Wisconsin’s Wildlife Action Wisconsin’s Wildlife Action PlanPlan

and Citizen-Based Monitoringand Citizen-Based Monitoring

Tara L.E. BergesonWildlife Action Plan Implementation CoordinatorWisconsin Department of Natural Resources

SUCCESS = Vision + SUCCESS = Vision + ActionAction

© Loren Ayers© Loren Ayers

Quincy Bluff Quincy Bluff © Loren Ayers© Loren Ayers

• Required to remain eligible for federal funding through State Wildlife Grants

• Set priorities and provide guidance for future conservation work

Wood TurtleWood Turtle © © A.B. SheldonA.B. Sheldon

Why a Wildlife Action Plan?Why a Wildlife Action Plan?

• which native wildlife species are most at risk,

• what habitats they are associated with,

• where they occur across the state, and

• priority conservation actions to help “get them off and keep them off” any Endangered/Threatened species lists in the future.

Species of Greatest Conservation Species of Greatest Conservation NeedNeed

• Birds, fish, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates

• All state threatened and endangered species

• Species that fall through the cracks…..– in Wisconsin or adjacent states– specific threats to habitat– status unknown, but thought vulnerable

Cerulean Warbler Cerulean Warbler © Dennis Malueg© Dennis Malueg

Protection of SGCN and their Protection of SGCN and their HabitatsHabitats

• SGCN– threats– conservation actions

• Natural Communities(e.g. boreal forest, dry prairie, ephemeral pond)

• Ecological Landscapes– land classification system– 16 ecological landscapes in Wisconsin

Protection of SGCN and their Protection of SGCN and their HabitatsHabitats

Ultimate Ultimate Question:Question:

Are we keepingspecies off theEndangered or

Threatened list?

• Species,• Natural Communities, and• Effectiveness of Conservation

Actions

Monitoring and the Wildlife Monitoring and the Wildlife Action PlanAction Plan

Citizen-Based Monitoring for the Citizen-Based Monitoring for the Wildlife Action PlanWildlife Action Plan

DNR’s Role:

• Identify appropriate opportunities for citizens, • Provide support (training, funding), and• Ensure that data are scientifically sound so

they will be used.

Opportunities for Citizen-Based Monitoring for the WAP

• Information gaps for species & habitats• Specific threats to a species’ habitat• Property-based monitoring

Importance of Importance of Citizen-Based MonitoringCitizen-Based Monitoring

Wisconsin NatureMapping

WI Breeding Bird Atlas

Christmas Bird Count

Wisconsin e-Bird

Wisconsin Frog and Toad

Survey

Wisconsin Odonate Survey

Citizen-Based Monitoring Citizen-Based Monitoring ProgramsPrograms

Great Lakes Worm Watch

Clean Boats Clean Waters

Self-help Citizen Lake Monitoring Network

Water Action Volunteers

Winter Track Count

Support for Citizen-Based MonitoringSupport for Citizen-Based Monitoring

• State Wildlife Grants

• Water Monitoring Strategy

• Citizen-based Monitoring Partnership Program

SUCCESS = Vision + SUCCESS = Vision + ActionAction

© Loren Ayers© Loren Ayers

Quincy Bluff Quincy Bluff © Loren Ayers© Loren Ayers

Wildlife Action Plan Website:Wildlife Action Plan Website:http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/WWAP

Wildlife Action Plan Implementation Wildlife Action Plan Implementation CoordinatorCoordinatorTara Bergeson 608.245.0618 tara.bergeson@wisconsin.gov

Regional EcologistsRegional Ecologists

West Central Region – LaCrosse Armund Bartz 608.785.9019 armund.bartz@wisconsin.gov

Northern Regional Ecologist – SpoonerTed Gostomski 715.635.4153 theodore.gostomski@wisconsin.gov

Southeast Regional Ecologist – Milwaukee Owen Boyle 414.263.8681 owen.boyle@wisconsin.gov

South Central Regional Ecologist – Fitchburg Vacancy

Northeast Regional Ecologist – Green BayVacancy