Lower Mississippi Valley Conservation Science Office
An Integrated Management and Science Office
of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey
Purpose
Provide science, technology, and partnership development support to the Fish and Wildlife Service and the conservation partners of the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture (LMVJV) in the implementation of state, national, and international wildlife conservation plans in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and West Gulf Coastal Plain Conservation Regions.
Core Functions and Services
The core functions and services of the LMV Conservation Science Office fall broadly into two areas – science and technology support and partnership development/coordination.
Science and Technology Support. Provide science and technology support to LMVJV partners in each of the functional elements of the LMVJV’s Strategic Habitat Conservation (SHC) Framework. The SHC Framework is an iterative framework of five functional elements:
· Biological Planning – Science support includes 1) the development of protocols and procedures leading to the establishment of goals and objectives that reflect measurable biological outcomes expressed at multiple spatial scales and 2) the development of transparent, replicable methods and procedures for translating the objectives of national/international bird conservation plans and state-specific comprehensive wildlife conservation plans to on-the-ground habitat objectives. Technology support includes development of spatial datasets and desktop or web-based applications supporting biological planning at ecoregional scales.
· Conservation Design – Science support includes development of transparent, replicable processes and procedures for integrating in a spatially explicit manner the biological goals and objectives established for different species groups; different management practices (e.g. forest protection vs. forest restoration), and/or different ecological functions and processes (e.g. natural flood storage vs. breeding productivity of area-sensitive wildlife). Technology support includes the development of spatial datasets and desktop or web-based applications that support partners in spatially integrating goals and objectives.
· Conservation Delivery – Science support includes providing goals and objectives that reflect measurable biological outcomes expressed at multiple spatial scales and the development of decision support tools to guide managers in targeting conservation programs, projects, and practices to the most environmentally sensitive areas of the landscape. Technology support includes development of spatial datasets and desktop or web-based applications for spatially tracking conservation delivery.
· Decision-based Monitoring – Science support includes developing at ecoregional scales statistically valid, collaborative population and habitat monitoring programs that can be linked to and support agency decision-making processes. Technology support includes the development of data management systems for collecting, storing, managing, retrieving, and disseminating data and information flowing from collaborative monitoring efforts.
· Assumption-driven Research – Science support includes developing and facilitating research projects focused explicitly on the documented assumptions and uncertainties emanating from Biological Planning and Conservation Design. Technology support includes the development of spatial and relational datasets that support development of statistically valid study designs and the analysis of research-generated data.
Partnership Development and Coordination. This core function is defined as creating, guiding, facilitating, and nurturing a networked partnership infrastructure sufficient to support the iterative, interagency application of the partnership’s Strategic Habitat Conservation Framework. The partnership infrastructure of LMV Joint Venture is organized broadly around four “Conservation Process Networks.”
· Conservation Delivery Network
· Biological Planning/Conservation Design Network
· Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Network
· BioInformatics Network
The intent of each is to engage and link the appropriate technical staff of JV partner organizations in performing one or more of the core functions of the SHC Framework (i.e. Biological Planning, Conservation Design, Conservation Delivery, Decision-Based Monitoring, Assumption-Driven Research).
Staffing
Conservation Science Team Leader. One position, FWS. [1]
Responsible for oversight and direction of both the science and management dimensions of the integrated office.
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Support Staff:
Administrative Officer – One position, FWS. [2]
Office Assistant – One position, FWS.1
Network Administrator/Computer Support Specialist – One position, FWS.1
Science and Technology Support:
Conservation Scientist (Avian Ecology) – Two positions, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.[3]
The two positions would be distinguished by their thematic focus with one being a specialist in waterfowl ecology and the other forest breeding bird ecology. The primary responsibility of both positions would be science support to FWS Conservation Biologists responsible for Biological Planning, Conservation Design, Conservation Delivery, Decision-based Monitoring, or Assumption-driven Research. Support would include the development of population/habitat relationship models; parameterization and analysis of decision support models; statistical designs for ecoregional scale monitoring programs; articulation of management assumptions into testable hypotheses; evaluating monitoring results; and facilitating or conducting directed studies or analyses.
Conservation Science Technician (GS7/9) – Two positions, USGS (PWRC).[4] Primary responsibility is technical support to the Conservation Scientists in analyzing, synthesizing, or reviewing data generated from decision-based monitoring efforts or assumption-driven research projects or providing field and technical support in conducting research projects.
Conservation Scientist (Restoration Ecology) – One position, USGS National Wetland Research Center.[5]
The thematic focus of this position would be the restoration and management of forest dominated ecosystems endemic to the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and Gulf Coastal Plain. Its primary responsibility would be science support to FWS Conservation Biologists responsible for Biological Planning, Conservation Design, Conservation Delivery, Decision-based Monitoring, or Assumption-driven Research. Support would include the development of population/habitat relationship models; parameterization and analysis of decision support models; statistical designs for ecoregional scale monitoring programs; articulation of management assumptions into testable hypotheses; evaluating monitoring results; and facilitating or conducting directed studies or analyses.
Science and Technology Coordinator – One position, FWS.1
Whereas the Conservation Scientist positions noted above are responsible for science support, this position has the operational responsibility of overseeing, guiding, and directing the Office’s core functions related to Biological Planning, Conservation Design, Decision-based Monitoring, and Assumption-driven Research. Whereas a Conservation Scientist may develop a statistically valid sampling design for forest breeding birds or define the appropriate monitoring protocols, the Science and Technology Coordinator would be responsible for translating scientifically valid protocols and designs into an operational, interagency Forest Breeding Bird Monitoring Program. Likewise, whereas the USGS Conservation Scientist may develop the population/habitat relationship models necessary for habitat characterization, the Science and Technology Coordinator will maintain operational responsibility for the application of models in ecoregional scale habitat characterizations and in the development of decision support tools.
Conservation Biologist/Spatial Analyst – Two positions, FWS.[6] These positions would work under the guidance and direction of the Science and Technology Coordinator with primary responsibility for providing the geospatial expertise required for biological planning and conservation design. Both positions would also provide geospatial support in the development of interagency monitoring programs and provide spatial analysis support to the USGS Conservation Scientists on science support tasks involving complex spatial analysis.
BioInformatics Specialist (Geodatabase Development/Management) – One position, USGS NWRC.[7] This position would work under the guidance and direction of the Science and Technology Coordinator with responsibility for developing and managing the geodatabases associated with the Office’s science support functions to include providing geodatabase support in the development of web-based and desktop conservation planning applications.
BioInformatics Specialist (Web Applications) – One position, USGS NWRC.[8] This position would work under the guidance and direction of the Science and Technology Coordinator and in collaboration with the Geodatabase Specialist with responsibility for the development and deployment of web-based and desktop conservation planning applications.
BioInformatics Technicians – 2 positions.[9]
Partnership Development and Coordination:
West Gulf Coastal Plain Partnership Coordinator – One position, FWS.[10] This position would have operational responsibility for developing, guiding, and facilitating the Joint Venture partnership’s Conservation Delivery Networks within the West Gulf Coastal Plain with primary responsibility for 1) ensuring that biological goals and objectives are fully integrated into the program objectives of private, state, and federal partners; 2) that decision support models are integrated into site-scale conservation delivery decisions; 3) that population and habitat monitoring programs are appropriately linked to agency/organizational decision-making processes; and 4) conservation delivery personnel and programs are supporting progressive refinement of biological goals and objectives through timely participation in conservation tracking and monitoring programs. This position would also provide coordination support to the Science and Technology Coordinator in facilitating the work of the other Conservation Process Networks.
Mississippi Alluvial Valley Partnership Coordinator – One position, FWS.[11] This position would have operational responsibility for developing, guiding, and facilitating the Joint Venture partnership’s Conservation Delivery Networks within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley with primary responsibility for 1) ensuring that biological goals and objectives are fully integrated into the program objectives of private, state, and federal partners; 2) that decision support models are integrated into site-scale conservation delivery decisions; 3) that population and habitat monitoring programs are appropriately linked to agency/organizational decision-making processes; and 4) conservation delivery personnel and programs are supporting progressive refinement of biological goals and objectives through timely participation in conservation tracking and monitoring programs. This position would also provide coordination support to the Science and Technology Coordinator in facilitating the work of the other Conservation Process Networks.
Communication Specialist – One Position, FWS.[12] This position works under the guidance and direction of the Partnership Coordinators with responsibility for developing and maintaining processes, procedures, products, and protocols that ensure effective communication between and among partners associated with the Joint Venture’s four Conservation Process Networks.
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[1] Currently funded with FWS base funds
[2] Currently funded with FWS base funds
[3] Currently funded with USGS PWRC base funds
[4] Currently unfunded though previously funded with USGS PWRC base funds
[5] Proposed
[6] Currently funded with FWS base funds
[7] Currently funded as term appointment with soft funds (Regional SSP)
[8] Currently funded as ½ time position (term appointment) with soft funding
[9] Currently funded as term appointments with soft funding (FWS and TNC)
[10] Proposed. This and the MAV Coordinator position are complementary. Current FWS base funding would support ½ of each position.
[11] This and the WGCP Partnership Coordinator position are complementary. Current FWS base funding would support ½ of each position.
[12] Proposed