Department 10 Year Review
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Green Landscaping: Greenacres
GGGrrreeeeeennn LLLaaannndddssscccaaapppiiinnnggg Green Landscaping: Greenacres www.epa.gov/greenacres Landscaping with native wildflowers and grasses improves the environment. Natural landscaping brings a taste of wilderness to urban, suburban, and corporate settings by attracting a variety of birds, butterflies and other animals. Once established, native plants do not need fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or watering, thus benefiting the environment and reducing maintenance costs. Gardeners and admirers enjoy the variety of colors, shapes, and seasonal beauty of these plants. Landscaping with Great Lakes Native Plants Native Forest Plants Native Prairie Plants Native Wetland Plants Many of the plants found in the area ecosystems can also thrive in your yard, on corporate and university campuses, in parks, golf courses and on road sides. These native plants are attractive and benefit the environment. Many native plant seeds or seedlings are available from nurseries. How to Get Started There is a toolkit to promote the use of native plants. Be sure to read the article on municipal weed laws. Sustainable Landscaping, The Hidden Impacts of Gardens View this power point presentation developed by Danielle Green of the Great Lakes National Program Office and Dan Welker of EPA Region 3. The colorful slides present information on the environmental impacts to air, water, land and biodiversity of traditional landscaping and offer alternatives such as using native plants in the landscape. This presentation was developed as part of the Smithsonian Institution's Horticultural Services Division winter in-service training program. It has also been adapted for presentation at various conferences around the country. slideshow (8,620kb) And you can always talk to the wizard about commonly asked questions. -
Nonnative Reptilies in South Florida ID Guide
Nonnative Reptiles in South Florida Identification Guide • The nonnative reptiles shown here are native to Central and South America, Asia, and Nonnative species are Africa. They were introduced to south Florida by human activity. sometimes confused with • Invasive species harm native species through direct predation, competition for resources, the Florida natives shown spread of disease, and disruption of natural ecosystems. Many of the nonnative reptiles on because their colorations this guide are, or have the potential to become, invasive. and patterns are very • Use this guide to identify invasive species and immediately report sightings of the black similar. Pay attention to the and white tegu, Nile monitor, and all invasive snakes to 1-888-IVE-GOT1. Take a distinct characteristics and photo and note the location relative to street intersections or with a GPS if possible. typical adult sizes listed on this guide to avoid • More photos can be found at www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/herpetology.htm. confusion when you • Be certain that an animal is a nonnative species before removing it. Warning-most encounter these animals. reptiles will bite or scratch if provoked. Nonnative Lizards NATIVE :- • ,,.., •· t ..... Look-a-Likes . ... ·-tt-..... • •. .. l . 1 '\..\ =- ' . ----.....·~·-· - - ',-<•'-' ' . \:,' . <! •.t'- . ,. '\. Dav id 13,irbsv ~ ·- ~ 9111'.', o:'"' w:' Black and White Tegu 2 to 3 ft. Dark bands with plentiful white dots between them Eastern Fence Lizard 3.5 to 7.5 in. Northern Curly-Tailed Lizard 7 to 10.5 in . Gray to tan with curled tail Florida Scrub Lizard 3.5 to 5.5 in. American Alligator 6 to 9 ft. Nile Monitor 4 to 6 ft. -
The Case for Sustainable Landscapes
THE SUSTAINABLE SITES INITIATIVETM THE CASE FOR SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES American Society of Landscape Architects Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin United States Botanic Garden The Sustainable Sites Initiative is a partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and the United States Botanic Garden in conjunction with a diverse group of stakeholder organizations to establish and encourage sustainable practices in landscape design, construction, operations, and maintenance. Copyright ©2009 by the Sustainable Sites Initiative. All rights reserved. THE SUSTAINABLE SITES INITIATIVE 2 The Case for Sustainable Landscapes CONTENTS Executive Summary 5 1 Purpose and Principles of the Sustainable Sites Initiative 7 2 The Economics of Sustainable Landscapes 12 3 An Introduction to Ecosystem Services 26 4 Case Studies: Sustainable Practices in Action 35 Garden\Garden 36 John Burroughs School Bioretention System 38 Clinton Beach Park 40 Kresge Foundation Headquarters 42 Queens Botanical Garden 44 Florida Aquarium Parking Lot and Queuing Garden 46 Cayuga Medical Center Main Campus 48 High Point 50 Acknowledgments 52 THE SUSTAINABLE SITES INITIATIVE 4 The Case for Sustainable Landscapes Executive Summary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document, The Case for Sustainable Landscapes, is a companion volume to the much larger report titled The Sustainable Sites Initiative: Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009. It provides background on the Sustainable Sites Initiative™; a set of arguments— economic, environmental, and social—for the adoption of sustainable land practices; additional background on the science behind the performance criteria in the Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009; and a sampling of some of the case studies the Initiative has been following. -
The Effects of Altered Hydrology on the Everglades
Everglades Interim Report Chapter 2: Hydrologic Needs Chapter 2: Hydrologic Needs: The Effects of Altered Hydrology on the Everglades Fred Sklar, Chris McVoy, Randy Van Zee, Dale Gawlik, Dave Swift, Winnie Park, Carl Fitz, Yegang Wu, Dave Rudnick, Thomas Fontaine, Shili Miao, Amy Ferriter, Steve Krupa, Tom Armentano, Ken Tarboton, Ken Rutchey, Quan Dong, and Sue Newman Summary This chapter is an overview of historic hydrologic patterns, the effects of altered hydrology on the ecology of the Everglades, and the tools needed to assess and predict the impacts of water management. This is an anthology of historical information and hydrologic studies conducted over the last 100 years, covering millions of hectares, and includes scientific studies of Everglades soils, plants, and animals. The synthesis of this information, for setting hydrologic targets for restoration, is the goal of the Central and South Florida (C&SF) Restudy (see Chapter 10). This ecosystem assessment of the Everglades in relation to only hydrology is difficult because hydrology is strongly linked to water quality constituents, whose utilization, mobilization, and degradation in the Everglades is in turn, linked to hydrologic events and management. Although this chapter disassociates water quality from hydrology, in an attempt to address water management needs, and to meet the obligations set by the Everglades Forever Act, it is important to understand these linkages for sustainable management and restoration. Historic Hydrologic Change Drainage of the Everglades began in 1880 and in some locations, reduced water tables up to nine feet, reversed the direction of surface water flows, altered vegetation, created abnormal fire patterns, and induced high rates of subsidence. -
Guide to Sustainable Landscaping Your Yard’S Role in the Valley Ecosystem
GREEN GARDENS HEALTHY CREEKS Guide to Sustainable Landscaping Your Yard’s Role in the Valley Ecosystem What is Sustainable Landscaping? Sustainable landscaping is the use of design and maintenance practices that work harmoniously with your local climate and soils. A sustainable landscape is adapted to your area’s rainfall patterns and can thrive with minimal watering. A sustainable landscape typically does not require pesticides or fertilizers and creates little or no waste. Carrie Jensen Carrie Traditional In contrast, conventional landscapes may Beneficial insects like this Green feature plants that need lots of water or may Lacewing need non-toxic gardens to need gasoline-powered equipment to look thrive and provide natural pest control groomed. Conventional landscapes may rely on pesticides and fertilizers to promote healthy Cost-savings and benefits growth. Rain or excess irrigation water can of sustainable landscaping transport these chemicals down street gutters and into storm drains, which empty directly into Harmonizing your yard to the nearest creek and the San Francisco Bay. local conditions may save Such pollution is harmful to fish, wildlife, and you money on… our own quality of life. n your water bill Sustainable Carrie Jensen Carrie n purchases of pesticides and fertilizers A yard in step with the n energy for power equipment Santa Clara Valley Ecosystem and create a healthier yard by … This guide provides the steps to convert n reducing noise and air pollutants all or a portion of your yard to a sustainable n avoiding toxic pesticides landscape that reflects the natural conditions n providing habitat for birds, of the Santa Clara Valley. -
Landcover Change and Population Dynamics of Florida Scrub-Jays and Florida Grasshopper Sparrows" (2009)
University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2009 Landcover Change And Population Dynamics Of Florida Scrub- jays And Florida Grasshopper Sparrows David Breininger University of Central Florida Part of the Biology Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Breininger, David, "Landcover Change And Population Dynamics Of Florida Scrub-jays And Florida Grasshopper Sparrows" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 3820. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/3820 LANDCOVER CHANGE AND POPULATION DYNAMICS OF FLORIDA SCRUB-JAYS AND FLORIDA GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS by DAVID R. BREININGER B.S. Florida Institute of Technology, 1978 M.S. Florida Institute of Technology, 1981 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Biological Science in the College of Science at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Spring Term 2009 Major Professor: Reed F. Noss ABSTRACT I confronted empirical habitat data (1994-2004) and population data (1988-2005) with ecological theory on habitat dynamics, recruitment, survival, and dispersal to develop predictive relationships between landcover variation and population dynamics. I focus on Florida Scrub-Jays, although one chapter presents a model for the potential influence of habitat restoration on viability of the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow. -
Genotypic and Phenotypic Variation of the Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus Woodi)
Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of Fall 2011 Genotypic and Phenotypic Variation of the Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus Woodi) Derek B. Tucker Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd Recommended Citation Tucker, Derek B., "Genotypic and Phenotypic Variation of the Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus Woodi)" (2011). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 754. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/754 This thesis (open access) is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GENOTYPIC AND PHENOTYPIC VARIATION OF THE FLORIDA SCRUB LIZARD ( SCELOPORUS WOODI ) by DEREK B. TUCKER (Under the Direction of Lance D. McBrayer & John Scott Harrison) ABSTRACT In my 1 st chapter I investigate the phenotypic variation of the Florida scrub lizard by examining sprinting and jumping ability. These are key performance measures that have been widely studied in vertebrates. The vast majority of these studies, however, use methodologies that lack ecological context by failing to consider the complex habitats many animals live in. Here, I filmed running lizards to address how behavioral and performance strategies change as lizards approach obstacles of varying height. Obstacle size had a significant influence on both behavior (e.g. obstacle crossing strategy, intermittent locomotion) and performance (e.g. sprint speed, jump distance). Researchers should thus consider the complexity of a species’ habitat in designing studies of locomotion. -
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service June 14, 2016 Biological Opinion Revised
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service June 14, 2016 Biological Opinion ON Revised Land and Resource Management Plan Amendment to increase Florida Scrub- Jay Management Areas on the Ocala National Forest (Amendment 12) Prepared by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Jacksonville, Florida Biological Opinion U.S. Forest Service Southern Region FWS Log No. 04EF1000-2016-F-0215 2 The Service concurs with your determination that the effects from activities under the proposed amendment on the Florida bonamia, scrub buckwheat, and Lewton’s polygala are within the scope of effects described in the September 18, 1998 BA for the LRMP and evaluated in the Service’s 1998 Opinion. In addition, effects of implementing the LRMP (including the proposed amendment) on the scrub pigeon wings were recently disclosed in your Biological Assessment (BA) of Nov 24, 2015 were evaluated in the Service’s Opinion of December 17, 2015. Therefore, these plant species will not be addressed further in the amended Opinion below. This amended Opinion is based on information provided to the Service through a BA, telephone conversations, e-mails, field investigation notes, and other sources of information. A complete administrative record of this consultation is on file at the Jacksonville Ecological Services Office. Consultation History September 21, 1998: NFF initiated formal consultation on revision of the LRMP December 18, 1998: The Service provided a non-jeopardy combined Biological and Conference Opinion on the LRMP to NFF concluding formal consultation. From March 2014 to November of 2015, the Service and staff from the NFF supervisor’s office and ONF participated in several meetings and conference calls to discuss how to address Forest Service Section 7(a)(1) obligations under the Act and the proposed amendment to the NFF LRMP. -
Florida Bog Frog Rana Okaloosae Taxa: Amphibian SE-GAP Spp Code: Afbfr Order: Anura ITIS Species Code: 173456 Family: Ranidae Natureserve Element Code: AAABH01240
Florida Bog Frog Rana okaloosae Taxa: Amphibian SE-GAP Spp Code: aFBFR Order: Anura ITIS Species Code: 173456 Family: Ranidae NatureServe Element Code: AAABH01240 KNOWN RANGE: PREDICTED HABITAT: P:\Proj1\SEGap P:\Proj1\SEGap Range Map Link: http://www.basic.ncsu.edu/segap/datazip/maps/SE_Range_aFBFR.pdf Predicted Habitat Map Link: http://www.basic.ncsu.edu/segap/datazip/maps/SE_Dist_aFBFR.pdf GAP Online Tool Link: http://www.gapserve.ncsu.edu/segap/segap/index2.php?species=aFBFR Data Download: http://www.basic.ncsu.edu/segap/datazip/region/vert/aFBFR_se00.zip PROTECTION STATUS: Reported on March 14, 2011 Federal Status: --- State Status: FL (SSC) NS Global Rank: G2 NS State Rank: FL (S2) aFBFR Page 1 of 3 SUMMARY OF PREDICTED HABITAT BY MANAGMENT AND GAP PROTECTION STATUS: US FWS US Forest Service Tenn. Valley Author. US DOD/ACOE ha % ha % ha % ha % Status 1 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 Status 2 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 Status 3 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 7,002.6 29 Status 4 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 Total 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 7,002.6 29 US Dept. of Energy US Nat. Park Service NOAA Other Federal Lands ha % ha % ha % ha % Status 1 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 Status 2 0.0 0 1.1 < 1 0.0 0 0.0 0 Status 3 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 Status 4 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 Total 0.0 0 1.1 < 1 0.0 0 0.0 0 Native Am. -
To Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and the U.S
To Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Petition for Rule-making: Critical Habitat Designation for the Endangered Florida Panther Center for Biological Diversity, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Council of Civic Associations i Before the Department of the Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240 In Re: Florida panther recovery, Florida. ) Petition for rule-making to designate ) critical habitat and ensure recovery of ) the endangered Florida panther, in ) accordance with Florida Panther ) Recovery Plan and scientific findings. ) TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR AND THE DIRECTOR, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Petition for Rule-making Michael J. Robinson Center for Biological Diversity P.O. Box 53166 Pinos Altos, NM 88053 September 17, 2009 ii Red-shouldered hawks cruise the low cypress and the marshlands, marsh hawks balance and tip, showing white rump marks, and far over at the edge of a thicket a deer feeds, and flicks his white- edged tail before he lifts his head and stares. From high in a plane at that time of year the Big Cypress seems an undulating misted surface full of peaks and gray valleys changing to feathering green. East of it, sharply defined as a river from its banks, move the vast reaches of the saw grass. The brown deer, the pale-colored lithe beautiful panthers that feed on them, the tuft-eared wildcats with their high-angled hind legs, the opossum and the rats and the rabbits have lived in and around it and the Devil’s Garden and the higher pinelands to the west since this world began. -
SPECIAL PUBLICATION 6 the Effects of Marine Debris Caused by the Great Japan Tsunami of 2011
PICES SPECIAL PUBLICATION 6 The Effects of Marine Debris Caused by the Great Japan Tsunami of 2011 Editors: Cathryn Clarke Murray, Thomas W. Therriault, Hideaki Maki, and Nancy Wallace Authors: Stephen Ambagis, Rebecca Barnard, Alexander Bychkov, Deborah A. Carlton, James T. Carlton, Miguel Castrence, Andrew Chang, John W. Chapman, Anne Chung, Kristine Davidson, Ruth DiMaria, Jonathan B. Geller, Reva Gillman, Jan Hafner, Gayle I. Hansen, Takeaki Hanyuda, Stacey Havard, Hirofumi Hinata, Vanessa Hodes, Atsuhiko Isobe, Shin’ichiro Kako, Masafumi Kamachi, Tomoya Kataoka, Hisatsugu Kato, Hiroshi Kawai, Erica Keppel, Kristen Larson, Lauran Liggan, Sandra Lindstrom, Sherry Lippiatt, Katrina Lohan, Amy MacFadyen, Hideaki Maki, Michelle Marraffini, Nikolai Maximenko, Megan I. McCuller, Amber Meadows, Jessica A. Miller, Kirsten Moy, Cathryn Clarke Murray, Brian Neilson, Jocelyn C. Nelson, Katherine Newcomer, Michio Otani, Gregory M. Ruiz, Danielle Scriven, Brian P. Steves, Thomas W. Therriault, Brianna Tracy, Nancy C. Treneman, Nancy Wallace, and Taichi Yonezawa. Technical Editor: Rosalie Rutka Please cite this publication as: The views expressed in this volume are those of the participating scientists. Contributions were edited for Clarke Murray, C., Therriault, T.W., Maki, H., and Wallace, N. brevity, relevance, language, and style and any errors that [Eds.] 2019. The Effects of Marine Debris Caused by the were introduced were done so inadvertently. Great Japan Tsunami of 2011, PICES Special Publication 6, 278 pp. Published by: Project Designer: North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) Lori Waters, Waters Biomedical Communications c/o Institute of Ocean Sciences Victoria, BC, Canada P.O. Box 6000, Sidney, BC, Canada V8L 4B2 Feedback: www.pices.int Comments on this volume are welcome and can be sent This publication is based on a report submitted to the via email to: [email protected] Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan, in June 2017. -
Integrating Demography and Fire Management
CSIRO PUBLISHING www.publish.csiro.au/journals/ajar Australian Journal of Botany, 2007, 55, 261–272 Integrating demography and fire management: an example from Florida scrub Eric S. Menges Archbold Biological Station, PO Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862, USA. Email: [email protected] Abstract. In this work, I have used life-history and demographic data to define fire return intervals for several types of Florida scrub, a xeric shrubland where fire is the dominant ecological disturbance but where fire suppression is a major issue. The datasets combine chronosequence and longitudinal approaches at community and population levels. Resprouting shrubs, which dominate most types of Florida scrub, recover rapidly after fires (although their limits under frequent fires are not well known) and also increasingly dominate long-unburned areas. These dominant shrubs can prosper over a range of fire return intervals. Obligate-seeding scrub plants, which often have persistent seed banks, can be eliminated by frequent fire but often decline with infrequent fire. Population viability analyses of habitat specialists offer more precision in suggesting ranges of appropriate fire return intervals. For two types of Florida scrub (rosemary scrub and oak–hickory scrub), plant-population viability analyses narrow the interval and suggest more frequent fires than do previous recommendations, at intervals of 15–30 and 5–12 years, respectively. Variation in fire regimes in time and space (pyrodiversity) is recommended as a bet-hedging fire-management strategy and to allow co-existence of species with disparate life histories. Introduction Replicated experiments have advantages in controlling for With so many of the world’s habitats having fire as a factors other than the manipulated components of fire regimes, dominant ecological disturbance (Pyne 1997; Bond and Keeley but they can rarely be done at the landscape scale over 2005), management of these habitats is crucial to maintaining which fire operates (but see Andersen et al.