2003 SWG Projects
Gray Wolf
Photo by USFWS
General Fish and Wildlife Projects
Comprehensive Conservation Plan Compilation
This program applies to all species of Greatest Conservation Need. The project is to administer the State Wildlife Grants program, specifically funding the creation and distribution of the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy required by the enacting grant legislation.
Mammal Projects
Radar Documentation of Bird and Bat Migrations
Effective conservation of migratory birds and bats, including many species of greatest conservation need, requires better information on their migration patterns through New York State. This information is needed to help plan wind energy developments (or other tall structures) to prevent significant mortality of migratory species. This project will assess the utility of various techniques, including radar studies, acoustic monitoring, and thermal imaging for documenting timing, altitude, corridors or stopover habitats of birds and bats migrating through New York State.
Pied-billed Grebe
Photo by USFWS
Bird Projects
Marshbird Conservation in Upstate NY
Baseline information on distribution and abundance is needed for many marsh-nesting species in New York State. Species of concern include pied-billed grebe, black tern, least bittern, American bittern, and king rail. This project will survey representative freshwater marsh habitats across the state during 2004-2006 to quantify abundance and habitat use of marsh birds, identify focus areas for marsh bird conservation, and develop a long-term monitoring program.
Comprehensive Bird Monitoring Plan
Comprehensive and coordinated monitoring programs are needed to reliably assess the status of all bird "species of greatest conservation need" in New York State. This project will document details of existing bird monitoring and survey programs in New York and assess their utility for monitoring various species of concern. We will form a bird monitoring partnership, involving agencies, organizations, and individuals, to recommend and help implement new or improved monitoring and survey programs for all bird species in New York State.
Golden-Winged Warbler Habitat Restoration
Golden-winged Warbler
The golden-winged warbler (GWWA) has declined at an annual rate of eight percent for the last 35 years in the northeastern U.S. and is a candidate for federal listing as a threatened or endangered species. Possible factors in its decline include loss of habitat due to reforestation and hybridization with the blue-winged warbler. Results of prior SWG-funded research will be used to design and conduct an experimental habitat restoration project in Sterling Forest State Park to assess the feasibility of creating or maintaining suitable habitat for GWWA in southeastern New York.
Boreal Forest Bird Assessment
Boreal forests are recognized as critical breeding grounds for a variety of bird species that occur nowhere else in New York State. Within the state there are two relatively distinct assemblages of bird species found in "low elevation" and "high elevation" boreal forest types, each of which includes a number of New York's "species of greatest conservation need." The overall goal of this project is to better quantify the status and habitat requirements of various low and high elevation boreal forest birds.
American Bald Eagle
Photo By USFWS
Status Assessment and Delineation of Essential Bald Eagle Habitats in the Upper Delaware River
The upper Delaware River in New York is one of the most important bald eagle wintering areas in the Eastern U.S., with as many as 200 eagles estimated to use this area. Eagles also breed here, with six pairs confirmed nesting in 2003. While the presence of eagles attracts thousands of visitors to the area, development pressure is increasing also. This project would use field observations and satellite telemetry to identify critical habitats used by breeding and wintering eagles to help guide management and development of the upper Delaware River corridor to ensure its continued importance to this species.
Reptile and Amphibian Projects
Status Assessment and Evaluation of Habitat Quality of Bog Brook Unique Area for the Bog Turtle
Bog Turtle
Photo by USFWS
The population status of bog turtles is currently unknown, although evidence suggests that the population has declined substantially since the early 1970s. DEC will produce a population assessment of the bog turtles at Bog Brook Unique Area (BBUA) that will include measures of population size, sex ratio and reproductive success. The overall goal for bog turtle management at BBUA is to have a stable or expanding bog turtle population of sufficient size.
Spiny Softshell Turtle Survey and Life History Studies
Little is known about the distribution, life history, seasonal movements, and habitat-use of spiny softshell turtles in New York State. DEC will assess the status and distribution of spiny softshell turtles in the Finger Lakes and the bays on the southern shoreline of Lake Ontario, including the streams and creeks that enter Lake Ontario, in order to make recommendations concerning the management of critical habitats for this species.
Reptile and Amphibian Species Inventory
Previous studies have identified many reptile and amphibian species in need of conservation, which is the first step in developing baseline information to measure changes in populations. This project will help complete surveys of other reptile and amphibian species that are listed as species of special concern by New York State. Completion of these surveys will produce a mechanism to assure continuity of surveys for this group of species, as gather well as data to determine the status of special concern reptile and amphibian species.
Fish and Marine Projects
Longear Sunfish
Photo by USFWS
Status Assessment of Longear Sunfish and Development of Recovery Plan
The extremely limited area that this species still inhabits has been poorly defined, and critical habitats are unknown. Population size will be estimated and a strategy to improve the prospects for continued survival will be developed.
Note: A final report for this project is available. Follow the links in the right column on this page.
Atlantic Sturgeon Ocean Abundance and Habitat Assessment
Atlantic Sturgeon stocks along the Atlantic Coast are at dangerously low numbers. The primary benefit of this project is to determine the relative abundance and habitat use of Atlantic Sturgeon in the near shore waters of the Atlantic Ocean off the south shore of Long Island. This information will be used to examine potential impacts of proposed energy projects.
Oswayo and Allegheny Survey of Fish and Habitat
American Shad
Photo by USFWS
Several rare fishes have historically inhabited the eastern-most waters of the Allegheny basin. Population status and habitat assessments are planned. After inventories are underway, some sampling will likely extend south of New York to find populations suitable for comparison to areas formerly inhabited here.
Freshwater Mussel Surveys (continued from 2002)
This program continues to document the distribution of native freshwater mussel species in the Allegheny River and Susquehanna River basins. Surveys will continue in the main stems and tributaries of both rivers, up to the point where stream substrate, flow, depth, or other factors preclude supporting mussels.
Oyster Habitat Restoration Project in the Lower Hudson River
Oyster resources in New York State declined as a result of pollution, siltation, dredging and loss of hard bottom. The primary goals of this project are to investigate feasibility of oyster restoration in the Lower Hudson River, identify specific sites that would support oyster restoration, and conduct a small scale oyster habitat restoration demonstration project.
Insect Projects
Tiger Beetle Survey
There are 26 species or subspecies of tiger beetle reported from New York State. Of the 26 species, nine are considered globally rare or rare in New York State, while another five are thought to be uncommon in the state (Gordon 1939, New York Natural Heritage Program 2004.) Nearly all of the species of concern are found in habitats that have been heavily impacted by development or other deleterious factors. DEC will conduct status assessments for nine species (including one subspecies) of tiger beetles in New York State that will clarify the need for conservation actions in order to maintain these species.
Karner Blue Butterfly
Photo by USFWS
Karner Blue Butterfly Conservation in Glacial Lake Albany: Linking Habitat Restoration with Viability Assessment
Over the past 30 years the federal and state endangered Karner blue butterfly has declined in abundance in New York State by over 90%, largely due to habitat degradation/destruction and loss of its obligate larval host plant, the wild blue lupine. DEC will hire one or more contractors to quantitatively assess the current status of Karner blue butterfly habitat patches, identify site-specific habitat restoration needs and measure habitat restoration success at sites throughout Glacial Lake Albany.
Karner Blue Butterfly Conservation in Glacial Lake Albany: Habitat Restoration and Adaptive Management
Karner blue butterfly numbers have been sharply declining in the last 5 years. DEC will hire one or more contractors to develop a habitat restoration/management plan in conjunction with DEC Central Office, Regional foresters and wildlife staff to create habitat attributes such as canopy cover and structural heterogeneity. With an increase in suitable habitat, it is expected that Karner blue butterflies will be able to colonize and increase the size of the population.
