Biodiversityworks Inc

RESTORATION OF PIPING PLOVER ON PRIVATE LANDS ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD

MANAGING PREDATORS LIMITING PIPING PLOVER PRODUCTIVITY ON PRIVATELY OWNED BEACHES: AN ADAPTIVE APPROACH ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD

FORMERLY A COMMON SPECIES, THE NORTHERN LONG-EARED BAT (MYOTIS SEPTENTRIONALIS) IS NOW RARELY ENCOUNTERED THROUGHOUT MUCH OF ITS RANGE DUE TO POPULATION DECLINES FROM WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME, A FUNGAL DISEASE THAT AFFECTS HIBERNATING BATS. HOWEVER, PERSISTING POPULATIONS OF NORTHERN LONG-EARED BATS HAVE BEEN FOUND ALONG THE NORTHEAST COAST. DESPITE THEIR PERSISTENCE, THERE REMAINS A LACK OF PROTECTED HIBERNATION SITES IN THE AREA. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO BUILD HIBERNATION SITES FOR COASTAL NORTHERN LONG-EARED BATS ON CURRENTLY OCCUPIED HABITAT AND PROTECTED LAND, PROVIDING SPACES THAT ARE PROTECTED FROM FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND DISTURBANCE. THIS PROJECT WILL OCCUR ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD, NANTUCKET, AND LONG ISLAND. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HIBERNATION SITES, USE OF LURES TO DRAW BATS TO THE SITES, AND MONITORING BAT USE OF THE SITES USING ACOUSTIC BAT DETECTORS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF A MANAGEMENT TOOL (I.E. A CONSTRUCTED HIBERNATION SITE) THAT CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE SURVIVAL OF HIBERNATING BATS WITH A LOW-COST AND RELATIVELY SIMPLE DESIGN. THIS LONG-TERM STRATEGY CAN BE USED FOR CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT BY WILDLIFE MANAGERS ACROSS THE ISLANDS TO SUPPORT PERSISTENCE OF THESE UNIQUE COASTAL POPULATION, ENSURING THE SURVIVAL OF HIBERNATING COASTAL MYSE.