ABSTRACT: Fender’s blue butterfly, listed as an endangered species, is one of several listed prairie plants and animals endemic to the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The Oregon Fish & Wildlife Office (OFWO) has determined that the recovery criteria for the species, based on an outdated PVA, require updating. Over the past two years, the OFWO has been working with Dr. Bruce Marcot of the USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station and Dr. Nathan Schumaker of the EPA to develop an updated HexSim model of Fender’s blue butterfly populations, which will incorporate new data on butterfly movement capability to define a suite of potential conservation networks to provide for the long-term viability of the species. Funding is requested to support the final phase of this modeling effort, which requires the acquisition of aerial imagery of the Willamette Valley and the mapping of agricultural areas for integration into the movement model. These spatial data represent the last component of the geographic information needed to complete this modeling effort, which will inform the anticipated downlisting of the species in 2019, as well as the subsequent delisting of the species as recovery efforts in the Willamette Valley continue. Importantly, these data will also help to inform recovery efforts for other listed species in the Willamette Valley, including the streaked horned lark.
AWARD ID: Internal transfer of funds to OFWO
START DATE:
END DATE:
SOURCE: Region 1 Science Applications
AMOUNT: $7,000
PI: Dr. Bruce Marcot, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station. Cooperators: Dr. Nathan Schumaker, Environmental Protection Agency; Rich Young, USFWS (R1); Larry Reigel (OFWO).
CONTACT INFO: Jennifer Siani 503-231-6915.
LEAD ORG: OFWO
FWS PO: Tom Miewald, thomas_miewald@fws.gov
