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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-04-2023; 12-4 - Information Item - Memorandum - Eno-New Hope Landscape Conservation Group - Strategic Action Plan 1 ORANGE COUNTY ., Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks &Recreation To: Board of County Commissioners From: Christian Hirni, Land Conservation Manager David Stancil, DEAPR Director Date: April 4, 2023 Subject: Eno-New Hope Landscape Conservation Group - Strategic Action Plan Several years ago, a group of experts and staff within the conservation community from Orange and Durham counties, Duke University's Duke Forest Teaching and Research Laboratory, Eno River Association,Triangle Land Conservancy, NC Natural Heritage Program, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Botanical Garden, and other practitioners/experts began meeting to discuss the need for collaborative conservation planning across jurisdictional lines for a four-county area (Orange, Durham, Chatham, and Wake counties).These counties share many of the same watersheds and wildlife corridors/open space networks, and all have conducted inventories of natural areas and spent significant time and resources documenting and working to protect conservation lands. In discussions,the concept of the multi-county plan was centered on the importance of connections between existing conserved lands for wildlife, natural communities/habitats, and ecosystem services. The collaborating group met on several occasions and agreed that the focus of the plan should be built around one of the most important shared areas,the connections of the New Hope Creek and Eno River conservation networks, and that this plan be made available to local counties and municipalities, public and private institutions, and nonprofit land conservancies in the four-county region for use in prioritizing conservation efforts inclusion into local policies and plans. The group determined the need for a spatial analysis and mapping effort to demonstrate the most vital connections between conserved and undeveloped areas for wildlife and the ecosystem types which support them. Funding was secured from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission,with additional support from Orange County,to hire a consultant to conduct the spatial analysis, research the data, and create the analysis layers and associated maps.Through collaborative brainstorming sessions,three keystone species were identified to best represent their distinctive habitats and other associated animals, as well as their corridor, or connectivity, requirements. These species and their respective habitats are as follows: Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation PO Box 8181/306-A Revere Road Hillsborough, NC 27278 (919) 245-2510 2 - Eastern Box Turtle(Dry-Wet Mixed Hardwood-Pine Forests) - Bobcat(Sparsely Settled Mixed Habitats) - Four Toed Salamander(Wet-mesic Hardwood Forests) This effort generated enhanced mapping layers that represented the habitat areas for each animal and its associated guild, and these layers were combined with land use layers to create a habitat- corridor analysis. These results and associated recommendations were presented at the 2019 Environmental Summit at the N.C. Botanical Gardens, held by the Commission for the Environment (CFE).The CFE also requested an additional presentation and opportunity for in-depth discussion of recommendations,which was conducted at their March 2020 meeting.The materials and data can be viewed and downloaded directly from the Eno New Hope Landscape Conservation Groups website (https://connectedconservationnc.org/). N 0 2.5 5 10 4— - M i les ;tl h 07. M � yy / }4M1 rF 6 4 nt a Habitat-Corridor Network 1� _H igherst Cvnnecwvity Val— _Higher Connectivity Value • V A High Connectivity Value 1 r P Local or alternative network Unranked Not oonnec[ed Project Wee - county - River Lake Major Road -. Figure 12(a).Results of GIS-based corridor analysis for the EnoNewHape project area,shown here as the priority., habitat-corridor networkfor the three habitat guilds,combined with a semi-transparent overlay.Each guild's network is divided into 4 classes based on natural breaks in the connectivio} importance values(EBC)_Connectivity importance value for each patch in a guild represents the maximum of the habitat-only and species observation network EBC values. Uhranked areas represent suitable habitatsmaller than the minimumpatch size or corridors with cost distance greater than the guild's cost distance threshold-Disconnected areas represent habitat patches that are not connected to the tnerall habitat network,either because of intervening barriers or because the lowest cost distance to the overall network is greater than the cost distance threshold for the guild. Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation PO Box 8181/306-A Revere Road Hillsborough, NC 27278 (919) 245-2510 3 In 2020,the Group was awarded a Catalyst Fund grant from the Network for Landscape Conservation to form a strategic action plan to implement the report findings. A coordinator was hired, and a steering committee was formed with representatives from Orange and Durham counties, Eno River Association,Triangle Land Conservancy, Duke University's Duke Forest, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, and the N.C. Botanical Garden. Over the next two years,the steering committee worked to engage a large group of stakeholders and volunteers from around the study area to draft a strategic action plan outlining actions necessary for ensuring conservation connectivity. Four subcommittee groups were separated by specialty and/or direct interest; Education and Outreach, Land Use, Conservation, and Transportation.The final draft of the action plan was presented at a celebration event in the Robin Jacobs Pavilion at the Eno River Association's Confluence Natural Area in October 2022. The findings of this report have significant implications and potential guidance for local conservation programs, such as the County's Lands Legacy Program and other upcoming plans. As such,value was seen in sharing this Strategic Plan with the Board at this time, as local conservation plans are updated in coming months. The Group asks that the Board receive this memo and the attached of the Eno-New Hope Landscape Plan and Strategic Action Plan, and provide any guidance for potential incorporation into the County's Lands Legacy Program and its upcoming triennial Action Plan as well as future plan efforts. Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation PO Box 8181/306-A Revere Road Hillsborough, NC 27278 (919) 245-2510 y�c r s � 1 EnomNew Hope Connect*lv*lty Conservabon �_�_ trateg1 /'� i• � Action f t•�4' 7 � ,'nb�i�riCC^ �/� � �•• rpt_ .. !� W Ian r,� ,t r, a '/" ' h 1 INt, i ' �� -til -��•A,, - }}'}�� � � .a+� _ a� �i� �.�m. 1 ��~ Ilk PAX �",i. � _ � My � - .r,. � � • '. �'` "h'-- yt t - W f 5 Introduct 'ion long-termOur Mission: Conserve and restore landscape habitat connectivity that ensures resilience of biodiversity and natural resources. What is Connectivity Conservation? Connectivity conservation protects natural areas by creating connected corridors to maintain ecosystem functions and processes, sustain genetic diversity and := ^jA natural communities, x _ y enable climate ti resilience, and make t healthy places to live. _ { 6 The History of Eno= New Hope Efforts Catalyst Fund Grant to hire a coordinator and create a Strategic Action Plan 2020 2015 Initial meetings with 2017 Eno-New Hope stakeholders Grant from NCWRC and �'�� Grange County Release of to create a Eno-New Hope landscape Landscape Plan conservation plan 2022 4 'a Completion and release of Strategic `k Action Plan C6MMIT ME 7 Our Approach This strategic Action Plan (SAP) aims to achieve connectivity conservation through collaborative work between four groups: • i i i Education & outreach Land Use Spreading the word about Planning for wildlife habitat connectivity across communities and corridors I I I .L y - I I Transportation conservation Designing wildlife-friendly Protecting and restoring roads and infrastructure crucial wildlife corridors Cross-Cuttingco Priorities: 113 40 - Justice Education & Outreach Goal: Ensure that our communities have the knowledge needed to value, prioritize, and implement connectivity conservation our - . Share knowledge Engage diverse audiences 11 Ar • * ,. • r communities 1Facilitate learning Partner with k . • pro / J local / • . • solving How We' I I Get It Dore ■1i1�► # �tM X1-- Develop our website Provide presentations, Listen, learn, & collaborate as a resource hub for workshops, field on shared priorities for connectivity conservation outings, & educational mutual benefit materials AIL 0 1!:: Gaal: Integrate connectivity conservation into inclusive land use planning and decision-snaking while prioritizing equitable outcomes Amend anda Update ordinances update planning to include documents to r connectivity include .;z_` conservation in connectivity development design conservation Design open space Identify barriers to - connectivity in land to protect highest use plans environmental values How Wel I Get It Done • .r • �I Educate elected officials, Share yearly r . i planners, other localstrategies . about corridorstatus staff,government ordinance i • i • educate developers i i i Transportat 'ilon Gaal: Remove barriers and avoid the creation of new barriers to wildlife mobility caused by transportation infrastructure along high priority landscape corridors. Identify projects in the Transportation Improvement Plan to work with Y. stakeholders and accommodate wildlife _. .. ; crossings Share the findings of the Landscape } Conserve lands f ,, Plan with public adjacent to essential ' agencies and wildlife crossings of elected officials roadways ° '_, � • and request action tC �►. be taken How Wel I Get It Done lit il ��4F TFiR�S� Work with NCDOT to Partner with land Incorporate study findings design wildlife-friendly trusts to acquire key into agencies I roads and bridges corridor land transportation plans Conservat 'i* on Goal: Identify primary wildlife corridors in the Landscape Plan, ensure these receive permanent conservation protection, restore degraded habitat, and manage land for target species. Restore degraded Protect lands in = habitat as necessary identified wildlife '.. .� and manage for corridors effective wildlife movement Partner with conservation groups - land trusts, state agencies, and other organizations - to ensure long-term habitat management How Wel I Get It Done o00 Work with _ a o landowners • • • Ensure that resources to get permanent land management plans exist for long-term conservatioprotectionfor • corridor ecosystem management habitats 12 Contr*lbutors Education & Outreach Land Use Kyleene Rooks (Chair), Abel Hastings (Asst- Brooke Massa (Chair), Celeste Burns (Asst-Chair), Chair), Bill Boyarsky, Fred Dietrich, Max Barry Jacobs, Carl Kolosna, Perdita Holtz, Adam Cawley, Preston Montague, Milo Pyne, Maggie Searing, Pam Hemminger, Bob Healy, Kim Piracci, Heraty, L.A. Davis-Durante, Gail Boyarsky, Allison Schwarz Weakley, Amy Ryan, Corey Liles, Michelle Benham, CC King, Kimberly Radewicz Brandon Dawson, Alex Vanko, Sally Greene Transportation Conservation Derek Smith (Chair), Ellen Beckmann, Rich Shaw, Olivia Ludington (Co-Chair), Dick Ludington Ellen Reckhow, Pete Schubert, Travis Wilson, Ron (Co-Chair), Terry Hackett, Robin Jacobs, Rick Sutherland, Alyson West, Stephanie Trueblood, Savage, Shannon Maness, Deborah Fowler, Kevin Lindley, Ed Harrison, Andy Henry Rickie White, Marcia Purvis, Olivia Munzer, Mikayla Renn, Katie Barnhill-Dilling, Medina Minor, Ramona McGee, Jane Korest, James Adamson, Misty Buchanan 0 Steering Committee Celeste Burns, Sara Childs, Chris Hirni, Bo Howes, Kim Visual SAP designed by Livingston, Brooke Massa, Johnny Randall, Julie Tuttle Richard Yuon, 2022 For more information visit https://connectedconservationnc.org F CAROLINA _6 ON ORT.C�RJQLI GARDEN Lt t1c -��k 'V TRIANGLE LAND ��atural ORANGE COUNTY Her `�. s CC7UNTY , 4 .� y �,•41 `� NORTH CAROLINA ri'��• - F w STATS PARKS TOWN OF LLSBOROUGH -A NORTH CAROLINA northwater . ^�'. . ' ,�.1 ' ;�:� ,�,�• - RESEARCH CENTER 4 h J l 15% A ip -AV ek MFRIENDS OF TRE ountains-to-Sea.: •j `+ NORTH CAROLINA Wildlands liFORWARDCITIES WAKECITY k ; . 's'�►' - ! ra` y �`' �'} PT DURHAM it Haw hirer AsscmhlyMUSEUM AL 4r 1)ric J.ay; Ar r 1982. w of LIFE+ SE SOUTHERN V. LCLAWCENTER ENVIRONME -TAI SCIENCE Consmation Partners CHATHAM COUNTY SOL]I HLRN- Made possible by the AS Landscape Conservation CatalystFund '''hoto by Melissa aw NCVftC of the Network for Landscape Conservation.