TRACS Document
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USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Terrestrial Restoration and Conservation Strategy Table of Contents Chapter 1: Prioritization Process ................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 1 TRACS: What It Is Not .............................................................................................................................. 2 Ecoregions ................................................................................................................................................ 2 Overview of the TRACS Prioritization Process .......................................................................................... 4 Species Prioritization ................................................................................................................................ 4 Priority Vertebrates .............................................................................................................................. 4 Priority Rating....................................................................................................................................... 9 Socially and Economically Important Vertebrates ............................................................................... 9 Priority Plants ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Socially/Economically/Culturally Important Plants ............................................................................ 11 Priority Invertebrates ......................................................................................................................... 11 Habitat Prioritization .............................................................................................................................. 11 Watershed Prioritization ........................................................................................................................ 12 Chapter 2: Implementation of TRACS Priorities ........................................................................................ 15 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Collaboration and Integration ................................................................................................................ 15 Linkage of TRACS to Other Assessments and Programs .................................................................... 17 Data and Tools ........................................................................................................................................ 21 Description of Appendices ................................................................................................................. 22 Spreadsheet ....................................................................................................................................... 22 Geodatabases ..................................................................................................................................... 22 Additional Supporting Data ................................................................................................................ 24 Data Management ............................................................................................................................. 26 Examples ................................................................................................................................................. 27 Species Examples ............................................................................................................................... 27 Habitat Examples ............................................................................................................................... 42 Watershed Examples ......................................................................................................................... 45 Tracking Accomplishments ..................................................................................................................... 51 Final Thoughts ........................................................................................................................................ 52 References .............................................................................................................................................. 53 Appendices ................................................................................................................................................. 55 Appendix A: U.S. Forest Service Region 6 Terrestrial Prioritization: Species and Habitat Lists and Spatial Prioritization--The Nature Conservancy 2011 ................................................................... 55 Appendix B: Mapping of Habitat for Vertebrate Species ..................................................................... 108 Appendix C: Query Tool ........................................................................................................................ 109 Protect the Best and Restore the Rest i Appendix D: Relative Abundance ......................................................................................................... 115 Appendix E: Regional and Ecoregional Priority Vertebrates and Socially and Economically Important Vertebrates ................................................................................................................ 119 Appendix F: Regional Priority Plants by Ecoregion ............................................................................... 125 Appendix G: Regional Socially/Economically/Culturally Important Plants by Ecoregion ..................... 132 Appendix H: Regional Priority Invertebrates by Ecoregion .................................................................. 139 Appendix I: Regional Priority Habitats by Ecoregion ............................................................................ 141 Appendix J: Canadian Rockies Ecoregional Priorities ........................................................................... 143 Appendix K: Columbia Plateau Ecoregional Priorities .......................................................................... 147 Appendix L: East Cascades/Modoc Plateau Ecoregional Priorities ...................................................... 163 Appendix M: Klamath Priority Ecoregional Priorities ........................................................................... 214 Appendix N: Middle Rockies/Blue Mountains Ecoregional Priorities .................................................. 232 Appendix O: North Cascades Ecoregional Priorities ............................................................................. 269 Appendix P: Okanagan Priority Ecoregional Priorities ......................................................................... 274 Appendix Q: Pacific Northwest Coast Ecoregional Priorities ............................................................... 284 Appendix R: West Cascades Ecoregional Priorities .............................................................................. 296 Terrestrial Restoration and Conservation Strategy Team Sarah Madsen, Regional Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Species Program Leader and TRACS Team Leader (retired) Kim Mellen-McLean, Regional Wildlife Ecologist Mark Skinner, Regional Botanist Robert Alvarado, Regional Wildlife Program Leader Elaine Rybak, Assistant Regional TES Wildlife Biologist Vicky Erickson, Regional Genetics/Native Plant Program Manager Bill Otani, Regional Wildlife Program Leader (retired) Russ Holmes, Regional Botanist (retired) Acknowledgments The Terrestrial Restoration and Conservation Strategy (TRACS) Team would like to thank everyone who contributed their time, skills, effort and support to development and completion of the Strategy. We thank Steve Buttrick, Ken Popper, Michael Schindel and other staff at The Nature Conservancy for their dedication to this complex and challeng- ing project, and the excellent thought and work they provided in creating the comprehensive TRACS database, con- ducting the MARXAN runs, and developing the prioritization process. Abby Wyers provided invaluable skills and exper- tise both while on staff at The Nature Conservancy, and later through a personal services contract, in assembling the database, creating the TRACS Query Tool, and designing digital maps and figures. Debbie Hollen, Assistant Director for Natural Resources, first proposed the idea to create the Strategy, followed through by identifying funding, and provid- ed continued support throughout the effort. Michal Rich’s excellent technical skills made it possible to get the TRACS Query Tool up and running on Forest Service computer systems, and Michelle Huffman contributed her valuable tech- nical expertise in navigating and using those systems to make the TRACS tools and data accessible. Rachel White pro- vided her excellent editorial skills to create the draft and final documents. And finally, we thank all the Forest wildlife biologists and botanists for all the comments and support they contributed to making TRACS better. Credits for Cover Photos: Mt. Rainer: Tom Kogut Macfarlane’s four-o-clock (Mirabilis macfarlanei): Russ Holmes Peregrine falcon: Tom Kogut Botanists