Partnerships Across Borders: Parks Canada, NatureServe Canada and NatureServe Dave Clark, Parks Canada Agency Patrick Henry, NatureServe Canada Wednesday April 9, 2014
Purpose of the Presentation Describe the successful long-term partnership between Parks Canada Agency (PCA) a Canadian federal department, and NaturesServe (NS) and NatureServe Canada (NSC), non-profits Describe how NatureServe methods and information management tools are supporting PCA conservation decision-making Examples of other partnerships underway involving NS network Natural Heritage Programs / Conservation Data Centres (CDCs)
Agenda 1. Introduction to NatureServe Canada (NSC) and Parks Canada Agency (PCA) 2. NSC/NS/PCA partnership and contract 3. NatureServe network supporting PCA decision-making 4. Questions from the floor (items 1-3) 5. Other NSC network partnership examples and examples from session participants (time permitting)
Contract and Partnership Overview: Historical Trivia 1. PCA ex-officio member of NSC network in 2003 2. PCA attending BWB for over 10 years 3. PCA-NSC first contract in 2003 / 2004 4. Installed PCA instance of Biotics in 2003 5. One of first to purchase NatureServe Vista 6. Funded initial development of Kestrel 7. Since 2007 PCA has invested $700,000 in development/maintenance/hosting of Biotics and Kestrel
NatureServe Canada (NSC): Background NSC is a conservation non-profit in Canada Represents the network of 8 Canadian Conservation Data Centres (CDCs) Objective: Support biodiversity conservation priorities in Canada through provision of comprehensive, accurate and current biodiversity data and expertise NSC includes representatives from the 8 Constituent Member CDCs, NS, PCA, Environment Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada
Beauton Sea BANKS ISLAND MELVILLE ISLAND ELLESMERE ISLAND SOMERSET ISLAND DEVON ISLAND Baffin Bay Member programs (CDCs) in the NatureServe Canada Network (dark) VICTORIA ISLAND PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND BAFFIN ISLAND Davis Strait YUKON Whitehorse NORTHWEST TERRITORY Great Slave Lake Great Bear Lake Yellowknife NUNAVUT SOUTHHAMPTON ISLAND PRINCE CHARLES ISLAND Iqaluit Labrador Sea Lake Athabasca Hudson Bay NEWFOUNDLAND NEWFOUNDLAND St. John's Pacific Ocean VANCOUVER ISLAND Victoria BRITISH COLUMBIA ALBERTA Edmonton SASKATCHEWAN Regina MANITOBA Lake Winnipegosis Lake Winnipeg Lake Nipigon ONTARIO James Bay QUEBEC Quebec Gulf of St. Lawrence Prince Edward NEW Island BRUNSWICK NOVA Fredericton SCOTIA Halifax Winnipeg Lake Superior Lake Huron Toronto Ottawa Lake Ontario Lake Michigan Lake Erie
Parks Canada Agency 44 National Parks, 4 National Marine Conservation Area s and 155 Historic sites. Manage approximately 3% of Canada s landmass. Approximately 5000 employees.
Biodiversity Information Needs: PCA Business Processes COSEWIC Assessment SARA Reporting & SAR Recovery Park Management Planning State of the Park Reporting SOPHA Reporting NatureServe Process General Status Reporting
PCA-NS-NSC Partnership: Contract Summary Development in 2003/2004 of first PCA/NSC contract Annual contract has ranged from $150,000 to $320,000 NSC sub-contracts with CDCs and NS for majority of the activities and oversees all reporting Project planning and evaluation led by a Project Core Team of PCA/NS/NSC representatives
PCA-NS-NSC Partnership: Contract Activities 1. Data Enhancements (EO development/processing of PCA observation data) by CDCs 2. Inventories on PCA lands by CDCs 3. National Park species lists updates 4. PCA Detailed Assessments 5. Canadian Element Taxonomic Reconciliation and Standardization 6. Data Refreshes for PCA Biotics 7. Data Sensitivity Training for PCA staff 8. System development and support (e.g., Biotics, Kestrel)
Partnership Benefits to NS, NSC, PCA and the Conservation Community Cost effective (pooling of financial resources towards mutual priorities) Sharing/pooling of expertise to develop and improve NS methods, data and IM tools Outcome: Better biodiversity data enabling improved decision-making
Parks Canada Agency Established in 1911 First park, Banff National Park in 1885 Largest landholder in the country, approx. 300,000 km 2
Data flow processes create a comprehensive, standardized dataset for species at risk in Canada National Office
Leveraging Current Data, Systems, and Processes
Information Systems
Species at Risk Act (SARA) Commitment under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity Develop Recovery Strategies and Action Plans Came into effect in 2002
Purpose of SARA 1. To prevent wildlife from being extirpated or becoming extinct in Canada 2. To provide for the recovery of extirpated, endangered or threatened species 3. To manage special concern species to prevent them from becoming further at risk Beluga-Saguenay Saint-Laurent MP
Responsibility Parks Canada Agency Species in National Parks, National Historic Sites, National Marine Conservation Areas Fisheries & Oceans Aquatic species Environment Canada Migratory birds, all other species, overall administration Pine Marten-Terra Nova NP
SARA Approach
SARA - Parks Canada Lead for recovery planning for ~15% of listed species (76) Participate on an additional ~30% of recovery planning projects Over 500 species currently listed Approx. 50% occur at PCA sites
Detailed Assessments: A PCA Conservation Tool Based on NatureServe standards for global/national/provincial/state assessments Integrates the species at risk management within PCA management planning process A method to assess risk of extirpation of a species within a park Polar bear Parks Canada
Rank Factors
Rank Factors (continued)
Rank Factors (continued)
Detailed Assessments: Process Gather background information PCA sites CDC local experts Internet DA AUTHOR consistency methodological expertise regional/national perspective project support, development and leadership PCA site review provides comment and sign-off 27
MA Ranks Rank MA1 MA2 MA3 MA4 MA5 Definition Critically imperiled in the Managed Area Imperiled; very vulnerable to extirpation Vulnerable to extirpation Uncommon but not rare, usually widespread Secure. Common, widespread and abundant in the Managed Area. Essentially ineradicable under present conditions.
(Provisional)
Examples Burrowing Owl Global and national status: G4, N2B SARA status: Special concern MA Rank: MA2B Very vulnerable to extirpation in Grasslands NP Chimney Swift Global and national status: G5, N4B, Provincial status: S2S3B (NB), S3B (QC), S2B (MN) SARA status: Threatened MA rank: MA1MA2B (Fundy, NB) MA3B (Forillon,QC), MA1B (Riding Mountain, AB) Whooping Crane Global and national: G1, N1B, S1 (AB) Provincial status: S1 (AB) SARA status: Endangered MA rank: MA2MA3 vulnerable to extirpation in national park
Site Based Action Plan DRAFT
Monitoring and Reporting Internal and external State of reports (parks, historic sites, NMCA) Performance reports State of natural heritage places Program evaluations Action plans
Detailed Assessments in all steps of the cycle 1. Assessment & Protection - Condition of Species at Risk - Assess Condition and Trends 3. Implementation - Can be used to prioritize recovery actions 2. Recovery Planning - Highlight knowledge gaps at each site - Help identify management opportunities and risks at each site 4. Monitoring & Evaluation - Effectiveness of Management Actions - Performance and Management Plan Results
Challenges Data sharing Ranks for size of sites Data availability Sensitivity of rank factors Eastern yellow-bellied racer Parks Canada
Success: Pink-sand verbena 2001: Last seen in Canada 2007: Successfully reintroduced in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 2008: Critical habitat protected Pink sand-verbena Parks Canada Parks Canada
pa r k sc a na da.gc. c a p a r c sc a n a d a. g c. c a Parks Canada. Real. Inspiring.
Other Partnerships/Collaborations Involving NS network Members Examples from the NSC network Examples from the floor (you the session attendees!)
Project summary/objectives: The Algonguin to Adirondack (A2A) Natural Heritage System will develop mapping and information that will support land use planning, stewardship activities, land securement programs and conservation efforts by planning authorities, conservation groups, community organizations and residents in the A2A region. Identify best options for connectivity between Algonquin Park and the Adirondacks for resource management and land securement. Project collaborators: Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre (Ontario CDC), New York Natural Heritage Program, Algonquin to Adirondack Collaborative, Land Information Ontario.
Why collaborate? Leveraging resources and skills. Integrated program across international borders. Successes: Collaboration with internal and external partners. Building on previous peer-reviewed methodology Challenges: Larger study area extending across multiple jurisdictions Next steps: Complete connectivity analysis and identify priority areas Learn more: www.a2alink.org
Project summary/objectives: The Terrestrial Habitat Map of Atlantic Canada project will extend existing USFW s maps covering northeastern US into the Canadian maritimes and southestern Quebec. Consistent, accurate map of habitat types will be a key for understanding and anticipating the effects of climate change on forested, agricultural, and freshwater systems across both countries. Project collaborators: Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre, The Nature Conservancy (Boston Office), Nature Conservancy of Canada (Atlantic Region), US Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Massachussetts Why collaborate?: Critical to understand ecological consequences and vulnerabilities associated with climate change within an international context
Successes: Securing participation form all three Atlantic provinces (natural resource and environment departments), federal government agencies (mostly CWS), and ENGOs. Challenges: Securing the participation of the organizations outlined above as well as contributions from major private land owners Next steps: Analysis of data and input from experts, then reviews of maps as they are prepared. Learn more: http://northatlanticlcc.org/projects/extending-the-northeast-terrestrial-habitat-map-to-atlanticcanada/extending-the-northeast-terrestrial-habitat-map-to-atlantic-canada
Participant partnership examples Questions or comments