Current Projects

Summer/Fall 2007

Upper Delaware Vegetation Mapping and Classification

In collaboration with the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, the National Park Service, and NatureServe, New York Natural Heritage Ecologists have been developing a vegetation classification and ecological community map for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River for primary use by National Park Service staff, including natural resource managers, planners, acquisition specialists and biologists. Contact Aissa Feldmann 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 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 for more information.

Southern Shawangunk Mountains Ecological Community Mapping, Phase 2

The objective of this project is to determine and map the ecological communities within the Southern Shawangunk Mountains to enable and enhance future inventories, monitoring, and management of the natural resources found within this area. The New York Natural Heritage Program is using recent aerial photos and digital imagery to locate, identify, and map the ecological communities, gather and analyze plant community data, and delineate a seamless ecological community map for the entire Southern Shawangunks. Information on all significant occurrences of natural communities surveyed will be entered into the NY Natural Heritage database. Phase 1 of this project consisted of the main ridgeline from Route 211 to the New Jersey border and was completed in January, 2006. Phase 2 finishes the final, unmapped portion of the ridge from Route 211 to approximately the Ulster County line between Phillipsport and Cragsmore. Contact Tim Howard for more information.

Biodiversity Information for Local Decision-Makers

In partnership with, and with funding from, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Hudson River Estuary Program, New York Natural Heritage is developing interpreted information that municipalities, government agencies, land managers, and other partners 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 Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Ulster, Dutchess, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, and Albany Counties. Data layers of important areas will be provided to the Hudson River Estuary Program for distribution to municipalities and other conservation partners. Contact Nick Conrad for more information.

The New York State Dragonfly and Damselfly Survey

This three-year, statewide atlas (2005-2007) 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 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 Jesse Jaycox 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. Three Assistant Biologists (Andrea Chaloux, Alina Leder, and Kelly Perkins) are currently focusing most of their time on this project. Contact Hollie Shaw for more information.

New York State Imperiled Tiger Beetle Inventory

This three-year (2005-2008) 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 Matthew Schlesinger 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 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 for more information.