Walker Basin Conservancy

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE ROBUST MONITORING DATA AND TOOLS THAT CAN BE USED TO GUIDE LAND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, IMPROVE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT, AND SUSTAIN THE HEALTH, DIVERSITY, AND PRODUCTIVITY OF PUBLIC LANDS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, WALKER BASIN CONSERVANCY (WBC) WILL WORK WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) TO UTILIZE THE BLMS ASSESSMENT, INVENTORY, AND MONITORING (AIM) FRAMEWORK TO ASSESS THE CONDITION OF UPLAND AND RIPARIAN HABITAT IN THE CARSON CITY DISTRICT OFFICE. WBC WILL HIRE AND TRAIN 6 SEASONAL FIELD STAFF ANNUALLY TO OPERATE TWO FIELD CREWS SURVEYING APPROXIMATELY 70 TERRESTRIAL AIM PLOTS PER YEAR AND APPROXIMATELY 10 RIPARIAN AND WETLAND AIM PLOTS PER YEAR. WBC WILL CONDUCT QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL (QA QC) OF COLLECTED DATA, SHARE IT WITH THE BLM AND THROUGH APPROPRIATE DATABASES, PROVIDE DATA SUMMARIES AND ANALYSIS AS NEEDED, AND SUBMIT ANNUAL IMPLEMENTATION SUMMARIES AND PROGRESS REPORTS. THIS PROJECT WILL INDIRECTLY BENEFIT THE BLMS RANGELAND MANAGEMENT GOALS BY COMPLETING MONITORING ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH LAND USE PLANS AND DISTRICT OFFICE AND FIELD OFFICE-LEVEL GOALS, INCLUDING GRAZING EVALUATIONS, LAND HEALTH ASSESSMENTS, EMERGENCY STABILIZATION AND RESPONSE (ESR), ONGOING RESTORATION PROJECTS, FUELS MANAGEMENT PROJECTS, AND SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN OR NEPA ACTIVITIES. IT WILL ALSO DIRECTLY BENEFIT THE PUBLIC BY SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONALS AND PROVIDING INFORMATION THAT CAN BE USED BY THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND CONSERVATION PRACTITIONERS, INCLUDING WBC, TO SUSTAIN AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF PUBLIC LANDS. WBC HAS EXTENSIVE MONITORING AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS LAND MANAGEMENT AND STEWARDSHIP EXPERIENCE. WBC IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED NOT ONLY TO CONSISTENTLY DELIVER HIGH QUALITY DATA FOR ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT ON BLM LANDS, BUT ALSO USE THE DATA COLLECTED AND EXPERIENCE ON THE LANDSCAPE TO PRIORITIZE, DEVELOP, AND IMPLEMENT FUTURE RANGELAND IMPROVEMENT AND HABITAT MANAGEMENT PROJECTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BLM AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

EVALUATING THE CONSERVATION POTENTIAL OF DROUGHT ADAPTED MILKWEEDS TO BENEFIT MONARCH BUTTERFLIES IN THE CARSON CITY DISTRICT

WILDLAND FIRE DRIVES ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION ACROSS MUCH OF THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST. LACK OF LOCALLY ADAPTED NATIVE SEED FOR RESTORATION IS A BARRIER TO EFFECTIVE RESTORATION OF THESE BURNED LANDS AND THE HABITAT VALUE THEY PROVIDE FOR MANY SPECIES, INCLUDING SAGEBRUSH OBLIGATE GREATER SAGE-GROUSE. ENCOURAGING GREATER PRODUCTION OF LOCALLY ADAPTED NATIVE SEED IS NEEDED TO ADDRESS THIS RESTORATION NEED, AND ONE OF THE BARRIERS TO INCREASED PRODUCTION IS A LACK OF SEEDING, PLANTING, HARVESTING, AND CLEANING EQUIPMENT SPECIALIZED FOR THE DIVERSE REQUIREMENTS OF NATIVE SEED. THIS PROPOSAL WILL CREATE A NATIVE SEED EQUIPMENT NETWORK IN NEVADA, WHICH WILL PURCHASE NECESSARY SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO POTENTIAL GROWERS OF NATIVE SEED FOR LITTLE TO NO COST. THE WALKER BASIN CONSERVANCY IS A NON-PROFIT MEMBER OF THE NEVADA NATIVE SEED PARTNERSHIP WORKING ON NATIVE SEED PRODUCTION AND LOCATED IN YERINGTON, NEVADA, CENTRALLY LOCATED AMONG SEVERAL AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES FROM WHICH POTENTIAL GROWERS HAVE SHOWN INTEREST. WBC WILL PURCHASE, HOUSE, AND MAINTAIN THE EQUIPMENT USE EQUIPMENT ON ITS SEED PRODUCTION FIELDS DEVELOP SYSTEMS NECESSARY FOR LENDING EQUIPMENT AND PUBLICIZE THE NATIVE SEED EQUIPMENT NETWORK TO POTENTIAL GROWERS WHO WOULD USE THE SPECIALIZED SEED EQUIPMENT AS AVAILABLE.

INFORMING LAND MANAGEMENT ON BLM LANDS IN EASTERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH ASSESSMENT, INVENTORY, AND MONITORING AIM

PROJECT ABSTRACTGRANTEE NAME: WALKER BASIN CONSERVANCYGRANT NUMBER: G24AC00159-00PROJECT TITLE: APPLIED ECOLOGY OF GREAT BASIN ECOSYSTEMS AT LOCAL AND REGIONAL SCALESPROJECT PERIOD: 04 05 2024 TO 04 04 2027AWARD PURPOSE: THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT (COOP) WITH WALKER BASIN CONSERVANCY (WBC)IS TO INCREASE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE THAT BIOCRUSTS PLAY IN MAINTAINING NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS HOW WE CAN BETTER MANAGE FOR BIOCRUSTS.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE GOAL OF THIS STUDY AIMS TO INCREASE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE THAT BIOCRUSTS PLAY IN MAINTAINING NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS HOW WE CAN BETTER MANAGE FOR BIOCRUSTS. THIS RESEARCH FOCUSES ON FIVE HIGHLY INTEGRATED RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: 1) UNDERSTANDING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BIOCRUSTS AND VASCULAR PLANTS 2) UNDERSTANDING THE RESPONSE OF MORPHOGROUPS OF BIOLOGICAL SOIL CRUSTS TO COMMON DISTURBANCES IN THE REGION SUCH AS FIRE, GRAZING, DROUGHT AND FERAL HORSES, 3) UNDERSTANDING THE RESPONSE OF BIOCRUSTS AS WELL AS NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE VEGETATION TO COMMON LAND TREATMENTS SUCH AS BURNING, SEEDING AND THINNING OF WOODLANDS, 4) DEVELOPING PROTOCOLS AND TOOLS FOR SURVEYING BIOLOGICAL SOIL CRUSTS 5) RESTORING BIOLOGICAL SOIL CRUSTS.DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: SEVERAL DELIVERABLES ARE EXPECTED. THESE INCLUDE WBC WILL PROVIDE USGS WITH ELECTRONIC COPIES OF ALL FIELD DATA CONTAINING INFORMATION COLLECTED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF FIELD COLLECTION AND ANY REPORTS OR PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES DOCUMENTING STUDY RESULTS.INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: WALKER BASIN CONSERVANCY AND THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (USGS), RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION.

THE WALKER BASIN CONSERVANCY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, WILL BUILD ON EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS TO FORMALLY ESTABLISH A WALKER RIVER BASIN WATERSHED GROUP. THE GOALS OF THE GROUP ARE TO IDENTIFY LANDSCAPE-SCALE WATERSHED PRIORITIES AND PLAN ACTIONS TO ADDRESS THEM USING A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH THAT FOCUSES ON STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND FINDING MULTI-BENEFIT SOLUTIONS THAT BALANCE ECOLOGICAL AND COMMUNITY NEEDS. THE GROUP WILL MEET THESE GOALS BY: 1. ENGAGING DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS THAT AFFECT AND ARE AFFECTED BY WATER RESOURCES IN THE BASIN, 2. ESTABLISHING GROUP MISSION VISION, BYLAWS, AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, 3. COMPILING DATA CHARACTERIZING THE WATERSHED AND IDENTIFYING ANY DATA GAPS, 4. SYNTHESIZING INFORMATION FROM EXISTING MANAGEMENT PLANS AND FEEDBACK FROM DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY SHARED MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES ACROSS THE WATERSHED, AND 5. PRODUCING AN INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT IDENTIFIES CRITICAL WATERSHED NEEDS AND CLEAR ACTIONS FOR ADDRESSING THEM. THE WALKER BASIN COVERS NEARLY 4,000 SQUARE MILES FROM THE HEADWATERS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA IN CALIFORNIA TO WALKER LAKE IN NEVADA AND SUPPORTS IMPORTANT ECOSYSTEMS, AGRICULTURAL AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES. THE AREA ALSO PROVIDES CRITICAL HABITAT FOR A VARIETY OF SPECIAL STATUS WILDLIFE. HOWEVER, THE WALKER BASIN FACES SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES, INCLUDING OVER-APPROPRIATION OF WATER RESOURCES, THE ECOLOGICAL COLLAPSE OF WALKER LAKE DUE TO WATER DIVERSIONS, UNSUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER WITHDRAWAL, IMPAIRED WATER QUALITY, AND THE ASSOCIATED STRAIN ON ECOSYSTEMS AND WILDLIFE WHICH IS EXACERBATED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND WILDFIRES.MANY CRITICAL ISSUES IN THE WALKER RIVER BASIN OPERATE AT THE LANDSCAPE SCALE, ARE COMPLEX, HAVE NO EASY SOLUTION, AND REQUIRE INVESTMENT AND COORDINATION AMONG A DIVERSE GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAVE DIFFERENT AND SOMETIMES CONFLICTING PRIORITIES. A CENTRAL GOAL OF FORMING A WATERSHED GROUP IS BRINGING TOGETHER DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT PRIORITIES ISSUES IN THE WATERSHED AND WORK TOWARDS SOLUTIONS THAT BALANCE MULTIPLE NEEDS AND OBJECTIVES.

MANY FACTORS HAVE AND CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DECLINE OF THE SAGEBRUSH ECOSYSTEM IN THE GREAT BASIN, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE INCREASED FREQUENCY, SIZE, AND SEVERITY OF WILDFIRES, ALTERED PRECIPITATION CYCLES DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, LAND CONVERSION, AND THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES. THIS HAS PROMPTED THE NEED TO SEED VAST ACREAGES TO TRY AND MITIGATE THE LOSS OF VITAL WILDLIFE HABITAT. WHILE NATIVE SEED FOR RESTORATION HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY AVAILABLE, SEED THAT IS GENETICALLY APPROPRIATE AND ADAPTED TO THE DRY CONDITIONS OF THE GREAT BASIN HAS NOT, AMPLIFYING THE DIFFICULTY IN ACHIEVING SUCCESS RATES ON HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS. RESEARCH CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL ADAPTATION TO PLANT SURVIVAL. TO DATE, THE AVAILABILITY OF SUCH NATIVE PLANT MATERIAL HAS BEEN SCARCE. THERE ARE CURRENTLY VERY FEW PRODUCERS OF NATIVE SEED IN NEVADA PARTLY DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY IN SWITCHING FROM TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL CROPS TO NATIVE PLANT OPERATIONS OR TO SPECIES THAT HAVE NO KNOWN PROTOCOLS FOR PROPAGATION AND FARMING AS WELL AS THE LACK OF GENETICALLY APPROPRIATE FOUNDATION SEED AVAILABLE. THIS PROJECT WILL SERVE TWO PURPOSES: (1) INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF NATIVE SEEDS AND PLANT MATERIAL FROM ECOTYPES ADAPTED TO DRY CONDITIONS FOR RESTORATION AND (2) REFINING AND DEVELOPING METHODS OF PROCESSING AND INCREASING LOCALLY ADAPTED NATIVE SEED AND SHARING THOSE MATERIALS WITH POTENTIAL NATIVE SEED PRODUCERS.THE CONSERVANCY WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE USFWS AND PARTNERS AT THE NEVADA NATIVE SEED PARTNERSHIP TO DETERMINE TARGET SPECIES BASED ON NEED FOR PRODUCTION FOR RESTORATION AND FOUNDATION SEED AVAILABILITY. THE CONSERVANCY WILL COLLECT SEED FURTHER TO A TOTAL OF AT LEAST 20 DRY ECOTYPE SPECIES POPULATIONS, IMPROVE CAPACITY FOR PROPAGATION AND TRIAL PROPAGATION METHODS (E.G. COLD STRATIFICATION, SCARIFICATION, GERMINATION TEMPERATURE, SOIL TYPE, PLANTING DEPTH, HUMIDITY LEVELS) FOR THESE SPECIES POPULATIONS, CONVERT 5-15 ACRES OF HAY PRODUCTION INTO NATIVE PLANT MATERIAL PRODUCTION ANNUALLY, AND ESTABLISH SHRUB ORCHARDS ON THAT ACREAGE TO ENSURE RELIABLE ADDITIONAL AVAILABILITY OF LOCALLY ADAPTED NATIVE SEED FOR RESTORATION IN THE ARID PORTIONS OF THE GREAT BASIN, WITHOUT CAUSING IMPAIRMENT TO WILDLAND SEED SOURCES, WHICH CAN BE STRESSED BY CLIMATE, WILDFIRE, AND DEVELOPMENT.

IN 2022, THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RECEIVED FUNDING FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN S BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW (BIL) TO SUPPORT PROJECTS IN WESTERN STATES TO RESTORE AND CONSERVE STRATEGIC AREAS WITHIN THE SAGEBRUSH ECOSYSTEM. OVER THE FIVE YEARS (2022-2026) OF FUNDING DEDICATED THROUGH BIL, SERVICE STAFF WILL WORK WITH PARTNERS TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS THAT WILL COMBAT INVASIVE GRASSES AND WILDFIRE, REDUCE ENCROACHING CONIFERS, SAFEGUARD PRECIOUS WATER RESOURCES FOR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE, AND PROMOTE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY. PROJECTS IDENTIFIED AND IMPLEMENTED UNDER THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WILL BUILD UPON THE SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO MANAGE THE BI-STATE SAGE GROUSE AND IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AMONG MULTIPLE PARTNERS WHICH ARE CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING OTHER EFFORTS TO MANAGE THIS AND OTHER SPECIES INCLUDING LAHONTAN CUTTHROAT TROUT.PROJECT OBJECTIVES FOR THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT INCLUDE ENHANCING AND RESTORING SAGEBRUSH ECOSYSTEM HABITATS AND THE CONSERVATION RECOVERY OF NATIVE TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC SPECIES WITH A FOCUS ON WET MEADOWS, STREAMS, AND ASSOCIATED UPLANDS IN MESIC AREAS.

LOCALLY ADAPTED NATIVE SEED INCREASE TRIALS FOR RESTORATION IN THE ARID MOJAVE AND GREAT BASIN DESERTS

NV CESU SPRING RESTORATION TO BENEFIT SAGE-GROUSE AND OTHER WILDLIFE IN THE PINE NUT MOUNTAINS

WALKER BASIN CONSERVANCY WBC WILL PARTNER WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT BLM TO PROTECT CRITICAL SPRINGS AND RIPARIAN HABITAT BY EXCLUDING LIVESTOCK WHILE PROVIDING WILDLIFE SAFE ACCESS TO THE AREAS PRELIMINARY PROJECT WORK WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE EAST WALKER RIVER AND MOUNT GRANT INCLUDING AROUND SUMMIT, ABRAHAM, AND FLETCHER SPRINGS FUTURE WORK MAY EXPAND TO INCLUDE WORK AT ADDITIONAL SPRING AND RIPARIAN SITES IN THE REGION, SUCH AS LAPON MEADOWS, BALDWIN SPRINGS, AND RATTLESNAKE SPRING WORK WILL INCLUDE MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION OF WILDLIFE FRIENDLY EXCLUSION FENCING, INSTALLATION OF WATER PIPING AND STOCK TROUGHS, AND MONITORING OF SPRING SITES TO PRESERVE IMPORTANT WATER AND HABITAT RESOURCES FOR THE BENEFIT OF WILDLIFE WBC EXPECTS TO MAINTAIN 4,900 FT OF FENCE, CONVERT 2,640 FEET OF FENCE TO WILDLIFE FRIENDLY FENCE, AND INSTALL 26,400 FT OF PIPING AND 2 WATERING TROUGHS PORTIONS OF THE PROJECT, SPECIFICALLY PIPING TO WATER TROUGHS, ARE SCALABLE DEPENDENT ON AVAILABILITY OF ANY POTENTIAL FUNDS THE PROJECT WILL BENEFIT A VARIETY OF PRIORITY AND GAME SPECIES INCLUDING MULE DEER, PRONGHORN, AND BI STATE SAGE GROUSE POPULATIONS THROUGH INCREASING ACCESS TO AND PROTECTION OF CRITICAL HABITAT THIS WILL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT FOR HABITAT BY DECREASING PERMITTED LIVESTOCK USAGE AROUND SPRING AREAS BY PROVIDING OFF SPRINGS STOCK WATERING SITES

NV CESU CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES IN LYON AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES, NV

NV SEED STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION: NATIVE SEED PRODUCTION DEMONSTRATION

NV CESU CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY OF WESTERN YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS COCCYZUS AMERICANUS ON THE WALKER RIVER CORRIDOR