Biodiversity Guide - The Intertwine

egional conservation strategybiodiversity guideChapter 8 Major Categories of Strategiesing Vaux’s swifts that use Chapman School’schimney for roosting during their fall migration,and (2) peregrine falcons, for whom Portland-Vancouver area bridges provide significantnesting habitat (i.e., more than 5 percent of theirknown nesting sites).n Identify and reduce wildlife hazards in the builtenvironment. Tremendous numbers of wildanimals die each year as a result of collisions withmanmade structures, predation by free-roamingdomestic animals, and exposure to toxins. Identifyingand addressing the most significant hazardsis critical in ensuring that both the built andnatural environments meet their full potential.Examples of proven effective strategies includereducing nighttime non-essential lighting on tallbuildings during bird migration and adoptingbird-friendly building guidelines to reduce collisions.local wildlife populations for special management,and promoting wildlife stewardship amongurban residents, we can help ensure that the builtlandscape enhances rather than underminesregional biodiversity.Conservation in developed areas is discussedmore thoroughly in Chapter 6 of the RegionalConservation Strateg.yeconomic return enables land managers to continuenatural resource protection on their landwhile increasing their ability to produce foodand fiber. This results in a sustainable farm andforestland base to be managed by future generations.Working lands that are economically viableare more likely to stay in production and retainthose qualities that serve conservation purposes.In the long run, working lands will be as importantto the region’s sustainable future as housingand other forms of development, and they will becritical in addressing our future needs for localfood, clean water, healthful air, and other ecosystemservices.The desired future condition for workinglands is preservation and enhancement of theirintegrity and function as critical components ofboth regional conservation and a sustainable localfood and fiber economy. We envision a futurein which funding opportunities exist for a newgeneration of farmers to purchase or lease land,and landowners who lease out property do so in amanner that encourages long-term conservationinvestments. We envision streams and riparianareas on working lands functioning at a level thatmirrors pre-settlement conditions to the extentpossible, and farms and forestland that help tomaintain the resilience of natural systems in theface of climate change. We envision individualsof all economic backgrounds being able to obtaina majority of their food needs locally, agriculturebeing incorporated into new developmentsthrough community gardens, and viable farmsand forest lands being protected from developmentcaused by an expanding human population.n Challenges of transferring land to the nextgenerationn Short-term farm leasesn Limited funding for conservationStrategic Actionsn Increase financial support for conservationactivities on working lands.Conservation in Working LandscapesWorking lands are farms and forests that supportthe production of natural resource-based commoditiesthat sustain rural lifestyles and contrib-n Explore better integration of farming and forestryinto natural area management, including onute to the regional economy. The physical andpublicly owned lands.chemical characteristics of working lands allownthem to support the production of plants and animalsfor sale in the marketplace, contribute someIncrease farm and forestland easements toprevent conversion to other uses and support thelong-term economic viability of local farm andhabitat and ecological functions, and provideforestland.some ecosystem services such as air and watern Engage the general public in wildlife stewardship.With 80 percent of the U.S. populationpurification, sequestration of carbon, and floodn Provide funding and support for new farmersattenuation. Unlike developed and natural lands,to purchase or lease farms, so that they are notresiding in cities, raising awareness and promotingstewardship in the built environmentworking lands are actively managed with intentdeveloped.to yield an economic return through harvest andis essential in reconnecting people to the landscapeand promoting a culture of conservationmanagement activities.Conservation Educationin future generations. Programs that promote Working lands are an integral part of theConservation education is education thatresidential rain gardens, backyard naturescaping, economy, identity, and culture of the greaterexplores people’s place in and connection withand schoolyard restoration can engage new and Portland-Vancouver region. Working lands alsothe natural world. Whether structured or nonformal,diverse audiences in biodiversity conservation are vital to regional conservation. Lands usedconservation education increases people’sand send an important message that each of us for agriculture and timber production serve asenvironmental literacy by showing how theirhas a role to play in restoring wildlife populations. critical connectors between the region’s urbanactions affect the natural world around them,Surprisingly, the greater Portland-Vancouver areas (located at river confluences), and state andboth positively and negatively 1 . Content andregion’s most popular wildlife viewing spot is federally managed land at the headwaters of themodes of instruction vary, but most conservationnot found in one of the region’s natural areas or region’s many watersheds.education programs focus on individuals’wildlife refuges. Rather, it is in a schoolyard in When properly cared for, working lands aredecisions as part of the learning process andNorthwest Portland, where each evening in the part of the matrix of lands that capture, retain,strive to connect students of all ages to the localfall hundreds and sometimes thousands of people and filter water. In some areas, streams and riversenvironment; thus, students are encouraged toThreats and Challengesgather to watch tens of thousands of Vaux’s swifts overflow onto working lands during the winter,“act locally” even as they learn to “think globally”nserving to protect downstream areas from floods.Urban developmentdescending into the Chapman School chimney,about the connections between human behaviorwhich serves as a substitute for increasingly rare Standing timber and agricultural plants sequestern Conversion to “hobby” farmsand natural processes and conditions.hollowed-out old-growth trees that the swifts carbon, while soil holds carbon underground.The conservation, sustainability, and environmentaleducation programs of the region striven Declining revenues for food and fiberhistorically roosted in on their annual southward Working lands serve as buffers for natural areasproductionmigration. As the Vaux’s swifts demonstrate, the and can help support connectivity between naturalto improve participants’ understanding andareas within the region.ngreater Portland-Vancouver region will remainLack of recognition of the importance of appreciation of the natural world. An intendedcritical habitat for myriad wildlife populations, Working lands can be successfully managedprotecting working landslong-term outcome of these efforts is creation ofboth resident and migratory. By increasing both for production and for their conservationpermeability, reducing hazards, targeting critical values, with mutually beneficial results. A strong1 The Oregon Environmental Literacy Plan, prepared by the Oregon Environmental Literacy Task Force in 2010, defines environmentalliteracy as an individual’s understanding, skills, and motivation to make responsible decisions that take into consideration160 his or her relationships to natural systems, communities, and future generations.161n Improve management of working lands forhabitat value and water quality.