Building Capacity for Science-based Habitat Management: The State of Joint Ventures under the New...

Building Capacity for Science-based Habitat Management:

The State of Joint Ventures under the New Conservation Paradigm

Rex JohnsonHabitat and Population Evaluation Team (HAPET)

Division of Bird Habitat ConservationU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The shifting conservation paradigm challenges us to reconsider our respective roles and modes of operation

Joint Ventures are no exception

Joint Ventures: 1986-2004A Period of Community Self Discovery

“Joint venture projects should be implemented through facilitating agreements, negotiated and agreed to all those wishing to participate”

North American Waterfowl Management Plan (1986)




“Joint ventures have evolved as the principal vehicle for implementingprojects to meet Plan goals.”





“[Joint venture management] Boards review feedback from evaluation programsand maintain an updated implementation strategy that reflects current understandings of the joint venture efforts needed to support Plan continental population objectives. Management boards identify the most effective conservation techniques and the relative importance of each in meeting joint venture landscape objectives. They also develop and secure funding for conservation projects.”




“Working both collectively and independently, joint venture partners conduct activities in support of bird conservation goals cooperatively developed by the partnership. These activities include:

• Biological planning, conservation design, and prioritization.• Project development and implementation.• Monitoring, evaluation, and applied research activities.• Communications and outreach.• Fund raising for projects and other activities.


USFWS Director’s Order No. 146




“Joint ventures are planning and adaptive management focal points”


What was Said What was Heard1994 NAWMP Update

“A joint venture is a regionalpublic/private partnership …. drawn together by common conservation objectives oriented around a particular physiographic region.”

“Joint ventures have evolved as the principal vehicle for implementing projects to meet Plan goals.”

“Joint ventures exist to implement projects to meet

Plan goals.”

“Every Joint Venture is Unique”

Diversity

1986

1994

CoordinationthroughScience

Cooperationthough

project match

2004Coordinated and

Cooperative Science-basedConservation

Coalescing Ideals:

Circa 1986: Stop the habitat hemorrhage

Circa 1994: Pursuit of NAWCA funds

2004: Science-based community conservation strategies

Evolu

tion tow

ard a

Con

servation B

usin

ess Mod

el

Catalysts for Evolution toward a Business-like Approach to Conservation

Science-based advances in conservation theory

Technological advances in conservation methodologies

Fiscal accountability

Biological credibility/accountability

“Sustainable Development” as socio-ecological standard

Catalysts…

Pressure from NAWMP Peer pressure as we reach critical massExamples of success in attracting external resource LMVJV has been preeminent

The greatest added value of joint ventures to conservation is manifest in their capacity to organization diverse regional partnerships around a science-based community strategy for conservation that each member of the partnership:

•Participates in delivering with the unique tools, resources, and programs at their disposal; and

•Promotes to the public and external agencies and organizations that use habitat conservation to attain diverse environmental and socio-economic ends.

Function of a Joint Venture Management Board

1. Develop conservation strategies to meet joint venture population goals (the Implementation Plan)a) Develop landscape designsb) Review. evaluate and refine habitat objectives

2. Ensure that critical assumptions are being addressed through sound scientific research or monitoring

3. Recommend protocols for monitoring and evaluation4. Ensure information exchange among JV partners5. Identify emerging issues in concert with management agencies

Provide general scientific/technical guidance on migratory birds for the joint venture and constituent members

Functions of Joint Venture Technical Groups

ManagementBoard

ScienceTeam

Program Guidance

Technical Guidance

Inreachand

Outreachfor

ConservationDelivery

Externalpartnershipson modeling,monitoring,and research

(Within their own agenciesand with external partners

like USDA)

(Academicians,Scientific

Community)

•Information is influence

•The JV is the conduit for information

•The JV is the conservation nexus by virtue of its science capacity and the influence of management board members

•Neither the management board nor the science team can exert this influence without the other0

InformationBroker

Neither the management board nor the science team can exert this influence without the other

The more uphill theroad, the fasterwe tip over.

A Trivial Metaphor for a Complex Symbiotic Relationship:

Joint Venture Science Capacity – The Current State

Atlantic CoastCentral ValleyCanadian IntermountainEastern HabitatGulf CoastIntermountain WestLower Mississippi ValleyNorthern Great PlainsPacific CoastPlaya LakesPrairie HabitatRainwater BasinSan Francisco BaySonoranU.S. Prairie PotholeUpper Mississippi River/Great LakesWestern Boreal Forest

?

Atlantic CoastCentral ValleyCanadian IntermountainEastern HabitatGulf CoastIntermountain WestLower Mississippi ValleyNorthern Great PlainsPacific CoastPlaya LakesPrairie HabitatRainwater BasinSan Francisco BaySonoranU.S. Prairie PotholeUpper Mississippi River/Great LakesWestern Boreal Forest

Joint Venture Science Capacity – The Roots of Science-based Planning: A Strong Tradition of Applied Research on Waterfowland a conservation imperative for mallards and pintails (as per 1986 NAWMP)

Joint Venture Science Infrastructure –

The HAPET ModelThe Distributive (aka “Other Duties as Assigned”) Model

Provide general scientific/technical guidance on migratory birds for the joint venture and its constituent members

2 Traditional Alternatives

Joint Venture Science Capacity – The HAPET Model

1. A dedicated staff for science-based planning and outreach2. A regional nexus for science3. A Joint Venture technical committee provides

a) input on key management uncertaintiesb) technical assistance with

a) designation of priority and umbrella speciesb) population goals for these speciesc) development of models relating factors limiting populations and their habitats

c) interagency coordination on monitoringd) assurance that their respective agency staff are aware of and use

planning products4. The team of dedicated staff are responsible for applying this guidance

and developing the shared conservation strategies

Contractsfor

SpatialAnalysis

e.g., Central Hardwoods JV

Accessory Contracts orAdjunct Partnerships

e.g., Upper Miss. JV

Contractsfor

modeldevelopment

andevaluation

Joint Venture Science Capacity – Looking Forward

Joint Venture Technical Committee

Ad Hoc Working Groups

Joint Venture Science Coordinator

USGSScientists

VirtualTeam

Distributive – (adj.) 1: Dealing a proper share to each of a group

HAPET

Technical functionscentralized

More JV $$Less Partner $$

Could have less partnerparticipation in planning leading

to less partner use of products and coordination

Considerableaccountability

by technical staff

Centralized control(probably successful)

DistributiveModel

Technical functionsdecentralized

(more dependant on partners and others

contributing staff time)

Less JV $$More Partner $$

Greater partner participationmay mean greater partner

use of products and coordination

Less accountability??

No centralized control(less certain of success)

Experience indicates that joint ventures withcentralized technical functions (HAPET-like offices)

have been the most successful at attractingand targeting resources.

These are generally consideredto be “model” joint ventures

Joint Venture Science Infrastructure – 2 Traditional Alternatives

Implicit Partner Expectations of Joint Ventures

Model Expectations

HAPET The joint venture is a science-based resource for multiple conservation agencies

Distributive The joint venture is another source of funds for ongoing, traditionally under

funded habitat conservation

Why does an International Bird Conservation Initiative Care about Fostering Biological Planning and Landscape Design Capacity within Joint Ventures?

A Strong Regional Biological Foundation and PlanningCapability is the Keystone to Strategic HabitatConservation at National and Local Scales

Joint Ventures that have devoted significant JV funding to planninghave had success in attracting significant external fundingfor habitat conservation

$$ $$ = A Good Investment

Why does an International Bird Conservation Initiative Care about Fostering Biological Planning and Landscape Design Capacity within Joint Ventures?

A Strong Regional Biological Foundation and PlanningCapability is the Keystone to Strategic HabitatConservation at National and Local Scales

Bird initiatives know they are not capable of developing ecoregional science-based conservation strategies because population-habitat relationships vary across space and time and require regional expertise.

“As the lead government agency for the conservation of Federal trustspecies, the Service must no longer view its role as solely a manager of habitats and populations, but as the steward and purveyor of the biological foundation for trust species conservation.”


T&E Species Migratory Birds Inter-Jurisdictional Fish

Federal Trusts:


State Trust Responsibilities:

To establish eligibility for these [State Wildlife Grant] funds, the State, Territory, or other jurisdiction must first submit or commit to develop by October 1, 2005, a comprehensive wildlife conservation plan.

Resident BirdsMammals Resident FishAmphibians


T&E Species

Migratory Birds

Inter-jurisdictional Fish

AComprehensive

CommunityStrategy forSustainableLandscapesResident Birds

Mammals

ResidentFish

Amphibians

AComprehensive

StateWildlife

ConservationPlan


T&E Species

Migratory Birds

Inter-jurisdictional Fish

Resident Birds

Mammals

ResidentFish

Amphibians

Who, what, when,

and how?

Making a Business Model for Science-based Conservation SOP

ManagementBoardTable

This new paradigm

is a flash in the pan

Just ignore it and it will go away

•How committed is my agency and our staff to the new paradigm of strategic science-based conservation?

•Is being a nexus for science the right role for my joint venture?

Our commitment isgrowing as it becomes

more familiar

Making a Business Model for Science-based Conservation SOP

ManagementBoardTable

The JV cando it all

•What role should the joint venture play in guiding my agency’s internal conservation actions?The JV has a role but

so does my agency

Q: What role should the joint venture play in guiding my agency’s internal conservation actions?

Q: How committed is my agency and our staff to the new paradigm of strategic science-based conservation?

A: “The joint venture has a role but so does my agency.”

A: “Our commitment is growing as the new paradigm becomes more familiar to us.”

Q: Is being a nexus for science the right role for my joint venture?A: “Absolutely.”

A: “The joint venture has a role but so does my agency.”

A: “Our commitment is growing as the new paradigm becomes more familiar to us.”

Q: Is my agency prepared to do the necessary re-engineering?

Q: Are we really prepared to yield some of our sovereignty?Q: If so, how much? In what areas?Q: What species or ecological functions are our respective responsibilities?Q: How can seamless coordination be assured between my agency and the joint venture?Q: What support will my agency provide to the joint venture?

Joint Venture Science Capacity – The Distributive Model

Distributive – (adj.) 1: Dealing a proper share to each of a group


Issue Ad Hoc Working GroupsSpecies Ad Hoc Working Groups

Joint Venture Science Infrastructure – 2 Traditional Alternatives

Explicit Joint Venture Expectations of International Bird Conservation Initiatives

Model Expectations

HAPET Regional population goalsTechnical support for model development

Distributive A conservation strategy ready for [ad hoc] integration and implementation

Joint Venture Science Capacity – Making a Business Model for Science-based Conservation SOP

Challenges –

Technical •Data gaps– •Spatial data; •Population/habitat data; •Human dimensions data

•The burden of an imperfect understanding of ecological systems•There are no technical obstacles that can’t be addressed under the new paradigm

Logistical/

Practical

Philosophical


HAPET Wildlife Biologist

FWSManagers

Identify An Issue

1. Consultation

OtherPartners

(States, NGOs, otherFeds)

2. Coordination

• Other Stakeholders and Technical Partners

• Model development

Solicittechnical

input fromthe TechnicalCommittee and others)

+

3. Do spatial analysis and create and distribute decision tools4. Coordinate evaluation


Team Leader

Wildlife Biologist Wildlife Biologist Monitoring Biotech (Waterfowl) (Nongame Birds) Coordinator

SeasonalEmployees

Joint Venture Science Capacity – The Distributive ModelCommon Characteristics

1. Science and planning are the role of technical team members2. Science and planning are done on an “as time allows” basis3. Partner agencies are independent foci of science and planning4. The technical committee provides:

a) input on key management uncertaintiesb) collective technical assistance with

a) designation of priority and umbrella speciesb) population goals for these speciesc) development of models relating factors limiting

populations and their habitats c) spatial analysis and landscape designd) interagency coordination on monitoringe) assurance that their respective agency staff are aware of and use

planning products4. The responsible party is the joint venture coordinator



Joint Venture Science Capacity – The Upgraded Distributive Model


• Science and planning are done on an “as time allows” basis• Partner agencies are independent foci of science and

planning•The responsible party is the joint venture coordinator

Joint Venture Science Capacity – The Distributive Model




Science Coordinator – Roles and Responsibilities1. Ensures information exchange among joint venture partners2. Technical committee coordinator and liaison to joint venture

management board3. The “Whip” for ad hoc working groups4. May perform spatial analysis and create planning tools5. Coordinates research and evaluation

Date post:	12-Jan-2016
Category:	Documents
Upload:	gerald-tucker
View:	214 times
Download:	0 times

Building Capacity for Science-based Habitat Management: The State of Joint Ventures under the New...

Documents