Great Lakes Biodiversity Conservation

Strategies: OVERVIEW AND APPLICATION TO

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

2013 Michigan Watershed Summit

March 27, 2013

Image NOAA CoastWatch 14 March 2013

Doug Pearsall

Senior Conservation Scientist

Overview of Presentation

• Project description

• CAP process

• Conservation Targets

• Biodiversity status (viability)

• Threats

• Strategies

• Ag NPS

• Priority Areas

• Ecosystem Services assessment

• Recommendations for Implementation

Developing Biodiversity Conservation Strategies

for the Great Lakes

“primary output… biodiversity conservation strategies that

will complement and be incorporated into the

Lakewide (Action) and Management Plans (LAMPS)

“…working with a broad network…developing strategies for the

restoration and conservation of the native biodiversity and

ecosystem function… ”

Thanks to support and funding from:

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• Great Lakes National Program Office and

• Region 2

• Environment Canada

• Canada – Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes

• Erb Foundation

• Chrysler Foundation

• Mott Foundation

Biodiversity Conservation Strategies:

Four are completed

DRAFT

Conservation Action Planning (CAP)

Developing

Strategies &

Measures

Implementing

Strategies &

Measures

Using Results to

Adapt & Improve

Defining

Your Project

Conservation

Action

Planning

Defining

Your Project

· Project people

· Project scope & focal

targets

Developing

Strategies & Measures· Target viability

· Critical threats

· Situation analysis

· Objectives & actions

· Measures

Implementing

Strategies & Measures

· Develop workplans

· Implement actions

· Implement measures

Using Results to

Adapt & Improve

· Analyze actions & data

· Learn from results

· Adapt project

· Share findings

Scope of Biodiversity Conservation

Strategies: Lake Erie

Buffalo

Erie

Sterling

Heights

Warren

DetroitAnnArbor

Cleveland

Toledo

Sandusky

Akron

FortWayne

LondonSarnia

Windsor

Niagara

Falls

Lake Erie

Lake Ontario

Lake H

uro

n

50

Miles

Lake Erie - Project Scope

Base Data - Esri (2011)

.

Lake Erie Drainage Boundary

Lake H

uro

n

LakeSt. Clair

50

km

St.

Cla

ir R

ive

r

Rouge

Riv

er

Huron River

Raisin

River

De

tro

it

Riv

er

Maumee R iver

St.

Jose

ph R

iver

St. Marys River

Augla

ize R

iver

Sandusk

y R

iver

Hur

on R

.

Verm

ilion R

.

Bla

ck R

iver

Cuya

hoga

Riv

er

Grand

River

Ash

tabula

Riv

er

Mill Creek

BuffaloCreekSyd

enham

River

Thames R

iverBig

Otte

r

Cre

ek

Big

Cre

ek

Grand River

Providing greater resolution:

Lake Erie Stratification Units

301

401413

412

411111

311

312

212

113

112

211

213Lake Erie

Lake OntarioLake H

uro

n

LakeSt. Clair

St.

Cla

ir R

ive

r

Rouge

Riv

er

Huron River

RaisinRiver

De

tro

it

Riv

er

Maumee Riv er

Sa

nd

usk

y R

ive

r

Hur

on R

.Verm

ilion R

.

Bla

ck R

iver

Cuya

hoga

Riv

er

Grand

River

Ash

tabula

Riv

er

BuffaloCreek

Syd

enha

m

River

Thames

River Big O

tter

Cre

ek

Big

Cre

ek

Grand River

Maum

ee Riv

er

Buffalo

Erie

Sterling

Heights

Warren

DetroitAnnArbor

Cleveland

Toledo

Sandusky

Akron

London

Sarnia

Windsor

Niagara

Falls

Lake H

uro

n

50

Miles

.50

km

Central Basin

Eastern Basin

Huron-Erie Corridor

Western Basin

Lake Erie Assessment Units -

Michigan and Great Lakes Chapter of The NatureConservancy (2011)

Base Data - Esri (2011)

Lake Erie -

Reporting and Assessment Units

Aquatic Biodiversity Targets

– Open Water Benthic and Pelagic Ecosystem

– Nearshore Zone

– Native Migratory Fish

– Coastal Wetlands

– Connecting Channels

– Tributaries, Watersheds

Terrestrial Biodiversity Targets

– Islands

– Coastal Terrestrial Systems

– Aerial Migrants

North Bass Island Photo ©TNC

Conservation Targets: Lake Erie

Sandusky

.10

Miles

10

km

Lake Erie

Sandusk

y R

iver

Huron R

iver

Detr

oit R

iver

Raisin River

Lake Erie -

Western Basin Reporting Unit

Coastal Wetlands

Islands

Coastal Terrestrial

Nearshore

Nearshore - Connecting Channel

Nearshore - Open Water

Offshore

Coastal Wetlands - Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Consortium (2004)

Islands - Great Lakes Projec t,The Nature Conservancy andNature Conservancy of Canada (2010)

Coastal Terres trial - 2km inland

Nearshore - 30 meter in lake and 2km inlandBase Data - Esri (2011)

Huro

n

Riv

er

Verm

ilio

n R

.

Bla

ck R

.

Biodiversity Conservation Targets in

Four Great Lakes

Target Lake Ontario Lake Huron Lake Erie Lake Michigan Open Water/Offshore

>20m >30m >15m >30m

Nearshore Zone <20m <30m <15m <30m Native Migratory Fish

Native fish that depend on migration to satisfy their life cycle

Islands Both natural and artificial islands Coastal Wetlands Wetlands with historic and current hydrologic connectivity to, and

directly influenced by a Great Lake Aerial Migrants NA Birds (landbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds)

that use open waters of and adjacent shorelines, during spring and fall migration

Coastal Terrestrial Systems

Natural communities extending from the shoreline up to 2 km inland or to the extent of the (delineated) Great Lake coastal communities

Rivers, Estuaries, & Connecting Channels

Tributaries NA Connecting Channels

NA

Lake Erie

Lake Ontario

Lake H

uro

n

LakeSt. Clair

St.

Cla

ir R

ive

r

Rouge

Riv

er

Huron River

Raisin

River

De

tro

it

Riv

er

Sa

nd

usk

y R

ive

r

Hur

on R

.Verm

ilion R

.

Bla

ck R

iver

Cuya

hoga

Riv

er

Grand

River

Ash

tabula

Riv

er

BuffaloCreek

Syd

enha

m

River

Thames

River Big O

tter

Cre

ek

Big

Cre

ek

Grand River

301

401413

412

411111

311

312

212

112

211

213

Lake H

uro

n

113

Buffalo

Erie

Sterling

Heights

Warren

Detroit

Cleveland

Toledo

Sandusky

Akron

London

Sarnia

Windsor

Niagara

Falls

Lake H

uro

n20

Miles

.20

km

Nearshore Zone -

Overall Viability

Lake Erie Assessment Units -

Michigan and Great Lakes Project Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (2011)

Base Data - Esri (2011)

Mau

mee

Riv

er

Good

Fair

Poor

Very Good

Example Goals and Viability Status:

Lake Erie Nearshore Zone

By 2030, to assure adequate water quality for sustaining

native plants, fish, and invertebrates:

• Based on multi-year averages, reduce the load of

dissolved phosphorus by 50% by 2030 in at least the

priority watersheds.

• HAB toxin measures will be reduced to the point that no

HAB advisories at public beaches will be recorded and

issued.

• The native fish community will have moderately

abundant populations of, smallmouth bass, walleye,

yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, rock bass,

emerald shiners, white sucker and cyprinids.

Viability Status of Conservation Targets

in Four Great Lakes

Target Lake Ontario Lake Huron Lake Erie Lake Michigan Average Viability

Open Water/Offshore

Fair Fair Fair Fair Fair

Nearshore Zone Fair Fair Fair Fair Fair Native Migratory Fish

Fair Fair Fair Fair Fair

Islands Good Good Fair Good Good Coastal Wetlands Fair Fair Fair Good Fair Aerial Migrants NA Fair Good Fair Fair Coastal Terrestrial Systems

Fair Fair Fair Fair Fair

Rivers, Estuaries, & Connecting Channels

Fair NA Fair NA Fair

Overall Biodiversity Viability Rank

FAIR FAIR FAIR FAIR FAIR

Spatial variability in overall viability of

Lake Michigan Migratory Fish

Threat assessment results:

Lakewide Summary

Threat Lake Ontario

Lake Huron

Lake Erie Lake Michigan

Average rank

Aquatic invasive species 2 1 1 1 1.25

Incompatible development 1 2 5 3 2.75

Climate change 4 3 2 4 3.25

Terrestrial invasive species 8 4 3 2 4.25

Dams and other barriers 3 5 8 5 5.25

Non-point source pollutants 5 6 4 7 5.50

Maps of Specific Threats: Dams in Lake

Huron Basin

Strategies: Common Themes

• Nearshore water quality:

• Reduce Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollutants

• Reduce Urban Non-Point and Point Source Pollutants

• Prevent, Detect, and Control Invasive Species (aquatic and terrestrial)

• Coastal Conservation:

• Compatible Housing & Urban Development

• Shoreline Restoration

• Green Infrastructure

Strategies: Common Themes

• Remove and Mitigate Dams and Barriers

• Focus on first barriers

• Restore Fisheries

• Cisco restoration

• Climate Change

• Promote adaptation

• Improve connectivity

Example for Watershed Managers: Lake

Erie Agricultural NPS Strategies

Strategy 1: Target and intensify nutrient management BMPs to reduce Soluble Reactive Phosphorus loadings to Lake Erie

Strategy 2: Promote in-field management of drainage AND management of surface drainage channels to moderate discharge extremes and limit nutrient export

Strategic Actions for Lake Erie Ag NPS

reduction

1. Determine with whom and where to target the implementation of practices

2. Determine the most appropriate BMPs for implementation at each site

3. Assess the likely response to implementing the BMPs

4. Develop a coordinated program of education, promotion and support to encourage adoption of appropriate BMPs in targeted areas

5. Identify barriers to adoption of the BMPs, so that resources are not wasted promoting practices that will fail because of lack of support

6. Assess the rate of adoption

7. Assess amount of nutrient runoff and agricultural non-point pollutants and stressor-response

Example for Watershed Managers:

Dams and Barriers strategies , Lake Michigan

Two strategies developed:

• Increase Connectivity to Lake Michigan through Development and Use of a Comprehensive Lowest Barrier Decision Tool

• Increase Connectivity at Road-Stream Crossings at a Large Scale

Comprehensive Lowest Barrier

Decision Tool

• Bring together data and information on pressures to keep barriers and pressures to remove barriers into one decision tool.

• A means for informed decision making balancing costs and benefits

• Shared regional priorities

• Facilitate restoration, while minimizing risks

Strategic Actions for Lake Michigan

Dams and Barriers

• Select prioritization criteria with input from stakeholders.

• Develop new datasets & tools and combine with existing datasets & tools for comprehensive barrier decision tool.

• Rate barriers/rivers based on metrics of ecological significance, economics, risks, and opportunity.

• High ecological benefit, low cost barrier projects are identified for immediate action.

• Update watershed plans with recommendations to repair, replace or prevent barriers

Benefits to People:

Ecosystem Services

Our Approach: Use the Ecosystem

Services Concept/Framework to

evaluate the impacts of conservation

strategies on human well-being

Ecosystem Services:

Key Questions

What are the most important ecosystem services provided by Lake Erie/Michigan and its coastal areas?

What would be the perceived effect of implementing the biodiversity conservation strategies on the most important ecosystem services?

Top ten most important ecosystem services

in Lake Erie and Lake Michigan

Lake

Michigan Rank

Lake

Erie Rank

Service

2 1 Cultural Services - Recreation and tourism (Lake recreation, wild game, song birds, other wildlife)

4 2 Supporting Services - Provision of habitat (Biodiversity support, habitat diversity)

1 3 Provisioning Services - Fresh Water (Water supply) 3 4 Supporting Services - Primary production (Energy capture,

food chain support, energy flow for fish, benthic food chain) 6 5 Cultural Services - Aesthetic values (Aesthetics) 10 6 Supporting Services - Nutrient cycling (Nutrient storage) 5 7 Regulating Services - Water purification and waste treatment

(Water quality, waste assimilation, groundwater quality) 9 8 Cultural Services - Sense of place 7 9 Supporting Services - Water cycling (Soil moisture storage) 8 10 Regulating Services - Climate regulation (Carbon storage,

moderation of weather extremes)

Near future:

• LAMP adopts (and adapts) blueprint recommendations

• Promote and facilitate integration of strategies and measures into other lakewide initiatives (GLFC, SOLEC, others…)

• Tier to regional conservation planning:

• WLE Coastal Conservation Planning

• HECI: considering a CAP

• Expanding geographic scope and depth/breadth of content in the Great Lakes IMDS

Products of Great Lakes Biodiversity

Conservation Planning

• Shared definition of biodiversity (i.e., conservation targets and scope)

• Initial set of goals and measures for biodiversity conservation targets

• Assessment of current status of biodiversity

• Assessment of threats to biodiversity

• Strategies for conserving biodiversity

• Spatial priorities established for some strategies

• General assessment of benefits to people (Lake Erie and Lake Michigan only)

Questions?

dpearsall@tnc.org

UNTIL LATE MARCH:

http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/greatlakesblueprint

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