California Partners in Flight the USDA Forest Service Klamath Bird Observatory and PRBO Conservation Science
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The Coniferous Forest Bird Conservation Plan A Strategy for Protecting and Managing Coniferous Forest Habitats and Associated Birds in California Version 1.1 March 2002 A project of California Partners in Flight The USDA Forest Service Klamath Bird Observatory and PRBO Conservation Science Conservation Plan Lead Authors: John C. Robinson, USDA Forest Service John Alexander, Klamath Bird Observatory Conservation Plan Supporting Authors, PRBO Conservation Science: Sue Abbott Diana Humple Grant Ballard Melissa Pitkin Dan Barton Sandy Scoggin Gregg Elliott Diana Stralberg Sacha Heath Focal Species Account Authors: Black-backed Woodpecker – Kerry Farris Black-throated Gray Warbler – Tina Mark, USDA Forest Service Brown Creeper – Danielle LeFer, San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory Dark-eyed Junco – Jim DeStaebler, PRBO Conservation Science Flammulated Owl – Susan Yasuda, USDA Forest Service Fox Sparrow – Anne King, EDAW, Inc. Golden-crowned Kinglet – John C. Robinson, USDA Forest Service MacGillivray's Warbler – Chris Otahal, USDA Forest Service Olive-sided Flycatcher – Paul Brandy, Endangered Species Recovery Program Pileated Woodpecker – John C. Robinson, USDA Forest Service Red-breasted Nuthatch – Tina Mark and John C. Robinson, USDA Forest Service Vaux's Swift – John Sterling, Jones and Stokes Associates Western Tanager – Cory Davis, USDA Forest Service Financial Contributors: USDA Forest Service Packard Foundation National Fish and Wildlife Foundation PRBO Conservation Science Klamath Bird Observatory Acknowledgements: California Partners in Flight wishes to thank everyone who helped write, promote, and produce this document. Special thanks to Laurie Fenwood, Geoffrey Geupel, Aaron Holmes, Genny Wilson, Ryan Burnett, and Doug Wallace, and to Sophie Webb for her cover illustration. Recommended Citation: CalPIF (California Partners in Flight). 2002. Version 1.1. The coniferous forest bird conservation plan: a strategy for protecting and managing coniferous forest habitats and associated birds in California (J. Robinson and J. Alexander, lead authors). PRBO Conservation Science, Petaluma, CA. http://www.prbo.org/calpif/plans.html. Table of Contents Executive Summary _____________________________________________________________ 1 Chapter 1. Introduction ________________________________________________________ 4 Chapter 2. Conservation Planning Process __________________________________ 6 Coordinated Conservation Planning ___________________________________________________ 6 The Coniferous Forest Bird Conservation Plan __________________________________________ 8 Focal Species ______________________________________________________________________ 8 Secondary Species __________________________________________________________________ 9 Bioregional Notes __________________________________________________________________ 10 Chapter 3. Coniferous Forest Habitats ______________________________________ 11 Habitat Accounts __________________________________________________________________ 12 Spruce-Fir Habitat Type ________________________________________________________ 13 Lodgepole Pine Habitat Type ____________________________________________________ 16 Douglas-fir Habitat Type _______________________________________________________ 16 Pine Habitat Type _____________________________________________________________ 17 Redwood Habitat Type _________________________________________________________ 19 Pinyon-Juniper Habitat Type ____________________________________________________ 20 Montane Shrublands ___________________________________________________________ 22 Coniferous Forest Conservation Issues ________________________________________________ 24 Chapter 4. Problems Affecting Birds in Coniferous Forests_______________ 28 Current State of Knowledge _________________________________________________________ 28 Loss of Old-growth Forests __________________________________________________________ 29 Fire Suppression __________________________________________________________________ 30 Fragmentation ____________________________________________________________________ 30 Elimination of Snags _______________________________________________________________ 31 Livestock grazing __________________________________________________________________ 31 Chapter 5. Species-specific Recommendations and Population Targets __ 33 Species Specific Recommendations ___________________________________________________ 33 Special Status Species ______________________________________________________________ 43 Population Targets ________________________________________________________________ 47 Chapter 6. Bioregional Conservation Objectives ___________________________ 51 The Modoc Bioregion ______________________________________________________________ 52 Klamath Bioregion ________________________________________________________________ 53 Central Coast Bioregion ____________________________________________________________ 53 Bay-Delta Bioregion _______________________________________________________________ 54 South Coast Bioregion ______________________________________________________________ 54 Sierra Bioregion ___________________________________________________________________ 55 San Joaquin Valley Bioregion _______________________________________________________ 56 Mojave Bioregion __________________________________________________________________ 57 Colorado Desert Bioregions _________________________________________________________ 57 Chapter 7. Conservation Recommendations ________________________________ 58 HABITAT PROTECTION RECOMMENDATIONS ____________________________________ 59 HABITAT MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS __________________________________ 64 RESTORATION RECOMMENDATIONS ____________________________________________ 69 MONITORING AND RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS _____________________________ 74 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ___________________________________________________ 78 Chapter 8. Implementation ___________________________________________________ 81 Implementation Tasks ______________________________________________________________ 81 North American All Bird Conservation Initiative _______________________________________ 82 Conservation Plan Feedback Form _________________________________________________ 84 Contact Information _______________________________________________________________ 84 Chapter 9. Outreach and Education _________________________________________ 85 Defining Outreach And Education____________________________________________________ 85 Future Outreach Priorities __________________________________________________________ 85 Conservation Education ____________________________________________________________ 86 Education And Outreach Concepts And Guidelines _____________________________________ 88 Education Outreach Opportunities ___________________________________________________ 90 Resources For Conservation Education And Outreach ___________________________________ 93 Chapter 10. Literature Cited __________________________________________________ 97 Appendix A. How to Monitor Bird Populations ___________________________ 111 Research and Monitoring __________________________________________________________ 111 Area Search _____________________________________________________________________ 113 Point Count _____________________________________________________________________ 113 Mist Netting _____________________________________________________________________ 113 Territory Mapping _______________________________________________________________ 114 Nest Monitoring __________________________________________________________________ 114 Draft Coniferous Forest Bird Conservation Plan Executive Summary Executive Summary The California Coniferous Forest Bird Conservation Plan (Conservation Plan) has been developed to help guide conservation policy and action on behalf of coniferous habitats and associated landbirds throughout California. The Conservation Plan is a synthesis of the current state of knowledge concerning birds in California's coniferous forests and the problems they face. Recommendations presented here can be used by land managers to support viable populations of birds that depend on these forests for breeding. The Conservation Plan is the first iteration of a continuous process of developing and updating habitat conservation recommendations for coniferous forests based on the latest available scientific monitoring and research data. This plan provides the foundation for adaptive conservation planning in California's coniferous forests. The adaptive management process encourages land managers to implement science-based recommendations through restoration and management activities, and scientists to monitor the consequent effects on wildlife. As new data become available through these monitoring efforts, scientists revise recommendations and managers amend their work plans accordingly. Thus, scientists and managers create a steady feedback loop and consistently improve their methods for conserving native habitats and wildlife species. This is not a regulatory document, nor does it represent the policies of any agency or organization. An associated GIS database of bird monitoring records in coniferous forests catalogues new information and provides new analyses for updating conservation recommendations and goals. Analyses of bird data and species maps will be posted on PRBO Conservation Science’s website (http://www.prbo.org/calpif/plans.html), periodically updated, and made available for use by the public. This Conservation