Assessing Habitat Quality for Management of Marbled Murrelets

Date: January 30th, 2007
Location: Nanaimo Aquatic Center, Conference Rooms A/B
741 Third Street, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 2B7
Phone: (250) 756-5200
Fax: (250) 755-7575

Co-sponsored:

• Louise Waterhouse, BC Ministry of Forests, Sponsors Website
• Dr. D. Lank, Simon Fraser University, Sponsors Website
• Stewart Guy, BC Ministry of Environment, Sponsors Website
• Carolyn Whittaker, FORREX, Sponsors Website

Workshop co-ordination supported by Ecosystem Based Management Working Group and FORREX.

Background Documentation:

1. Assessing Habitat Quality for Management of Marbled Murrelets Workshop Minutes [77 KB - PDF]
2. Background Document to Accompany BC Coastal Marbled Murrelet Habitat Sustainability Maps [443 KB - PDF]
3. Testing models of habitat suitability for nesting Marbled Murrelets, using low-level aerial surveys on the North Coast, British Columbia [252 KB - PDF]
4. A Review of Two Variations Identifying and Ranking MaMu Habitat Polygons by Aerial Surveys [2305 KB - PDF]
5. References and Web links [25 KB - PDF]
6. Workshop Feedback and Survey [421 KB - DOC]

Objectives:

1. Participants will increase their knowledge of three Marbled Murrelet habitat classification approaches (GIS-based algorithms, Air photos and Low-level aerial surveys) and provide input on how these approaches may be used to address different habitat management objectives for Marbled Murrelets.



2. Participants will increase their knowledge of the current level of verification testing for GIS-based algorithms and provide input on potential strengths and weakness of these algorithms with respect to their use in management of Marbled Murrelet habitat. Participants will provide input on further approaches to verify GIS-based algorithms.



3. Participants will increase their knowledge of new research that tests relationships between habitat quality ratings and murrelet habitat use. Participants will provide input on how these results apply to the interpretation of the current habitat quality classes, standards and management of Marbled Murrelet habitat.



4. Participants will increase their knowledge of how the different habitat quality classifications compare to one another based on testing and will provide input on how use of different tools can or cannot be integrated for different management applications.



5. Participants will devise and discuss strategies to address potential variances and uncertainties in the habitat classification standards, mapping data coverage, and application of the methods.

Agenda
Time	Item
08:15	Coffee served at 8:15 am in Nanaimo Aquatic Center conference room A/B
08:30	Introduction - David Lank
08:45	GIS-based algorithms 6 presentations (main presenter); 10 - 15 minutes each) Current use of Marbled Murrelet Recovery Team based algorithm for strategic habitat mapping (Monica Mather, MoE) Verification testing MMRT based habitat algorithm with low-level aerial surveys (Dave Donald, MoE) Calculating change detection using satellite imagery and the MMRT based algorithm habitat map layer (Malcolm Gray, ILMB) Mid Coast habitat algorithm (Jared Hobbs, MoE) Coffee Break: 15 minutes North Coast habitat algorithm (Alan Burger, UVIC) Clayoquot habitat algorithm (David Lank, SFU)
10:40	Discussion Questions - 20 minutes
11:00	Air photo Standards 2 presentations (main presenter); 15 minutes each New Research- testing habitat use described on air photos at nest sites for the Queen Charlotte Islands, South Coast, West Van I (Louise Waterhouse, MoF) Queen Charlotte Islands/ Haida Gwaii Mapping Project: adjusted Oikos algorithm, objectives for air photo mapping and management, data collection (Alvin Cober, MoE; Brian Smart, Consultant)
11:30	Discussion Questions - 10 minutes
11:40	Lunch provided (45 minutes)
12:45	Low-level Aerial Survey standards 1 presentation (main presenter); 15 minutes New Research - testing habitat use described from low-level aerial surveys at nest sites for the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii, South Coast, West Van I (Louise Waterhouse, MoF)
12:45	Low-level Aerial Survey standards, cont… 1 presentation 20 minutes Coast -Wide mapping project: objectives for management, data collection, status (Sue McDonald, Western Forest Products; Wayne Wall, International Forest Products; Sally Leigh-Spencer, Brian Smart, Consultant)
13:05	Discussion Questions - 10 minutes
13:15	Comparing classifications 2 presentations (main presenter); 15 minutes each Comparisons of Algorithm, Airphoto and Low-level aerial classifications for the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii Mapping Project and nest sites (Alvin Cober, MoE and Louise Waterhouse, MoF) Comparisons of Algorithm, Airphoto and Low-level aerial classifications for the South Coast, West Vancouver Island nest sites (Louise Waterhouse, MoF)
13:45	Discussion Questions - 10 minutes
13:55	Landscape Metrics and Edge 1 presentation, 15 minutes Landscape habitat selectivity of Marbled Murrelets (David Lank, SFU)
14:10	Discussion Questions - 5 minutes
14:15	Coffee Break
14:45	Group Summary Discussion
15:00	- breakout groups - List of priority questions. - What are the strategies for next steps?
15:30	Report back from breakouts
16:00	Session wrap-up The discussion will draw on earlier discussion points to capture final comments and to initiate development of next steps. Potential Discussion Questions: Are current methods effective for differentiating habitat and describing habitat quality? Are habitat quality classes appropriate and current class thresholds identified for management appropriate? Are the attributes collected and recorded appropriate? Are attributes missing or redundant? Are methods applied in the field producing consistent information? If not is training required or are there sufficient ways to adjust during management for these differences. Are there limitations associated with the scale at which information is mapped and management objectives? If so, can limitations be addressed through specific management approaches? How reliable is the information produced from each method? What do we need to do to continue to improve reliability? Is further testing and verification required? What are the different types of management uses for this information and which methods are appropriate for these uses, or how can the different methods be integrated to meet these management objectives? How can the information provided by the habitat classifications be used as part of the larger provincial Effectiveness Monitoring Program?
16:30	Adjourn