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State Wildlife Grants Project Summaries

2005 Projects

Currently, the federal fiscal year 2005 allocation for New York is $2.94 million. Project applications are pending until the completion of the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS), which is scheduled to be released at the end of September 2005. Recommendations from the CWCS will determine which projects will be funded with 2005 monies.

2004 Projects

The federal fiscal year 2004 allocation to New York was earmarked by DEC to hire new staff to implement the SWG program and to implement the recommendations in the CWCS. This single year of funds will cover staff salaries for at least three years. The new staff will work with our conservation partners to generate new projects, implement them, and administer the contracts and agreements associated with the projects for the next several years.

2003 Projects

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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 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.

2002 Projects

General Fish and Wildlife Projects

Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan

New York will develop a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan by October 2005, focusing on species of greatest conservation need in the state. We will work closely with partner organizations and the public to develop the plan, which will identify management needs, goals and strategies for more than 500 animal species that are rare, declining, vulnerable, or status unknown in New York State.

Biodiversity Conservation on Long Island

Fish and wildlife populations on Long Island (including parts of New York City) face a variety of threats to their continued existence, including loss of habitat to development, human disturbance of breeding and foraging areas, high predation rates and rising sea levels. This project would establish a regional biodiversity conservation specialist to assess the status of all "species of greatest conservation need" on Long Island, identify management needs, and help coordinate data collection.

Assessment of Biodiversity In the Allegheny and Susquehanna River Corridors

These two river systems support some of the most diverse animal species assemblages and habitats in New York, with many aquatic species existing only in these drainages. This effort will oversee the planning, implementation and coordination of comprehensive biodiversity surveys in these drainages, including fish, freshwater mussels, dragonflies and damselflies, reptiles, amphibians and birds. A conservation plan for the Allegheny basin, identifying important management and conservation needs, will be one product resulting from these surveys.

Ecological Assessment Tool for Watershed-based Planning

Site-based species and habitat conservation and restoration efforts are often successful for the immediate locality in which they occur, but importance of the project on a landscape scale is not often considered. The goal of this job is to develop a GIS-based planning tool for assessing the integrity and potential for biological diversity in distinct sub-watersheds, determine what impacts are affecting species of greatest conservation need, and design conservation projects to ensure viability of the habitat.

Managing Data for Conservation Planning

Conservation planning for "species of greatest conservation need" and their habitats can only be accomplished if information about the locations of these species and their status at each site is known, and this information is available in a consistent, accessible format. This project will ensure that data on more than 400 species are integrated into the New York Natural Heritage Program database and is available to a wide variety of conservation planning efforts.

Mammal Projects

Mark-Recapture Study of Indiana Bats

The Indiana bat, a federally endangered species, has declined from roughly 600,000 in the 1960s to about 350,000 today. Population declines in southern portions of its range, primarily Kentucky and Missouri, have far exceeded increases in the north, including New York. We hope to conduct a large scale mark-recapture study to identify causes of the decline and regional differences in population trends. The first step is a feasibility study to determine if we can adequately address assumptions of the study design.

Winter Roosts and Summer Distribution of Small-footed and Indiana Bats

The small-footed bat is the least common bat encountered during winter surveys in the eastern U.S., and 75 percent occur in New York. The species may be more common than winter counts suggest because it hibernates in hidden locations (under rocks, in crevices). DEC plans to radio-tag a sample of these bats as they enter a major hibernaculum to determine how many are detected during routine surveys. We also plan to radio-tag Indiana and small-footed bats as they emerge from their hibernacula and follow them by airplane to determine summer distribution and habitat preferences.

Feasibility of a Statewide Summer Survey of Tree Bats

Tree bats (red, hoary and silver-haired bats) are among the least understood vertebrates in the state. We do not know the current status or distribution of any of these species, and the most comprehensive surveys were conducted more than 100 years ago. Recent technical innovations have increased the reliability of field sampling while reducing costs. We plan to conduct initial surveys to determine the costs and effectiveness of conducting a statewide status survey for tree bats in New York State.

Bird Projects

New York's 2nd Breeding Bird Atlas

New York completed its first Breeding Bird Atlas during 1980-1985, and the second atlas project (2000-2004) is underway. State Wildlife Grant funding will ensure completion of the second atlas, which will document the current distribution of breeding birds in New York State and quantify changes in distributions of species between the two atlas periods. Once completed, Atlas results will be made available in book and web-based formats for use by conservation biologists, planners, and the public.

Conservation of Beach-nesting Birds on Long Island

Long Island is home to regionally important populations of beach-nesting birds, including piping plover, roseate tern, least tern, common tern, American oystercatcher and black skimmer. Human activities and development threaten the survival of these species in New York State. DEC plans to provide supplies and materials, such as fencing, signs, and exclosures to cooperating property owners and organizations to help protect key nesting areas and ensure the conservation of beach-nesting birds in New York.

Grassland Bird Conservation Plan

Because of widespread loss and fragmentation of grassland habitat, grassland bird populations are declining in New York and throughout North America. This project will develop a comprehensive plan to guide and direct grassland bird conservation and management on public and private lands in New York State. The plan will help direct conservation efforts to the most important areas, provide guidance to grassland owners and managers, and identify monitoring and research needs for grassland birds.

Spruce Grouse Surveys, Research and Management

The spruce grouse is an endangered species in New York, where some of its spruce-fir forest habitat has been lost due to forest maturation, habitat fragmentation, and logging. Confusion with the more common ruffed grouse has led to accidental hunting, and the species' unwariness has made it vulnerable to human disturbance. Urgently needed are: surveys to determine status and distribution; research to assess factors causing rarity or declines; population or habitat protection and management to secure the species' status; and completion and implementation of a state recovery plan. This project will help address those needs.

Common Loon Migration and Wintering Areas

We know very little about where common loons, a species of special concern in New York State, spend their non-breeding periods. This project will use satellite telemetry to determine migration routes, wintering areas and seasonal movements of loons that summer in New York. The results will help identify potential threats to common loons during non-breeding periods, including coastal energy developments, exposure to Type E botulism in the Great Lakes, ocean contaminants, and commercial fishing gear.

Conservation Plan for Common Terns in Upstate New York

Nesting populations of common tern, a threatened species in New York, occur in three upstate areas (Niagara River, Oneida Lake and St. Lawrence River). Most nesting occurs on artificial structures such as piers and navigation structures, which often require annual maintenance of nesting substrate, predator deterrents, and other measures to ensure successful nesting. In order to make management efforts more efficient, a long-term plan will be developed for conservation of common terns in upstate New York.

Golden-winged Warbler Habitat and Hybridization Study

The golden-winged warbler has declined at an annual rate of 8 percent for the last 35 years in the northeastern U.S. Possible factors in its decline include reforestation and range expansion of the blue-winged warbler. This project will investigate genetics and habitat segregation among these two species. Results will help to establish whether they should be considered distinct species and provide guidance for habitat management plans to sustain golden-winged warbler populations.

Reptile and Amphibian Projects

Recovery Planning for the Tiger Salamander

Habitat fragmentation by roads and developments has greatly diminished tiger salamander populations which are now restricted in New York to eastern Long Island. Much work has been done to identify breeding ponds for this species, but much less is known about its upland habitat requirements. This project will quantify the upland habitat requirements and investigate ways to minimize impacts of roadways and developments. This information will be provided to local governments which have responsibility for approving development plans in towns where this endangered species occurs.

Surveys of High Priority Amphibian and Reptile Species

As a group, a higher proportion of amphibian and reptile species have suffered significant declines than any other vertebrate groups in New York State. To date, much effort has been placed on documenting distribution of these endangered and threatened species. This project will focus on collecting information on the status of known populations, following standard protocols, so that conservation efforts can be prioritized on those in greatest need.

Reducing Turtle Mortality During Nesting

Certain turtle species experience high mortality of females when they migrate from over-wintering locations to traditional egg-laying sites. This project will investigate methods of reducing this mortality through use of subsurface tunnels for crossing roadways, creation of protected nesting sites, and predator exclusions.

Assessment of Factors Affecting Hellbender Status

The hellbender is the largest salamander in New York. It spends its entire life in aquatic habitats and may live for as long as 70 years. In New York, the hellbender is restricted to the Allegheny and Susquehanna River drainage basins. Surveys conducted since 1980 show little evidence of reproductive success. This project will focus on identifying nesting locations, habitat used by larval and immature hellbenders and environmental factors that may be limiting reproductive success, such as water chemistry, siltation, habitat disturbance and impacts of recreational fishing.

Insect Projects

Odonate Inventory

There is a need for a comprehensive survey or inventory for odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) statewide. This project will document the current distribution of odonate species in New York State and direct more intensive sampling in selected habitats, areas with expected high odonate diversity, or habitats of rare species. The project will include general surveys conducted by volunteers as well as directed surveys that target specific species, habitats, or poorly known areas of the state.

Karner Blue Butterfly Monitoring Project

To determine whether populations of Karner blue butterflies are large enough to be considered viable under state and federal recovery criteria, and to be sure that we are accurately detecting population trends, we need a practical and reliable method of counting Karner blue populations. The goal of this project is to evaluate alternative census methods to determine the most cost-effective to use.

Fish and Marine Projects

Adirondack Round Whitefish Investigation

Round whitefish are classified as threatened in New York and their recovery plan calls for an investigation of causes for and solutions to their decline. This project will include field studies to develop sampling protocols in Adirondack lakes, evaluate existing stocking efforts, and prioritize historic waters for likelihood of successful reestablishment.

Conservation of Lesser Known Species of Fish

This project involves review of DEC and New York State Museum fish records to identify information needs about the status of rare species. Findings will be used to plan new surveys that will eventually allow a complete assessment of the status and distribution of these "lesser known" freshwater fish species of New York State.

Comprehensive Assessment of American Eel in New York State (Inland)

American eel populations have declined throughout North America, and commercial harvest continues without a clear understanding of forces responsible for the declines. A review of existing information and a set of management recommendations for inland waters of New York will be completed by summarizing available commercial catch reports, analyzing population trends by basin, identifying limiting factors, and prioritizing research needs.

Recruitment and Spawning Stock Characteristics of American Eel from the Marine District

The American eel occupies a key role in the ecological diversity of Atlantic coastal and inland aquatic habitats. Available data and reports from fishermen, resource managers and scientists suggest a dramatic decline in abundance of this species. Objectives of this project are to conduct surveys, collect biological information and examine trends in recruitment and out-migration in order to define escapement rates for silver eels, and if possible, define the nature of the stock/recruitment relationship for American eel.

Allegheny and Susquehanna Drainage Freshwater Mussel Surveys

The Allegheny River and Susquehanna River basins harbor a number of threatened and endangered freshwater mussel species, but distributions, population levels and trends are unknown. The goal of this project is to document the current distribution of all native freshwater mussel species in these river basins. Surveys will be performed in the main stems and tributaries of both rivers, up to the point where stream substrate, flow, depth, or other factors preclude supporting mussels.

Horseshoe Crab Population Surveys

In recent years, apparent declines in shorebird abundance has triggered concern about the status of horseshoe crab populations. Objectives of this project are to design a systematic survey of horseshoe crab spawning activity in New York State and to provide financial assistance for a continued multi-state funded survey of horseshoe crab abundance in the Atlantic Ocean. The information from these two surveys is necessary to conduct stock assessment and determine population trends.

Bay Scallop Restoration Planning and Pilot Spawner Sanctuary Evaluation

Historically, bay scallops represented an important shellfish resource in Peconic and Gardiner's Bays in eastern Long Island. Bay scallops experienced a 99 percent decline in abundance since 1985 due to occurrence of an unusual algal bloom known as "brown tide." This project will develop a Comprehensive Bay Scallop Restoration Plan and evaluate a pilot bay scallop spawner sanctuary, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Town of East Hampton and Southampton College. Results will provide vital information for the rehabilitation of bay scallop resources in New York State.

New York Contact Information

State Wildlife Grants Program Coordinator
New York Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4754
Phone: (518) 402-8924
Fax: (518) 402-8925
swgidea@gw.dec.state.ny.us

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