A N N U A L R E P O R T2011 Accomplishments & 2012 Plans

GULF COAST PRAIRIE LANdSCAPE CONSERvATION COOPERATIvE

Wichita Canyon

Key Philosophy “adding value”: Science Priority Accomplishments 2011

In just one year, the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GCP LCC) Steering Committee has directed substantial science funding, in collaboration with Gulf Coast Cooperative Environmental Studies Unit (CESU) and Wildlife Management Institute, to address LCC science priorities and capacities. Coordination, leveraging, and combined projects with adjacent LCCs are priorities. Partnerships have been forged between federal, state, and NGO partners, including Joint Ven-tures and Fish Habitat Partners, to share technical capacities, such as staff, with a focus to include leveraged cooperation and strong collaborative involvement.

The GCP LCC has directed continued use of science funds for biological planning, conservation design, research, and moni-toring. Since the Steering Committee was established less than a year ago, we have funded projects for the priority species and ecological functions that are characteristic of the rapidly changing dynamics across the landscape. In this brief time, the GCP LCC has identified 2-year priority science projects and baseline data/information needs.

Short-term priority issues

In 2011, GCP LCC partners witnessed the worst 1-year drought in recorded history and catastrophic wildfires. The GCP LCC assisted NOAA partners to convene two drought workshops (in July and November) as a forum to help deal with the effects of the extended drought and fires. Through the 2011 Agreement with the Gulf Coast CESU, the secondary impact of decreasing in-stream flows on rare mussel species was successfully managed to help secure the genetic integrity of these rare spe-cies. The GCP LCC launched a second project to determine the effects of reduced streamflow that along with sea level rise has devastating impacts on coastal habitats and species.

The Coastal Model project was funded to determine impact of these stressors on the many priority coastal species, including whooping crane. Specifically: The Steering Committee directed a Science Strike Team to develop priority science needs for this landscape and to submit project proposals based on this task. Nine projects were identified as the highest priority by the Steering Committee, four of which were funded and initiated in 2011. These projects include: (1) In-stream Flow (Southeast Aquatic Resource Partners); (2) Coastal Habitat Model (International Crane Foundation); (3) Oklahoma Landcover (Okla-homa Department of Wildlife Conservation); and (4) Decision support tool for Mottled Duck habitat (Texas A&M Univer-sity–Kingsville).

Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative gulfcoastprairielcc.org

vista Love Creek Preserve

Significant Resource Challenges

The GCP LCC landscape is unique with significant issues (1) COASTAL – Gulf Coast ecosystems (marine, estuarine, wetland, and terrestrial) are affected by stressors such as oil spill, sea level rise, and salt water intrusion and will require a vast breadth of skills, collaboration, and science. (2) WATER – Aquatic and watershed issues; (3) DEMOGRAPHIC – A rapidly expanding human population is causing large landscape changes in surface water and groundwater availability, quality and flow, along with other socio-economic and environmental impacts. (4) GRASSLAND ecosystems – South-central continental prairie and savanna are fragmented and degraded; some bird species, characteristic of the southern plains and once common, have witnessed dramatic declines of 75-97% over the past 30 years. (5) DATA – Spatial analysis, storage, and retrieval.

Key Philosophy “adding value”- Science Priority Plans 2012

In February 2012, the Science Forum is scheduled to develop a long-term science strategy for the GCP LCC; it will be co-ordinated with the new South Central Climate Science Center (CSC) to ensure consistency across the landscape. Ongoing efforts with partners to centralize data, which will include more precise land cover information, will be invaluable to the GCP LCC partners. Expanded efficiency through state capacity grants, initially by the GCP LCC and subsequent to project funds by the GCP LCC, have proven the value of LCCs working together to combine efforts and dramatically improving essential Texas/Oklahoma spatial data.

FY 2012 Goals and Benchmarks

• PublishFinalDevelopmentandOperationsPlanthatwillbeourblueprintfordirectingscience• ConvenetwoSteeringCommitteemeetings• Executetenormorecooperativeagreementstoaddresshighestpriorityscienceneedswithpartners• ConveneScienceForumtodeveloplong-termPriorityScienceNeeds• HostjointSouthCentralCSC-GCPLCCScienceRetreat

Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative gulfcoastprairielcc.org

Williams PrairiePhoto credit: Katy Prairie Conservancy

Staffing Bill Bartush, LCC Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetland Research Center, Lafayette, LA 70506(337)266-8816, bill_bartush@fws.gov Science Coordination:

• ChrisSmith,WildlifeManagementInstitute• ToddSnelgrove,GulfCoastCooperativeEcosystems

Studies Unit • Dr.James(Bruce)Moring,USGSSeniorBiologist• LaurieRounds,NOAAGulfofMexicoRegional

Liaison* *During 2011, the GCP LCC was a part of a new “NOAA-LCC” collaboration with the Gulf Coast Landscape Conserva-tion Cooperatives that share responsibility within the Gulf of Mexico region. Communication exchanges such as conference calls, workshops, seminars, and committee meetings were made between GCP LCC and the Gulf of Mexico conservation groups to assure close partner coordination with the Gulf LCC’s and other Gulf Coast regional initiatives.

LCC Steering Committee MembershipFederal Agencies

•NationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration•NationalParkService•USDANationalResourcesConservationService•U.S.FishandWildlifeService•U.S.GeologicalSurvey

State Agencies•LouisianaDepartmentofWildlifeandFish•OklahomaDepartmentofWildlifeConservation•TexasParksandWildlifeDepartment

NGOs•DucksUnlimited•TheConservationFund•TheNatureConservancy

Partnerships•ReservoirFisheriesHabitatPartnership•SoutheastAquaticResourcePartnership•GulfCoastJointVenture•Oaks&PrairiesJointVenture•RioGrandeJointVenture

gulfcoastprairielcc.org

February 2012

The Edward Plateau

Blackland Prairie