Working Groups
Bird Conservation
Bird Conservation Working Group
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Co-Chairs:
Bob Shallmann Alan Schultz Bird Conservation Working Group meeting at NMFWA 2020
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Law ENFORCEMENT
Law Enforcement Working Group
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Lissa Grimes
Criminal Investigator Conservation Law Enforcement MCB Quantico, VA NMFWA 2020 Law Enforcement Working Group meeting.
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Wildland Fire
Wildlands Fire Working Group
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Co-Chairs
Mark Stevenson, USAF Stephen Najjar, USAF NMFWA 2020 Wildlands Fire Working Group
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Herpetology
Herpetology Working Group
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Co-Chairs
Dan Leavitt David McNaughton NMFWA 2020 Herpetology Working Group meeting.
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Invasive Species
Invasive Species Working Group
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Co-Chairs:
Dr. Douglas Burkett, OSD Armed Forces Pest Management Board, DC Marc Hall, NAVFAC Marianas, Guam NMFWA 2020 Invasive Species Working Group meeting.
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Sessions
Invasive Species
Start to Finish Invasive Species Management: A Programmatic Approach
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Katrina Olthof, ManTech International, katrina.olthof@mantech.com
Morgan Ball, ManTech International, morgan.ball@mantech.com Invasive plants pose a unique challenge in balancing a primary goal of maintaining the quality of Department of Defense lands to support the mission, while also meeting the responsibility to protect natural resources and biodiversity. However, invasive species management runs the risk of draining limited natural resource budgets. Therefore, a thoughtful but effective, cradle-to-grave approach is imperative. Here we present a programmatic approach to invasive plant management that includes an initial survey, a prioritization of targets, selection of treatment methodologies, a comprehensive data management system, analysis of treatment success, and follow-up monitoring. We use innovative methods of helicopter survey techniques to establish thorough, baseline data and discuss these methods in the context of scale, cost-effectiveness, and detection rates. Our approach works to effectively prioritize treatment targets based on each target species’ life history, its proximity to sensitive resources, and whether it is a recent pioneer or an entrenched species. Following a review and justification of treatment targets, we developed an implementable workflow that reduces errors and improves the quality of threatened and endangered (T&E) species’ habitats. For example, treatment techniques are easily communicated based on the specific installation’s and treatment nomenclature is standardized for reporting ease.
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Lastly, we present our data management system within the application Collector for ArcGIS that achieves the goals of 1) collecting spatial treatment data quickly and effectively (reducing data entry and improving integrity); 2) allowing for TRUE comparison of invasive plant extent and cover through time and space; 3) providing field technicians real-time historical context on both mapped infestations and past treatments; and 4) allowing project managers and installation biologists access to treatment data in near real-time. This comprehensive, programmatic approach to invasive plant management increases installations’ abilities to appropriately allocate resources where necessary, gauge success and easily
monitor invasive species’ impacts to T&E habitats. | ||
Herbicide Treatment of Honey Mesquite and Control of Additional Invasive Species on Melrose Air Force Range
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Charles E Dixon, Ph.D.,
Cannon Air Force Base & Melrose Air Force Range, NM Melrose Air Force Range (MAFR) is a 69,730 training range located approximately 30 miles WSW of Cannon AFB in eastern NM. Approximately half MAFR was invaded by mesquite since settlement by Europeans. In 2018, funds were secured from AFSOC to treat 33,280 acres aerially with Sendero™ herbicide. Half the acreage was treated over two weekends during July 2019, with plans to complete the second half during 2020. Two to three years after the aerial spray treatment, a prescribed burn treatment will be applied and every three to five years thereafter. Scattered patches of mesquite and those surviving the treatment will be treated by hand on a continual basis to avoid re-infestation. A similar area on MAFR is infested with cholla cactus and plans are underway to treat these areas. Treatment of mesquite and cholla will open over half of what is currently buffer area and allow it to be used for training purposes. Smaller areas that were once cultivated and areas where seeds were transported, are now infested with the exotic invasive species KR bluestem and weeping lovegrass. Plans are being developed to reduce the presence of these species and replace with species native to the area.
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Movement Ecology of Translocated Wild Pigs at Fort Hood, Texas
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Nathan Beane,
ERDC-Environmental Laboratory, U.S.Army/Engineer Research and Development Center, nathan.r.beane@usace.army.mil Telemetry studies are widely utilized to assess home ranges and resource selection for an array of species. Movement ecology on wild pigs has significantly improved our understanding of seasonal movements and habitat utilization, and increased trapping efficiency for this invasive, nuisance species. The most common approach for wild pig telemetry research includes trapping and subsequent release of individuals at point-of-capture (POC). However, there are circumstances that require telemetered individuals to be relocated prior to release, particularly in limited or restricted access areas. A telemetry research effort at the Fort Hood Military Reservation from December 2016-December 2017 investigated movement ecology of wild pigs in central Texas. Sixteen individuals were telemetered, with seven translocated into live-fire/ impact areas and nine released at POC. We anticipated that translocated individuals would integrate into existing sounders and provide similar data with respect to home range extent. Home ranges were generated using a kernel density estimator, with no significant differences for method of release or gender observed. This study reveals the ability to incorporate data from translocated wild pigs to inform current habitat utilization and guide future removal efforts in restricted areas.
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Towards a Comprehensive Biosecurity Program in Joint Region Marianas
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Noah S. Burrell1, Marc A. Hall, Dana T. Lujan, and
Stephen M. Mosher, Naval Facilities Marianas Engineering Command, Guam, 1: noah.burrell@fe.navy.mil, 671-339-5310 Invasive species pose significant risks to island ecosystems and impact the execution of the military’s mission. A number of military related biosecurity mitigation efforts at Joint Region Marianas (JRM) stemming from the Mariana Islands Training and Testing (MITT) Biological Opinion (BO) and action items in the 2015 Regional Biosecurity Plan for Micronesia and Hawaii (RBP) are being
implemented through JRM’s Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan. Priority actions include: 1) invasive species (IS) baseline surveys, EDRR and standardizing long-term JRM monitoring on military training areas such as CNMI ports on Tinian and Rota; 2) development and implementation of IS SOPs detailing management actions for pests such as coconut rhinoceros beetle, little fire ant, etc.; 3) implementing SOPs for EDRR for new incursions; 4) regional bio-sanitation instruction development based on the Armed Forced Pest Management Board-Technical Guide 31; 5) programmatic pathway risk analysis development for IS potentially found in cargo/equipment movements to/from Guam and the CNMI; and 7) building capacity and strengthening coordination/collaboration with regional partners. The continued expansion and sustainment of the biosecurity program in the JRM AOR is necessary to support the mission and prevent the unwanted spread of invasive species to the detriment of the fragile island ecosystems. |
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NEXT-GENERATION FIRE MODELING
Next Generation Fire Modeling Addresses Managers’ “Burning Questions"
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James H. Furman
James H. Furman examines next generation fire models and how they can be used by burn managers to improve fire knowledge.
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GIS and FloodPlains Databases EcoSysytem Function
DEVELOPMENT OF AN AIR FORCE WIDE AUTHORITATIVE COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL GIS DATABASE: SUCCESS AND CHALLENGE
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This presentation focuses on the development of an Air Force wide authoritative comprehensive environmental GIS database for floodplains and ecosystem function.
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USAF Floodplain Area Analyses; Creating a comprehensive dataset for use in future planning and assessments
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Shannon Voggesser – Environmental GIS Program Manager, Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands
Asma Hanif – Engineering Research Manager, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering This presentation focuses on the development of a comprehensive floodplain data set for planning and analyses.
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DoD PARC
DoD PARC Update
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2020 NMFWA Update of the Current DoD PARC Program
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Use of Bioacoustic Recorders for Documenting Anuran Species on Military Lands
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This presentation focus on the use of bioacoustic recorders to conduct surveys on DoD Installations.
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DoD PARC Video 2020
Military Readiness via COLLABORATIVE Conservation Partnerships
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Jeff Underwood
US Fish and Wildlife Service Liaison to the Army This Presentation focuses on Opportunities for collaboration. On what the Sikes Act offers us. Mr Underwood will discuss conservation partnerships and mission readiness. He will help to identify your Regional USFWS Sikes Act Coordinators. The primary focus of this presentation is to discuss what and how we all can work more effectively together
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Restoring ecological function to a novel ecosystem in the presence of invasive species
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Haldre S. Rogers
Iowa State University This presentation will focus on the restoration of ecological function through seed dispersion and the role that invasive can play.
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Rewilding Guam: a board game approach to exploring the challenges around species conservation
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Introducing a board game about conservation and rewilding based in Guam
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