Upland Habitat Restoration for the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

Authors/Presenter*: Bruce Kingsbury* and Joe Sage Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260) 481-5755 kingsbur@ipfw.edu

The Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus c. catenatus) is a Candidate for listing as federally Threatened, and is imperiled throughout its Midwestern range. Unlike most rattlesnakes, this diminutive species is affiliated with wetlands. However, it is not aquatic, and in fact often makes extensive use of upland areas. Consequently, while the proper management of saturated and inundated emergent systems is critical for massasauga conservation, management of uplands adjacent to these areas is also important. Given that the uplands used are open canopy habitats, maintenance and restoration of early seral stages is required. Furthermore, we must have confidence that snakes will occupy managed habitat. Using radio telemetry, we have been studying the spatial ecology of massasaugas at sites undergoing restoration and management. Our findings indicate that successional inhibition and grassland/savanna restoration can succeed in attracting use by snakes. Massasaugas will also find, use, and persist in habitat refugia. Islands of habitat left in construction areas thus serve as sources for recolonization by plants and animals into restored habitat and as safe zones for larger animals such as massasaugas that move in and out of them. Paved roads appear to present significant barriers to massasaugas, while paths and gravel roads with limited traffic do not. Gravid females may be attracted to areas of active management if the managed area provides a better microclimate for gestation. This means that any added mortality from human activity may differentially impact gravid females, potentially affecting the reproductive output of the population as a whole.

Observations on the Hibernation Ecology of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake in Southern Michigan

Authors/Presenter*: Joe Sage and Bruce Kingsbury* Department of Biology Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260) 481-5755 kingsbur@ipfw.edu

The once locally abundant Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus c. catenatus) is in decline throughout its range, and is a Candidate for listing as federally Threatened. If we are to successfully manage for the species, we must better understand all of its life history needs, yet the specific requirements for hibernation are poorly understood. Snakes monitored via telemetry at two sites in southeast Michigan behaved similarly to snakes previously monitored in Indiana, ranging widely over the landscape during the active season, but constraining hibernation to relatively small areas. This pattern reinforces the concern that suitable hibernacula are limited, and we need to know why. We monitored the behavior of snakes as they overwintered, and evaluated water quality in test wells in and around hibernacula. As is the case for several other Great Lakes reptiles and amphibians, massasaugas generally hibernate in association with wetlands, and often use crayfish burrows to gain entry into saturated ground. Water table depth was an important factor in hibernacula selection. All snakes chose areas in which the water table was relatively close to the surface, but wetland areas where the surface was inundated were never used. Thus, it is most appropriate to think of them as often hibernating adjacent to jurisdictional wetlands rather than in them. We also report on other findings regarding the behavior of hibernating snakes, burrow co-habitants, and environmental attributes of the burrows, such as temperature and water chemistry.

Development of Wetland Invertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity in Ohio

Author/Presenter: Marty Knapp Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Ecological Assessment Section 4675 Homer Ohio Lane Groveport, Ohio 43125 Marty.Knapp@epa.state.oh.us

ABSTACT Invertebrates collected in 24-hr activity traps placed in shallow water areas (6-12 inches) around the perimeter of wetlands are characteristic of the overall assessment of the habitat, soils, and water quality of the wetland. Establishing invertebrate criteria for wetlands has often focused on relative abundance (% based) methods. Tolerant and sensitive index metrics were developed based on individual densities at the generic and specific taxonomic level from 228 records collected in May and June from 1996 to 2004. This density based approach will be compared to more frequently used relative abundance (% based) methods. Mitigation banks studied in 2004 exhibited drastic changes in invertebrate assemblages from those found in high quality natural systems. Tolerant macroinvertebrate taxa of beetles, corixids, and snails were present in high densities at the bank sites. Taxonomy to the generic and specific levels of oligochaetes, cladocerans, and ostracods has added refinement to measurable ecological differences. Two opportunistic species of ostracods, Cypridopsis vidua and Cypria maculata, were numerically abundant at many of the bank sites in comparison to densities of more sensitive ostracod species collected at high quality natural sites. Additionally, a less intense level of wetland assessment using macroinvertebrates that can be identified in the field was developed for training demonstrations. The wetland assessment is in a format similar to macroinvertebrate stream quality assessments used for educational purposes. The wetland assessment sheets are geared toward indicator taxa greater than 3 mm and include photos of the more common types. The scoring system can differentiate a poor community from others, but due to the lesser taxonomic effort, may not be able to differentiate between fair and good communities as efficiently. Laminated copies will be available.

Anthropogenic Pressures of Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Gujarat, India

Authors/Presenter*: Nirmal Kumar, J. I.* Head, P.G. Department of Environmental Sciences Institute of Science & Technology for Advanced Studies & Research (ISTAR) Vallabh Vidyanagar - 388 120 Gujarat, India nvpas2003@yahoo.com Hiren Soni, and Rita N. Kumar Head, Department of Biological Sciences & Environmental Sciences N.V. Patel College of Pure & Applied Sciences Vallabh Vidyanagar - 388 120 Gujarat, India istares2005@yahoo.com)

The Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary (NSBS) is an important Protected Area (PA) and one of the proposed Ramsar sites of Gujarat State; encompassing an area of 120 sq. km. It is situated along the western border of Ahmedabad district and southern border of Surendranagar district. The area lies between 220 78' N to 220 96' N latitude and 710 92' E to 720 64' E longitude. The Sanctuary supports floral as well as faunal elements with rich diversity. The entire area experiences three seasons. Winter being the coldest with minimum of 70C temperature, while the hottest summer with 450C and monsoon experiences 600 mm average rainfall. Geologically, the basaltic rocks of the area belonging to Deccan trap interspersed with igneous and metamorphic rocks of Cretaceous sandstones. In the present study, 8 villages were selected to investigate various anthropogenic interventions. Besides human (n=47,550) and livestock population (n=20,387) of these villages, collection of fuelwood, generation of income through fishing, boating, horse-riding and poaching of waterfowls by local people were identified as the major threats of anthropogenic pressures. The local inhabitants reside within and outside the PA zone are partly or fully dependent upon the water reserve for their livelihood. The paper mainly focuses on human generated threats like plant removal for fodder and fuelwood, fishing, boating, horse-riding and hunting and poaching of waterfowl within sanctuary area. Among the studied parameters, human and cattle population, fishing, boating, horse-riding and poaching go parallel to each other. The anthropogenic influence was found maximum in Ranagadh village, followed by Shiyal, Nani Kathechi, Kayla and Shahpur villages. However, such pressures were low in Durgi, Vekaria and Meni villages. The quantification of each pressure and salient findings are discussed in the paper.

Success of Corps-Required Wetland Mitigation in New England

Author/Presenter: Ruth M. Ladd, PWS U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - New England District Regulatory Division 696 Virginia Road Concord, MA 01742-2751 (978) 318-8818 ruth.m.ladd@usace.army.mil

Key words: Wetland mitigation, New England, assessment In June 2001, the National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council issued a report on the effectiveness of mitigation in the Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program which identified a variety of weaknesses in the mitigation aspects of the Corps' program. Prior to release of that report, the Environmental Resources Section in the New England District's Regulatory Division was tasked with developing a study to analyze the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation projects in New England. The study was designed to determine the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation (creation and restoration only) for permitted impacts in New England, and to provide a basis for making programmatic improvements as warranted. Mitigation success was assessed in two ways: comparison to permit requirements and a determination if the mitigation functions as a natural wetland system and compensates for the lost functions. A stratified random selection of 60 mitigation sites was studied. Each site was visited and a variety of data collected. An early finding was that there were not always adequate records and data management. The study results further indicate that insufficient compensatory mitigation has been required to fully offset project impacts. Several causes of degradation of mitigation site functions were observed. Recommendations include improved data management and the need to concentrate on identifying and replacing the functions proposed to be impacted to the extent possible.

Cut & Git: Waters/Wetlands Restoration In The Third Forest Of The Pacific Northwest

Authors/Presenter*: Lyndon C. Lee Ph.D.*, Peggy L. Fiedler, Ph.D., and Kevin L. Fetherston, Ph.D. Ecosystem Science & Restoration Services ENTRIX, Inc. Seattle, WA (206) 239-0276; Fax: (206) 269-0098 llee@entrix.com

In the Pacific Northwest Region (PNW) of the western United States, restoration of forested waters of the U.S., including wetlands (waters/wetlands) relies on syntheses and applications of science and practical knowledge both old and new. Since the 1850's, the strength of the forest products economy and a focus on resource extraction and (lately) sustained yield management has made market-driven conservation a priority for forest managers. Although waters/wetlands ecosystems have always been "inconvenient" in the context of silvicultural plans and practices, their productivity, resilience, and potential to degrade rapidly and impact adjacent forestry operations has compelled modern-day foresters to pay close attention to operations in waters/wetlands. In addition to the forest industry, the importance of fish and shellfish economies combined with rapidly expanding human populations, resource degradation, and habitat fragmentation has required a rethinking of management approaches for forested waters/wetlands. Today, our endangered anadromous fishes, threatened shellfish resources, and soaring populations compel us to integrate and link waters/wetlands restoration efforts across traditional boundaries of land, ownership, politics, and discipline. This isn't easy, especially as factions that require or hope for restoration of forested waters/wetlands are also consumers of forest products and land resources. Therefore, in the post-modern PNW, the practice of ecosystem restoration thrives in a curious tension among old silviculture and new forestry, art and science applied, and resource extraction versus burgeoning commitments to resource conservation.

Ecological Restoration on the Detroit River

Author/Presenter: Chris Lehr Nativescape LLC 10380 Clinton Road Manchester, MI 48158 (517) 456-9696; Fax: (517) 456-7245 info@nativescape.net

About 97 percent of the natural coastal wetland habitats along the Detroit River have been lost to development and "hard" engineering to stabilize shorelines. The river shoreline is almost entirely artificial having been lined with steel sheet piling, broken rock and concrete rubble. Increasing urbanization has had a negative impact on the environment. With the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan (RAP) identifying "loss of fish and wildlife habitat" as one of the nine impaired beneficial uses of these waters, restoring and preserving wetland habitats must be a priority for all shoreline projects in the area. Therefore, there is an urgent need to protect existing coastal wetlands, rehabilitate degraded ones and remediate the lost wetlands along the Detroit River. In all of Nativescape's projects on the Detroit River "soft engineering" was used to establish natural shorelines, reduce erosion, achieve shoreline stability and safety, while enhancing habitats and improving aesthetics. Specializing in ecological restoration Nativescape uses the latest information in local native plant community types. Native habitat types enhance biodiversity (biological variety); these habitats will not compete with existing remnant native habitats in the surrounding area. The processes used can be utilized for degraded shorelines along the coastal Great Lakes, streams, rivers and inland lakes. Nativescape LLC takes a scientific approach using proven BMP's in native ecosystem restoration, soil-bioengineering and natural landscaping to ecologically rehabilitate the shoreline. A natural storm water management approach will provide a buffer from storm water run off, create an infiltration zone, and restore a more natural shoreline along a very industrialized river corridor. All these projects create a number of ecosystems that will benefit aquatic and terrestrial wildlife: wetlands that provide spawning and fingerling habitat, shoreline shade for cover and water cooling and an upland buffer to provide water quality protection.

Using Remote Sensing and Landscape Ecology to Assess the Condition of Great Lakes Wetlands

Author/Presenter: Ric Lopez, Ph.D. Ecologist U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Exposure Research Laboratory Environmental Sciences Division Landscape Ecology Branch 944 East Harmon Avenue, Mail Code CSB 201-K Las Vegas, NV 89119 (702) 798-2394; Fax: (702) 798-2208 lopez.ricardo@epa.gov

Geospatial modeling approaches are being used to locate and assess the condition of natural resources (particularly wetland ecosystems) in the Great Lakes Basin. These assessments involve measuring landscape characteristics at multiple scales, primarily focusing on surface water quality, hydrologic connectivity, and biological diversity. Wetland ecosystems in the Great Lakes present special challenges to landscape ecologists because they are a transitional ecosystem, containing a mixture of aquatic and upland biophysical characteristics. Although the response of ecosystems to landscape conditions has been generally postulated and tested for decades at a fine-scale, broad-scale applications are lacking, particularly for wetlands. Hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing techniques are both being used to address these challenges in order to increase capabilities for protecting and restoring wetlands. These techniques are leading to a forecasting method for understanding the influence of landscape structure and pattern on wetland ecosystems, and the Great Lakes Basin as a whole. Results from wetland detection and mapping; opportunistic plant species detection and mapping; and the broad-scale assessment of landscape condition will be presented.

Temporal Dynamics in Wetland Habitats and the Implementation of Management Strategies

Author/Presenter: Mark R. Luttenton Biology Department and Annis Water Resources Institute Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI 49401 luttentm@gvsu.edu

Wetland assessments in Great Lakes Areas of Concern are a snapshot that provide information on current habitat conditions. Often assessments identify environmental factors structuring the habitat at that point in time and AOC habitat management plans are conceived to remedy these factors. However, aquatic plant communities and environmental conditions are temporally dynamic and initial assessments may capture habitat conditions that are transient. Because management plans often take years to implement, habitat conditions at the time of implementation may have transitioned to alternate habitat conditions. Assessments of the SAV in the aquatic bed portion of the White Lake and Muskegon Lake wetland complexes conducted ten years apart identify changes in macrophyte community composition and total biomass. Environmental factors such as the introduction of exotic species during or after an initial assessment and groundwater nutrient load appear to be important in community changes and should influence management considerations. Consequently, assessment and management should be closely linked and consideration given to temporal dynamics of aquatic macrophyte communities prior to and during implementation of management strategies.

Using Condition to Assess Function: A Condition-Based Approach to Mitigation Performance

Authors/Presenter*: John J. Mack* and Mick Micacchion Wetland Ecology Group Division of Surface Water Ohio Environmental Protection Agency 4675 Homer-Ohio Lane Groveport, OH 43125 john.mack@epa.state.oh.us, mick.micacchion@epa.state.oh.us. and M. Siobhan Fennessy Department of Biology Kenyon College Gambier, OH

A condition-based approach to assessing "functional" replacement for wetland mitigation has been developed using a reference wetland data set of natural wetlands that includes data from the major hydrogeomorphic (HGM) and plant community classes that span a gradient of human disturbance. From this data set multiple wetland program tools were developed 1) multimetric biological indices (IBIs) and hydrological and biogeochemical indicators; 2) a rapid (condition-based) wetland assessment tool (Ohio Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands); and 3) a wetland classification scheme based on landscape position and dominant vegetation. Ensuring functional replacement occurs in a several step process. First, as part of permit application, the HGM class and dominant plant community of the impacted wetland(s) are determined which accounts for the ecosystem processes (functions) and ecological services (values) of different wetland types without the necessity of developing a comprehensive list of those functions and values. Second, the condition of the impacted wetland is assessed with the rapid condition tool (ORAM v. 5.0) or a wetland IBI providing a measure of wetland quality. Third, the size of the wetland to be impacted is determined and appropriate mitigation ratios are applied. Fourth, any residual moderate to high functions or values the impacted wetland(s) may still be providing, despite moderate to severe degradation, are evaluated using a checklist with a narrative discussion. Finally, requirements for mitigation are specified in the permit. If there is 1) replacement by size of the impacted wetland, 2) replacement of the type of wetland impacted, 3) and replacement of the quality of the impacted wetland as measured by quantitative, condition-based ecological performance targets, then there is strong assurance that functional replacement is occurring. Fundamentally, the above approach is strongly data-driven and it follows that meaningful and adequate mitigation monitoring is necessary to determine whether the mitigation wetland has "succeeded" or "failed." Case studies of the application of this approach to mitigation banks and individual mitigations are presented.

An Ecological Assessment of Ohio Mitigation Banks

Authors/Presenter*: John J. Mack* and Mick Micacchion Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Division of Surface Water Wetland Ecology Group 4675 Homer Ohio Lane Groveport, OH 43125 john.mack@epa.state.oh.us mick.micacchion@epa.state.oh.us.

Mitigation banks are often considered to have multiple advantages over individual mitigations including improved economies of scale; consolidation of economic, planning, and scientific resources; greater likelihood of success, etc. There are few assessments of multiple banks to determine whether these advantages are in fact producing a more successful or more consistently successful mitigation wetland. And no attention has been paid to the main risk of mitigation bank: failure of large banks represents a substantial net loss of wetland acreage or function whereas failure of individual small mitigations usually represents a nominal loss. Of the bank area assessed (nearly 400 ha), approximately 25% was not "wetland" but was primarily shallow unvegetated pond; of the remaining "wetland" acreage, approximately 25% was "poor" quality, 58% was "fair" quality, and 18% was "good" quality when vegetation data from mitigation banks was compared to ecoregionally calibrated scores from natural reference wetlands. Only one bank had areas where forest regeneration is occurring and no bank had restored common Ohio shrub swamp communities, e.g. buttonbush or alder swamps. Based on the data collected here, successful banks were defined as maximizing areas defined as "wetland," minimizing areas of open water, having hydroperiods which mimic hydroperiods of natural wetlands, maximizing cover of perennial native hydrophytes, minimizing cover of invasive plant species, and have mean VIBI scores of 40-60 (fair to good). Based on these criteria, of the 12 banks assessed in Ohio, 3 were mostly successful, 5 were successful in some areas but failed in other areas, and 4 were mostly failed. Unfortunately, this is not the proportion of success and failure that was at least implicitly promised in the Federal Bank Guidance. The economies of scale and consolidation of resources was to provide a consistently higher quality "product" of wetland restoration than was achievable by individual restorations. This "promise", although clearly achievable, has not been consistently attained in practice. But the basic practical fact remains, that a workable regulatory compensatory mitigation program needs a mitigation banking system that is successful acre for acre and also ecologically. What is needed is a re-appreciation that this is not easy work, that the "devil" is in the details at all levels (theory, planning, design, and management), and that "nature" does know "best" (or at least is our best referent for "success").

Updating and Tracking Wetlands in the Great Lakes

Author/Presenter: Robb Macleod GIS Manager Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office Ducks Unlimited 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4 Ann Arbor, MI 48103 (734) 623-2000 rmacleod@ducks.org

Using data that is both temporally and spatially relevant when developing waterfowl habitat models and planning wetland restoration and protection activities is extremely important. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) has been used for many modeling and planning activities due to its areal extent and spatial relevance. However, much of this inventory is between 15 and 20 years old and some of the data for the Great Lakes is still in hardcopy format. As part of a pilot project to test methodology for updating NWI throughout the Great Lakes, Ducks Unlimited (DU) has updated the NWI for the southern portion of Michigan's Lower Peninsula by identifying both losses and gains of wetlands. The update was accomplished by viewing the NWI data over spring 1998 series color infrared (CIR) digital orthophotos to determine the status of the wetlands. Drained wetlands were given a modifier as to the drainage type (agriculture, developed, recreation, or other). This project identified 42,876 acres of drained wetlands and 12,665 acres of new wetlands in the project area. DU has embarked upon an ambitious project to update and track the wetland changes in the Great Lakes states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. This presentation will discuss the procedures and attribute system for updating and tracking the wetland changes over multiple time periods.

Great Lakes HEN: A Science-based Application for Guiding Habitat Restoration for Breeding Waterfowl

Authors/Presenter*: Robb Macleod*, Tina Yerkes, John Coluccy, and Rob Paige Ducks Unlimited 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4 Ann Arbor, MI 48103 (734) 623-2000 rmacleod@ducks.org

Wetlands and adjacent uplands play a critical role in breeding waterfowl habitat in the Great Lakes. Until now, very little was known about where and how much of this habitat existed or needed to be created in order to reach the Upper Mississippi River / Great Lakes Joint Venture goals. Ducks Unlimited (DU) has completed an ambitious five-year research and planning project that provides natural resource managers with information for managing breeding waterfowl populations in the Great Lakes. In combining a predicted breeding mallard map and specific habitat information on nest success and duckling survival from the research, DU was able to create Great Lakes HEN, or Habitat Evaluation Network. Great Lakes HEN utilizes the latest in GIS and Internet technology to provide the breeding waterfowl habitat information and planning tools at a local level for conservation resource managers. HEN identifies areas that are important for breeding waterfowl and describes what type of conservation is needed (protection or restoration) and how much in order to reach the goals. Great Lakes HEN also allows the user to view other data layers, such as: aerial photos, soils, potential wetland restoration areas, topographic maps, and land cover. Basic GIS analysis tools like calculating the area of a polygon, querying attributes, and zooming to a specific location are also included in HEN.

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