The USFWS hosted a Sprague’s pipit species assessment in Bozeman, MT in February 2014 to inform the impending Endangered Species Act listing decision. One of the outcomes from that meeting was a shared vision of a multi-species conservation plan that focused on targeting appropriate conservation programs into priority landscapes identified through landscape analysis. The goal would be for the plan to help unify and build upon existing conservation efforts within the northern grasslands for grassland-dependent breeding birds.
Northern Grasslands Conservation Strategy Meeting
July 1 and 2, 2014
Bureau of Land Management – Montana/Dakotas State Office
5001 Southgate Drive
Billings, MT
Meeting Goals: To develop a landscape-scale conservation strategy for grassland birds and their habitats in the U.S. northern grasslands, and identify species, geographic extent, information needs, tools, and metrics required for success.
Meeting Background: The USFWS hosted a Sprague’s pipit species assessment in Bozeman, MT in February 2014 to inform the impending Endangered Species Act listing decision. One of the outcomes from that meeting was a shared vision of a multi-species conservation plan that focused on targeting appropriate conservation programs into priority landscapes identified through landscape analysis. The goal would be for the plan to help unify and build upon existing conservation efforts within the northern grasslands for grassland-dependent breeding birds. Certainly, many conservation actions are underway, with examples including:
Steps to strengthen breeding grassland bird monitoring through expansion of the Breeding Bird Survey in eastern Montana.
Spatial analysis for conservation planning in the Montana PPJV administrative area, and expansion into the NGPJV administrative area of the state, as well as North Dakota and South Dakota.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s creation of a Northern Great Plains Initiative.
Stakeholders attending this meeting will come prepared to discuss these and other existing conservation programs they may be pursuing. Using these discussions as a baseline, we intend establish a common vision of a unified conservation strategy and conservation goals, identify current and potential programs that can contribute to those goals, and coalesce around a picture of success and how it would be measured.
Tuesday Agenda:
Welcome and introductions 8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
Background and Meeting Goals 8:30 – 10:15 a.m.
Challenges and opportunities for grassland bird populations (Clint Riley, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Status of Sprague’s pipit listing decision (Carol Aron, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grants – Northern Great Plains Initiative (Tammy VanCauteren, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory; Jeff Nelson, World Wildlife Fund)
Current MT PPJV planning efforts (Sean Fields, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Break 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Present and planned efforts for grassland conservation: What stakeholders are doing and can bring to the conservation table (5-15 minutes each) 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Roundtable presentations and discussion
Lunch 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Continue Stakeholder roundtable presentations 1:00 – 2:15 p.m.
Roundtable presentations and discussion
Defining the geographic and taxonomic scope of the effort 2:15 – 3:15 p.m.
Roundtable discussion (Facilitator: John Carlson, Bureau of Land Management)
Break 3:15 –3:30 p.m.
Refining our purpose and definition of “conservation strategy” 3:45 – 5:00 p.m.
Round table discussion (Facilitators: Sean Fields, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Catherine Wightman, MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks)
Wednesday Agenda:
Day 1 Review, 8:00 – 8:15 a.m.
Identifying and filling information needs 8:15 – 9:45 a.m.
Presentations of current research, and group discussion (Presenters and Facilitators: Arvind Panjabi, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory; Marisa Lipsey, University of Montana; Casey Stemler, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Neal Niemuth, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Break 9:45 –10:00 a.m.
Building a conservation toolbox 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Group discussion (Facilitator: Greg Neudecker, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Conservation actions (e.g. protection, management, and restoration)
Resources (e.g. funding and expertise)
Existing programs (e.g. MBCF, LWCF, USDA, SGI, NAWCA, NFWF)
Next steps, summary 11:30 – 12:00
Adjourn