Current Projects
Spring/Summer 2009
Catskill Riparian Reference Project
In collaboration with Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District and New York City Department of Environmental Protection, NY Natural Heritage will inventory, classify, and describe a set of riparian community reference types for the West Kill Watershed in the Catskill Mountains. These reference community descriptions will then be used as a guide for stream corridor revegetation projects within the watershed. Beginning in spring of 2008, NY Natural Heritage will identify areas for field surveys, conduct natural community inventories, compile and process data, and produce final maps and reports for NY City Department of Environmental Protection. Contact Bud Sechler at 518-402-8953 for more information.
The Importance of Substrate and Old-Growth Characters to Bryoflora in Sugar Maple Forests
The New York Natural Heritage Program has undertaken a project to survey bryophytes, their substrates, and stand characteristics of upland sugar maple-dominated forests in the Catskills and evaluate the relationship between bryophyte community membership and diversity, substrate characteristics, and mature (or "old-growth") parameters. Our results will characterize the bryophyte communities of these forests; further illustrate the uniqueness of old-growth habitat by documenting the importance of abundant coarse woody debris and high structural diversity for bryophytes; identify bryological indicators that characterize old-growth forests; and determine the most important habitat components and substrates for rare bryophytes in these forests to facilitate their protection. Contact Aissa Feldmann at 518-402-8946 for more information.
PATHWAY (Planning Along the Hudson for Warming and Animal Connectivity)
This three-year (2008-2011) project, funded by State Wildlife Grants with match funding from the Hudson River Estuary Program and Cornell University, seeks to determine the current and potential future habitat connectivity for 25 Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Hudson Valley. Using advanced modeling techniques in a Geographic Information System, we will use climatic, geological, and land cover data to determine how connected the landscape is for these 25 species, under current climatic conditions and with potential future changes in climate. Results from this project will be used to determine priority locations for conservation in the Hudson Valley. Contact Matt Schlesinger at 518-402-8939 for more information.
Biodiversity Information for Decision Makers: Maps & Conservation Guides
In partnership with, and with funding from, New York State Department of Transportation (DOT), New York Natural Heritage is developing interpreted information that DOT staff can use to further conservation of New York's most imperiled biodiversity. This information, which goes beyond the specific locations where rare species and exemplary ecosystems were observed, is being developed in two formats: interpreted data layers and conservation guides. The data layers show the areas around known populations of rare animals and rare plants, and around documented examples of rare and high-quality ecosystems, that could be important for their continued presence and quality. The conservation guides describe the species and ecosystems, and the management considerations that will contribute to their survival. This project will address ecosystem types and rare species currently known in Nassau, Suffolk, New York, Bronx, Kings, Queens, and Richmond Counties. Data layers of important areas will be provided to the DOT regional staff for consideration in the many maintenance, construction, mitigation, and reconstruction projects throughout the agency. The conservation guides are available online. To get there, click on the Offsite Link on the top right of this page entitled "NYNHP Conservation Guides". Contact John Schmid at 518-402-8930 for more information.
An Inventory and Pilot Classification of Vernal Pool Complexes on Public Lands in the Hudson River Valley
Vernal pools have increasingly become conservation targets in the Northeast yet substantial information gaps exist with respect to determining their locations on the ground, meaningful clustering, ecological classification, biodiversity values, and regional rarity, among others. However, because of their complexity and variability across NYS vernal pools have not been thoroughly inventoried and have gone largely unclassified. We propose to address these information gaps through the application of a two-tiered approach in the 10 county HRV focal area: 1) identifying and classifying vernal pool complexes on a hydrogeomorphic basis, and 2) identifying and classifying individual vernal pools based on their hydroperiod. For these underappreciated elements of biodiversity we view vernal pool inventory and protection on public lands as a vital first step toward a more comprehensive regional strategy. Contact Jeff Corser at 518-402-8941 for more information.
State Parks Partnership
A five-year partnership between the New York Natural Heritage Program and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) was established in 2008 to expand the capacity of biodiversity inventories and assessments on State Park lands. Two biologists are housed at both offices to allow for better integration of planning, implementation and collaboration with park staff to guide conservation of high quality biodiversity features. The project includes inventory for rare plants, animals and ecological communities at selected parks, entering results into the Natural Heritage database, and providing reports and maps as a tool for park managers. Contact Julie Lundgren at 518-486-2774 for more information.
State Lands Assessment
Over five years, with funding by the New York State Biodiversity Research Institute, New York Natural Heritage is conducting a detailed assessment of one million acres of State Forests, Reforestation Areas, Multiple Use Areas, Unique Areas, and Forest Preserve for rare animals, rare plants, and significant ecological communities to develop tools for state land managers that will help conserve these biodiversity resources on their properties and improve our understanding of New York's overall biodiversity, which will enhance informed conservation outside of state lands. Contact Aissa Feldmann at 518-402-8946 for more information.
Vegetation Mapping and Classification at Selected National Park Service Sites in New York
In collaboration with the National Park Service, NatureServe, and the New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, New York Natural Heritage Ecologists have been developing a vegetation classification and ecological community map for Gateway National Recreation Area, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saratoga National Historical Park, and Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites for primary use by National Park Service staff, including natural resource managers, planners, acquisition specialists and biologists. Contact Greg Edinger at 518-402-8947 for more information.
The New York State Dragonfly and Damselfly Survey
This statewide atlas, which began in 2005, is funded by the State Wildlife Grants Program. The major objective is to document the distribution of dragonfly and damselfly species that occur in New York State. Volunteers are an integral part of this project, who, along with staff and contractors, contribute data through their survey efforts statewide. In addition, intensive survey efforts are directed toward threatened damselfly species and habitats that support odonate Species of Greatest Conservation Need, as specified by the New York Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Contact Erin White at 518-402-8955 for more information.
State Wildlife Grants High Priority Reptile and Amphibian Survey
This four-year (2005-2009) statewide project is funded by the State Wildlife Grants Program. The major objective is to develop and test standardized survey protocols and data sheets for inventorying and monitoring reptiles and amphibians designated as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the New York State Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Contact Andrea Chaloux at 518-402-8927 for more information.
New York State Imperiled Tiger Beetle Inventory
This five-year (2005-2010) statewide project is funded by the State Wildlife Grants Program. The primary objective of this project is to conduct status assessments of eight species/subspecies of tiger beetles designated as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the New York State Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, in order to determine what is necessary to maintain these species in their current and former habitats in New York State. Contact Matt Schlesinger at 518-402-8939 for more information.
State Wildlife Grants Animal Data Entry
The main focus of the State Wildlife Grants Animal Data Entry project is to ensure the timely entry of animal data into the New York Natural Heritage database (Biotics). In addition to rare animal data collected by Natural Heritage staff, data from various other sources, such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, museums (specimens), and journals, are entered. Contact Hollie Shaw via Jean Pietrusiak at 518-402-8935 for more information.
Vegetation Mapping and Classification at Selected National Wildlife Refuges in New York
In collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NatureServe, New York Natural Heritage Ecologists are developing a vegetation classification and ecological community map for both Iroquois and Montezuma National Wildlife Refuges for primary use by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff, including natural resource managers, planners, acquisition specialists and biologists. Contact Bud Sechler at 518-402-8953 for more information.
Filling the Gaps in Wildlife Habitat Survey Maps
NY Natural Heritage has developed and began implementing the methods and protocols for assessing what areas between currently documented rare species and significant natural community occurrences are important for conservation. This project will provide insights into the relationships among the significant communities and species that occur within the lower Hudson River Valley landscape. Assessment methods incorporate the use of ArcGIS spatial analysis tools with rare species and natural community distribution modeling to predict, and targeted field surveys to validate the general landscape function of the natural and semi-natural areas identified within the study area. This project focuses on Orange and Ulster Counties, with a particular emphasis on the 17 towns in the Upper Wallkill River Watershed, which stretches from the New York-New Jersey border nearly to the Wallkill River's confluence with the Shawangunk Kill in Shawangunk, NY. Contact Elizabeth Spencer at 518-402-8892 for more information.
