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A Helping Hand For A HELPING HAND FOR WILDLIFEBY EMILY PRESTON Revised Wildlife Action Plan offers a hopeful outlook for New Hampshire’s threatened species and habitats. liding across the water in my kayak, A Road Map for Conserving Wildlife I pause, listening. The haunting cry The first Wildlife Action Plan was published of a loon carries across the water in 2005 and contained a wealth of information from somewhere behind me. But I about wildlife, their habitats, threats to both, am intent on the glowing insect that has landed and actions needed to conserve both the rare on my bow – a common green darner dragonfly species and the common ones. Never before Gwith green head and thorax and bright blue had all New Hampshire wildlife been assessed abdomen. This common insect migrates into to discern which species needed our help. The New Hampshire each spring to forage and assessment was based on data collected by a Wildlife on the breed, leaving a new generation to again fly large group of scientists from Fish and Game, list of New south for the winter – a long journey for such NH Audubon and other conservation groups Hampshire a small animal. and universities, and from citizens involved in Species of Seeing a moose grazing on wetland plants programs such as the Reptile and Amphibian Greatest in the summer, watching a hawk soar above a Reporting Program (RAARP). The resulting Conservation ridgeline, admiring the sleek coat of an otter document, about 1,800 pages, included detailed Need, clockwise running along a river bank, or laughing at the profiles of 118 Species of Greatest Conservation from top left: antics of birds at your feeder – these are all part Need and their habitats. There was information Yellowbanded of the joy of living in New Hampshire. Who on threats to wildlife and habitats and a long list bumblebee; is responsible for caring for all these animals? of actions to address them. The actions called Eastern Under state law, the N.H. Fish and Game for great cooperation, as they involved individ- towhee; smooth Department has responsibility for all wildlife uals, researchers, state agencies, conservation green snake; species – including insects and other inverte- commissions, conservation groups, schools horseshoe crab; brates. But effectively caring for them takes all and more. Many of these partners had helped blue-spotted of us, and we have a tool to help us do just that: with the process of creating the plan, and they salamander; the New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan. jumped right in to start implementing it. American marten. 12 March / April 2016 © JAMES DENOER / DREAMSTIME.COM © PAUL REEVES / DREAMSTIME.COM © PAUL REEVES / DREAMSTIME.COM © USFWS / GREG BREESE PHOTO © JAMES P. ROSS / DREAMSTIME.COM © JOHN GILL March /April 2016 13 The federally endangerd dwarf wedge mussel (right) is not only critically imperiled in the U.S., but globally as well. The state-endangered New England cottontail (far right) has recently benefited from successful conservation efforts that have improved its population status. The rapids clubtail dragonfly (below) is among eight species of dragonfly that have been listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in New Hampshire. © NHFG / VICTOR YOUNG PHOTO © PAUL SPARKS / DREAMSTIME.COM SPARKS © PAUL © NHFG / VICTOR YOUNG PHOTO We’ve accomplished a lot in the ten years since the first plan least two species by over 90%. Climate change directly threatens was published. The plan identified blocks of habitat that were coastal and riverine habitats and species today, and will affect all in the “highest ranked” ecological condition – supporting rare wildlife over time. species or plants, comprising a large block of unfragmented land, or free of structures like roads or dams. Over the past decade, What’s Next for Wildlife? land trusts, towns and agencies have protected 234,000 acres of N.H. Fish and Game and its partners completed a full revision these important habitats! of the Wildlife Action Plan in September of 2015, laying out priori- Conservation activities in all the New England states to protect ties for the coming decade. Through a process that took almost two New England cottontail rabbits, identified as a Species of Greatest years, 100 scientists assessed species and habitats, identified threats Conservation Need, have been so successful that the US Fish and formulated actions. New maps of highest-ranked habitat were and Wildlife Service determined that those conservation actions, created, using new and better data. More than 170 New Hampshire if continued, would preclude federal listing. Volunteer citizen citizens took part in six public input sessions, 123 commented on scientists surveyed dragonfly and damselfly species across the the draft plan, and over a thousand people provided input through state, collecting over 18,000 sightings and allowing us to determine an online survey. which species were in need of conservation action. Canada The results? New Hampshire now has 169 Species of Greatest lynx were found breeding in Coos County. Core populations Conservation Need. The plan has detailed information on each of Blanding’s turtles were identified, leading to more specific species and the 27 types of habitat they rely upon. We assessed over conservation actions. And we learned interesting differences about 1,800 threats they face. We have statewide mapping for 24 habitats, our black racer snakes from more southern racers – they need a lot including, for the first time, how various types of streams, rivers, more space! lakes and ponds differ, based on what is important for wildlife. We’ve made progress, but there are still many challenges. Most importantly, the plan outlines more than 100 actions in which Cottontails still need active management through habitat restoration everyone can participate. and captive breeding. Five bat species suffered from a new disease One example of a new Species of Greatest Conservation Need, or called White-Nose Syndrome, which has reduced populations of at rather a set of species, are four bumblebees – rusty-patched, yellow, 14 March / April 2016 © NHFG / VICTOR YOUNG PHOTO Early successional habitats are recently harvested forests (or old fields or forests that have been disturbed by natural forces like wind or fire) that provide ideal habitat for such species as the American woodcock (far left) and the state-threatened Northern black racer (left). © GERRY LEMMO © GERRY © NHFG / BRENDAN CLIFFORD PHOTO yellowbanded and American (once perhaps the most common species). These insects have declined dramatically over the last twenty years. Suspected causes are many, including loss of flowering MAPPING WILDLIFE plants through changes in agricultural methods that reduce weeds, he updated Wildlife Action Plan provides two sets of helpful wildlife increased pesticide use – especially neonicotinoids that persist in habitat maps. The first shows different kinds of forest, wetlands and the environment for a very long time – and climate change. Efforts Tother types of habitats. The second identifies the most are underway across the country to help these species. Bumblebees ecologically significant habitat for wildlife. These need two kinds of habitat – flowers for foraging and undisturbed maps help communities ground or grasses for nesting. You can help bumblebees by planting identify important areas for a “pollinator garden” using pesticide-free plants that bloom from Wildlife Habitat Condition wildlife and other natural early spring through late fall. Bumblebees are great pollinators Top Ranked Habitat in State resources to consider and can increase yields of crops such as apples. They will fly and Top Ranked Habitat in Biological Region for protection. They help Supporting Landscapes pollinate on days that are too cold for honeybees. New Hampshire’s whippoorwills remain in trouble, too, but landowners manage recent research shows hope for this species. Dr. Pam Hunt, biolo- habitat. Land trusts use gist with NH Audubon, studied the nesting preferences of whip- them to help prioritize poorwills at Mast Yard State Park and discovered they have a lands for acquisition. Major distinct preference for recently harvested forests. Whippoorwills funders like the Land and nest directly on the ground, and are thus vulnerable to predators. Community Heritage Investment Forests with sparse trees and plenty of understory shrubs seem to Program (LCHIP) incorporate be just the ticket. The open forest allows these birds to fly in search them into their funding of their insect prey. Many other Species of Greatest Conservation criteria. Learn more at Need also benefit from forest harvests, even intensive harvests, takingactionforwildlife.org. including woodcock, Eastern towhee and black racer snakes. March / April 2016 15 Floodplain forests occupy less than 5% of New Hampshire’s land area, but they are a critical wetland habitat supporting New Hampshire © ONDREICKA / DREAMSTIME.COM Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including wood turtles and northern leopard frogs. © CHRIS HILL / DREAMSTIME.COM TAKE ACTION TODAY! he Taking Action for Wildlife Program was established to help towns, conservation organizations and landowners implement actions Tin the Wildlife Action Plan. This partnership between Fish and Game, UNH Cooperative Extension, and the N.H. Association of Conservation Commissions provides technical assistance to communities, conservation © ROGER IRWIN organizations and landowners. The program can help you learn how to conduct a natural resources Habitats in need of conservation
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