3-16-2017

The South Atlantic LCC’s Third Thursday Web Forum

The Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS)

• Introduction

• Monthly topic

• Questions and discussion about presentation

• Preview of next webinar and LCC staff updates

• Questions and discussion about updates

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Agenda

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Cynthia Edwards, SECAS

Rua Mordecai, South Atlantic LCC

The Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS)

3-16-17

The Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS)

South Atlantic LCC Third Thursday Web Forum

March 16th, 2017

Cynthia Kallio Edwards Rua Mordecai SECAS Coordinator South Atlantic LCC

Overview & Purpose

• Why SECAS?

• Progress to Date

• The Gulf Coast Vulnerability Assessment

• SECAS Leadership Summit at SEAFWA

• SECAS Blueprint 1.0

• Emerging Opportunities

• Next steps for SECAS

• Getting engaged!

Why SECAS?

Wind Potential Urban Patterns Solar Potential

Climate Change Shale/Coal Beds Water Stress

Large Disruptive Changes Impacting Conservation

• Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy • Initiated by states • Inclusive of federal agencies • Implementation through LCCs • Coordinated with CSCs and SARP • Incorporating broad network of partners; sectors

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Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy

The Vision

…. Through SECAS, diverse partners are working together to design and achieve a connected network of landscapes and seascapes that supports thriving fish and wildlife populations and improved quality of life for people across the southeastern United States and the Caribbean. Together, federal, state, non-profit and private organizations are coordinating their conservation actions and investments to focus on common goals.

Early Accomplishments

• Gulf Coast Vulnerability Assessment

GCVA Ecosystems & Species

• Barrier Islands

– Black Skimmer

– Wilson’s Plover

– Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle

• Tidal Emergent Marsh

– Mottled Duck

– Spotted Seatrout

– Blue Crab

– Clapper Rail

• Oyster Reefs

– Eastern Oyster

– American Oystercatcher

– Red Drum

• Mangroves

– Roseate Spoonbill

SECAS Leadership Summit October 17, 2016

“I was impressed with the tremendous partnership behind SECAS, the LCCs, and the development of the Blueprint. In the Southeast, we've long known that a good map was key to conservation and natural resource planning for the region. The Blueprint provides us the tool we've needed. The LCCs also provide an excellent forum for building relationships between agencies. They provide a platform for building trust between partners, and that trust is manifested in the Blueprint and SECAS.” Susan Gibson, the Department of Defense Southern Region Environmental Coordinator

SECAS Blueprint Version 1.0

The SECAS Blueprint

• A living map showing shared priorities for conservation and restoration

• Integrates Blueprints from LCCs covering the South

• Version 1.0 – plenty of room for improvement

a connected network of landscapes and seascapes

Connecting the Network….

Deciding on how to integrate

• LCC staff developed integration options based on multiple discussions and lessons learned from previous integration efforts

• Major remaining questions were:

–How much to include?

–What to do about overlap zones?

• SEAFWA and SENRLG points of contact made final consensus decision on what approach to take

Integration approach

• Crosswalk each LCC Blueprint to get areas of “high” and “medium” ecological value

– High = ~30% of the LCC

– Medium = An additional ~20% of the LCC

Integration approach

• Crosswalk each LCC Blueprint to get areas of “high” and “medium” ecological value

– High = ~30% of the LCC

– Medium = An additional ~20% of the LCC

• For areas of overlap, include if either plan identifies it

Integration approach

• Crosswalk each LCC Blueprint to get areas of “high” and “medium” ecological value

– High = ~30% of the LCC

– Medium = An additional ~20% of the LCC

• For areas of overlap, include if either plan identifies it

• Revisit this approach during the next revision

Puerto Rico

SECAS Blueprint 1.0

SECAS Blueprint 1.0 SECAS Blueprint 1.0 Potential economic incentives

SECAS Blueprint 1.0 Potential economic incentives on cropland

Blueprint Caveats

1. The areas “in blue” do not represent the same thing across the entire Blueprint, but all are areas with high conservation value Methods may differ, but some datasets are consistently used

2. Specific outcomes are not defined for all the individual blue areas (i.e., we don’t know what we’ll get by “doing” all the blue) We do have a universe of common strategies and actions broadly

applicable to the blue areas

3. The blueprint is constantly evolving Will be annually updated

Blueprint Caveats

4. Future threats (urbanization, sea level rise) are only included in some portions of the blueprint.

Anticipate future iterations will include future change in all areas

Need to time-bound priorities in light of anticipated change,

What are the priorities in the next 10 years vs. the next 25?

5. Blueprint provides value as region-wide perspective on conservation priorities and actions.

May need to zoom into specific areas to demonstrate how actions at a decision-relevant scale are tied to the Blueprint

6. Lots of work has occurred to get us to this point – thousands of individuals and hundreds of entities have been involved to date.

“Bottom-up” = “messy” (but a great accomplishment!)

Lots left to do – but the solution is more durable because of the process

Next steps

• More info including GIS data and metadata now available (http://secassoutheast.org/blueprint)

• Highest priority for the next update will be:

– Identifying priorities for action for the next 10 years in the face of future change

– Improving consistency in methods and approaches

• Update to be released at the fall 2017 SEAFWA meeting

Emerging Opportunities – USE CASES

•Connecting Lands •Connecting Waters •Engaged Other Sectors • Incorporating Future Conditions into Decision Making • Integrating At-Risk Species •Bringing In New Resources

SECAS – Use Cases

• Adding Capacity and Bringing In New Resources - Resilient Landscapes and Fire

Prescribed fire at John Bethea State Forest in FL

Data to Improve Decision Making

• Oklahoma Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy:

A Strategic Conservation Plan for Oklahoma's Rare and Declining Wildlife

Photos from: http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlife/wildlife-diversity

Crossing State Lines: Ecological Systems

• Ecological Systems of

Oklahoma and Texas: Diamond, Elliott, Janus,

German, Truer-Kuehn, Hoagland

What’s Next for SECAS?

• Continue to Improve on the Blueprint – Being led by the LCC Science Coordinators – Addressing known issues

• Incorporate results from the Vital Futures Project

– Funded through the SE Climate Science Center

• SECAS Lead Coordination Team meeting – March 2017

• SEAFWA Spring Director’s Meeting – April 2017

• SEAFWA Conference – October 2017

What’s Next for SECAS?

• SEAFWA Spring Meeting – following up on 2 Motions from October:

– SEAFWA Directors solidify their proven leadership to SECAS and ensure State priorities continued to be reflected in SECAS Blueprint Version 2.0 by being active and engaged participants.

–SECAS Lead Coordination Team be directed to evaluate the effectiveness of current activities and associated funding mechanisms and bring forward recommended options for improvement to the Spring 2017 SEAFWA Director meeting.

What’s Next for SECAS?

• SENRLG Motion in January 2017:

–The Southeast Natural Resource Leaders Group (SENRLG) continues our commitment to provide leadership and support in the development of the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS). SENRLG leadership will ensure the interest and priorities of the federal agencies continue to be reflected in the SECAS Blueprint Design. SENRLG’s Guiding Principles will provide the framework for support and engagement with the SECAS team over the coming year. In furtherance of these efforts, SENRLG will provide a review of the initial SECAS Version 1.0 in relation to agency missions and the development of SECAS Version 2.0.

Get Engaged!

• LCC: blueprint workshops, landscape design efforts – each LCC is handling their contribution a bit differently

• Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership

• SE Climate Science

Center

Connecting Up to Other Regional Efforts?

Northeast Regional Conservation Framework

Mississippi River/Gulf Hypoxia Initiative An Emerging Midwestern Effort?

For more information!

• secassoutheast.org

• https://seregion.databasin.org/

• Regular communication from the SECAS Coordinator – monthly emails

• Comments, suggestions, questions welcome!

• Cynthia Edwards

c.kallio.edwards@gmail.com

337-207-9377

Jackson, MS

Marsh mapping results across the span of the South Atlantic LCC

Next Third Thursday Web Forum

4-20-2017

10:00 am

Tom Allen, Associate Professor of Political Science & Geography

Old Dominion University

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• South Atlantic 2017 Blueprint workshop registration open

• Draft Blueprint 2.2 ready for review

• Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozarks webinar on ecosystem services

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LCC staff updates

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Register for a 2017 Blueprint workshop!

• Registration is now open

• Chapel Hill, NC: Tuesday 3/21/17 Tallahassee, FL: Tuesday 4/11/17 Atlanta, GA: Thursday 4/13/17 Richmond, VA: Thursday 4/27/17 Charleston, SC: Tuesday 5/2/17 Columbia, SC: Thursday 5/4/17

• Learn more at southatlanticlcc.org/2017-blueprint-workshops

• Email hilary_morris@fws.gov with questions

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Draft Blueprint 2.2 ready for review

• All layers available on Conservation Planning Atlas in Draft Blueprint 2.2 Data Gallery

salcc.databasin.org

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Upcoming GCPO LCC webinar

• 2nd half of Ecosystem Services project

• April/May

• Check the GCPO newsletter and website for more details

http://gcpolcc.org/

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How to get involved with your cooperative

• Join the South Atlantic LCC web community

• Connect with a staff or other cooperative member

• Explore the Conservation Blueprint

southatlanticlcc.org/blueprint

southatlanticlcc.org

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Questions?