Inventories At the Landscape Scale Supporting Ecosystem Analysis at the Watershed Scale

Terrestrial Fauna Inventories at the Landscape Scale  Compile data from existing sources (e.g. ABI/TNC)  Identification of data gaps using habitat relationship models  Determine inventory method  Field inventories to fill data gaps  Document QA/QC procedures  Development of GIS Coverages  Loading data into NRIS-Fauna  Preparing Fauna Report Gathering and mapping information on the occurrence, population, and density of terrestrial fauna needed to support Ecosystem Analysis at the Watershed Scale. Habitat inventory is derived from other inventories not reported in this category.

Access to existing data on species occurrence and range in GIS Use models to evaluate habitat relationships using NRIS, INFRA data in models Identify data gaps Identify inventory protocol Load Field sampling/survey data and metadata in NRIS-Fauna Analyze data in NRIS-Fauna Prepare Inventory Report Terrestrial Fauna Inventory to Support Ecosystem Analysis at the Watershed Scale TYPICAL ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED BY NRIS-FAUNA

Product Examples  Species occurrence, population distribution, and density displayed in the NRIS-Fauna database for use in the Willow Creek Watershed Assessment.  Fauna inventory report completed for the Rock Creek Watershed and data loaded into NRIS-Fauna for an upcoming watershed analysis.

Terrestrial Fauna Inventories At the Subsection Scale Terrestrial Fauna Inventories At the Subsection Scale Supporting LRMP Revision and Amendment

Terrestrial Fauna Inventory at the Subsection Scale Inventories span Ecological Subsections and are independent of administrative unit or land ownership. Data are compiled from available data sources and linked to vegetation and terrestrial ecological inventories to determine data gaps. Inventories are conducted using sampling systems which provide the foundation for future LRMP monitoring, which will determine the validity of assumptions used in planning, identifying focal species, species of concern, and rare components. Habitat relationship models are adapted from literature or developed for use in LRMP Revision. A variety of model building tools, based in GIS provide wildlife biologists/botanists analysis tools that can be updated as scientific information changes and monitoring results are evaluated.

Terrestrial Fauna Inventories at the Subsection Scale Inventories at this scale utilize data and ecological characterization to stratify sampling and “mine” data from other sources. Where observations and field sampling are needed, inventories are conducted. Links to other inventory systems are developed over time to gather data needed to support these assessments. NRIS – Fauna provides the capability to access data, conduct spatial analysis, develop relationships, and catalogue data

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