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1 The Wildlife Conservation Prioritization and Recovery Program Author: David Johnson , Assistant Section Leader, FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission T he Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) uses a comprehensive resource management approach to managing State lands. Restoring the form and function of Florida’s natural communities is the base of this management philosophy. Two programs provide land managers with the tools to achieve specific habitat management goals. Objective-based vegetation management is used to monitor how specific vegetative parameters respond to FWC management and the Wildlife Conservation Prioritization and Recovery program (WCPR) is used to ensure management is having the desired effect on wildlife. The goal of WCPR is to “provide assessment, recovery, and planning support for the Wildlife Management Area (WMA) system to enhance management of focal species and recovery of listed species.” WCPR program objectives include; prioritizing what FWC does for imperiled and focal species on FWC lead WMAs; ensuring the actions taken on these areas are part of statewide conservation programs/priorities; and sharing with and informing others about the work accomplished on these lands. WCPR is a science-based approach that helps to assess species needs and opportunities and provides a framework to prioritize actions for imperiled and focal species. This approach integrates geospatial analytical techniques to model potential habitat, Population Viability Analysis results, and conservation planning. FWC combines this information with area specific and expert knowledge to determine where focal species conservation can be proactively affected within a specific WMA. All of this information is incorporated into a Species Management Strategy that is unique to each WMA. The strategy outlines the role of the area in wildlife conservation and sets area- specific objectives for managing priority species and their habitat. In addition, the strategy prescribes management to aid in species recovery, prescribes monitoring to allow evaluation of the species response to management, and ensures the information is shared with others. Since its inception in 2008, WCPR strategies have been initiated or completed for 11 areas including Apalachicola River and Hungryland Wildlife and Environmental Areas, Half Moon, Chassahowitzka, and Salt Lake WMAs. The strategies are designed to mirror the timeline of the areas’ required Management Plan and will be revisited every 10 years to determine if changes are needed. For more information about WCPR or to see a completed strategy please contact Dan Sullivan, Conservation Ecologist and WCPR Coordinator ([email protected] ). www.sfrc.ufl.edu/CFEOR
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The Wildlife Conservation Prioritization and Recovery Program1 The Wildlife Conservation Prioritization and Recovery Program Author: David Johnson, Assistant Section Leader, FL Fish

Oct 22, 2020

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  • 1

    The Wildlife Conservation Prioritization and Recovery Program

    Author: David Johnson, Assistant Section Leader, FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

    T he Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) uses a comprehensive resource management approach to managing State

    lands. Restoring the form and function of Florida’s

    natural communities is the base of this management

    philosophy. Two programs provide land

    managers with the tools to achieve

    specific habitat management goals.

    Objective-based vegetation management

    is used to monitor how specific vegetative

    parameters respond to FWC management

    and the Wildlife Conservation

    Prioritization and Recovery program

    (WCPR) is used to ensure management is

    having the desired effect on wildlife.

    The goal of WCPR is to “provide assessment,

    recovery, and planning support for the Wildlife

    Management Area (WMA) system to enhance

    management of focal species and recovery of listed

    species.” WCPR program objectives include;

    prioritizing what FWC does for imperiled and focal

    species on FWC lead WMAs; ensuring the actions

    taken on these areas are part of statewide

    conservation programs/priorities; and sharing with

    and informing others about the work accomplished

    on these lands.

    WCPR is a science-based approach that helps to

    assess species needs and opportunities and provides

    a framework to prioritize actions for imperiled and

    focal species. This approach integrates geospatial

    analytical techniques to model potential habitat,

    Population Viability Analysis results, and conservation

    planning. FWC combines this information with area

    specific and expert knowledge to determine where

    focal species conservation can be proactively affected

    within a specific WMA. All of this information is

    incorporated into a Species Management Strategy

    that is unique to each WMA. The

    strategy outlines the role of the area in

    wildlife conservation and sets area-

    specific objectives for managing priority

    species and their habitat. In addition, the

    strategy prescribes management to aid in

    species recovery, prescribes monitoring

    to allow evaluation of the species

    response to management, and ensures

    the information is shared with others.

    Since its inception in 2008, WCPR strategies have

    been initiated or completed for 11 areas including

    Apalachicola River and Hungryland Wildlife and

    Environmental Areas, Half Moon, Chassahowitzka,

    and Salt Lake WMAs. The strategies are designed to

    mirror the timeline of the areas’ required

    Management Plan and will be revisited every 10 years

    to determine if changes are needed. For more

    information about WCPR or to see a completed

    strategy please contact Dan Sullivan, Conservation

    E c o l o g i s t a n d W C P R C o o r d i n a t o r

    ([email protected]).

    www.sfrc.ufl.edu/CFEOR

    mailto:[email protected]://myfwc.com/Index.aspxmailto:[email protected]://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/CFEOR/index.html

  • 2

    Multiple causes of seeding rarity in scrub plum, Prunus geniculata (Rosaceae), an endangered shrub of the Florida scrub

    Weekley, Carl W.; David N. Zaya; Eric S. Menges and Amy E. Faivre 2010. American Journal of Botany 91(1):144-155. Conservation of an imperiled plant often requires an understanding of its reproductive ecology. Scrub plum ( Prunus

    geniculata ) is an endangered Florida shrub endemic to pyrogenic xeric uplands. Although plants are long-lived and may flower

    profusely, particularly after burning, fruit yield is sparse and seedlings are rare. We investigated potential causes of seedling

    rarity in scrub plum by studying its floral sex and breeding systems, fruit development, and germination ecology. We also

    developed a flow chart based on two time-since-fire scenarios to illustrate the cumulative impact of these factors on seedling

    recruitment. Breeding system experiments suggested partial gametophytic self-incompatibility in this functionally

    andromonoecious species, with inbreeding depression in self-compatible individuals. Predispersal seed predation, the major

    constraint on seedling recruitment, was lower in the first postburn season. In two field experiments, seed germination was

  • 3

    CFEOR Mission:

    To develop and disseminate knowledge needed to conserve

    and manage Florida’s forest as a healthy, working ecosystem

    that provides social, ecological and economic benefits on a

    CFEOR Administration

    Charlie Houder, Suwannee River Water Management District, Steering Committee Chair

    Bill Cleckley, Northwest Florida Water Management District, Steering Committee Vice-Chair

    Newsletter Contacts

    Nancy Peterson, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, CFEOR Executive Director,

    [email protected] Melissa Kreye, School of Forest Resources and

    Conservation, CFEOR Coordinator, [email protected]

    Phone 352.846.0848 ∙Fax 352.846.1277∙ PO Box 110410∙ Gainesville, FL

    Colloquium on Plant Pests of Regulatory Significance

    Jan. 6 – April 21, 2010. Wednesdays at 4:00 PM. The

    colloquium is part of the Certificate in Plant Pest Risk

    Assessment and Management coordinated by the UF-

    IFAS Plant Medicine Program. The Colloquium and

    Certificate are available via distance education (Polycom)

    and/or web; contact IT Specialist Kamin Miller

    ([email protected]; 352-392-3631 Ext. 360) for

    information about Polycom access.

    Timber Tax Webinar Feb. 24th and March 17,2010; at

    12:00 noon-1:30 pm Eastern. Program will cover tax filing

    tips for timber transactions for the 2010 tax season.

    Target audience: landowners, foresters, agency staff and

    program leaders, extension specialist and tax

    professionals. 1.5 CFE credits available for foresters. No

    registration required. Log in at http://

    forestrywebinar.net/

    Sustainable Use and Depletion of Natural Resources:

    lessons for the energy system Feb. 24, 2010 at 1:55 -

    2:45 PM. Dr. Stephen Humphrey, UF School of Natural

    Resources and Environment. 112 Newins-Ziegler Hall,

    Gainesville, FL.

    Forest Stewardship Property Tour at Saturiwa

    Conservation Area, Property of Mike Adams, 2009 Forest

    Stewardship Landowner of the Year, St. Johns County.

    Feb. 25, 2010. Call the St. Johns County Extension Office

    at (904) 209-0430 to register.

    Vegetation Monitoring in a Management Context

    March 1-6, 2010. A Natural Training Areas (NATA)

    workshop and developed for USFS continuing education.

    Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, FL. To register

    and more information please visit http://

    nata.snre.ufl.edu/schedule.htm

    The 2010 Southeast Partners in Flight Meeting

    March 9-11, 2010. A working group of various

    stakeholders in the southeast interested in avian

    conservation and management. The meeting will be held

    at the UF Hilton Conference Center, Gainesville, FL. For

    registration forms and more information, please visit:

    http://sepif.org/content/view/46/1/

    Working Across Boundaries to Protect Ecosystems

    March 23-25, 2010. A Natural Training Areas (NATA)

    workshop addressing how political, social and ecological

    forces can affect natural areas and innovative

    management strategies. To register and more

    information please visit http://nata.snre.ufl.edu/

    schedule.htm

    http://sfrc.ufl.edu/CFEOR/administration.htmlmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://dpm.ifas.ufl.edu/plant_pest_risk_assessment/index.shtmlhttp://dpm.ifas.ufl.edu/plant_pest_risk_assessment/index.shtmlmailto:[email protected]://forestrywebinar.net/http://forestrywebinar.net/http://nata.snre.ufl.edu/schedule.htmhttp://nata.snre.ufl.edu/schedule.htmhttp://sepif.org/content/view/46/1/http://nata.snre.ufl.edu/schedule.htmhttp://nata.snre.ufl.edu/schedule.htm