http://hdl.handle.net/1957/12 2013-05-18T15:28:13Z 2013-05-18T15:28:13Z Kagan, Jimmy Gaines, Lisa http://hdl.handle.net/1957/38607 2013-05-17T20:38:54Z 2013-04-01T00:00:00Z

Methods to develop a crediting strategy for transportation and metropolitan planning agencies: White paper Kagan, Jimmy; Gaines, Lisa The focus of this paper is to identify the ways in which the Ecosystem Services Crediting methodology, part of the Integrated Ecological Framework (IEF), could be developed to make it easily usable and meaningful to transportation agencies. IEF is an ecological assessment process and framework to integrate conservation planning and transportation planning. White paper from the Institute for Natural Resources (INR) is an Oregon University System institute located at Oregon State University and Portland State University.

2013-04-01T00:00:00Z Burcsu, Theresa Kagan, James S. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/38605 2013-05-17T16:45:04Z 2011-06-20T00:00:00Z

Mapping conservation opportunity areas for the Intertwine's Regional Conservation Strategy Burcsu, Theresa; Kagan, James S. As part of efforts to develop the Regional Conservation Strategy (RCS) for the greater Portland-Vancouver region, Oregon State University’s Institute for Natural Resources (INR) was asked to use spatial modeling to identify conservation opportunity areas (COAs). To complete the project, INR analysts proposed a strategy that would map high value areas using a landscape approach that is focused on relatively high spatial resolution data sets available for the whole metropolitan region. The approach creates 2 main metrics: one focused on terrestrial organisms and the other focused on aquatic and riparian organisms. These are combined to create a map of highly ranked land areas that can be used to formulate a map of conservation opportunity areas. The purpose of the COA mapping project was to use geographic information system methods to identify landscape patches with conservation and restoration potential. The criteria used to identify these high value patches was based on a number of base- and derived-data sets that we call “data inputs.” The data ranged from recently mapped land use and land cover types, hydrological data to indicate species habitat requirements, and road influence on habitat patches. The project identified some areas in which data gaps exist (e.g., region-wide biodiversity data collected and mapped in consistent ways) and some opportunities for improving existent data sets (e.g., land use/land cover map). The project provided several layers that can be used to guide the final Regional Conservation Strategy in selecting conservation opportunity areas. The best layer will depend upon the needs of the RCS efforts, however, in our opinion the most appropriate layer to use is COA 3.11.1 which weights wetlands fairly high, but not as highly as the second data draft. COA 3.10.1 offers similar results as well. Overall it appears that the model results corroborate corridors analysis done previously (Hennings and Soll 2010). There are some issues remaining that we feel can most adequately be addressed by updating the base land use/land cover map. Draft report from the Institute for Natural Resources, Portland State University

2011-06-20T00:00:00Z Burcsu, Theresa Albo, Tommy Bernert, Joe Dimiceli, Jennifer Kagan, James S. Noone, Matthew http://hdl.handle.net/1957/38604 2013-05-17T16:33:42Z 2013-05-17T00:00:00Z

Modeling and mapping in support of the Regional conservational Strategy Framework Burcsu, Theresa; Albo, Tommy; Bernert, Joe; Dimiceli, Jennifer; Kagan, James S.; Noone, Matthew Prior to November 2010, when The Intertwine Alliance launched the Regional Conservation Strategy (RCS) and Biodiversity Guide (RBG) efforts for the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region, conservation priorities in the metropolitan region were identified at a broad regional scale that generally excluded urban areas (e.g., state conservation strategies and Willamette Synthesis); were regional but based solely on expert opinion (e.g., Natural Features); and consisted of localized priorities that abruptly ended at jurisdiction boundaries. The goal of the RCS was to fill in the gaps between broad and local scales of information related to conservation priorities. RCS members envisioned a data-driven approach that could add a regional perspective to local efforts and facilitate cross-scale cooperation toward protecting remaining valuable habitat in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region. Also, RCS members expected that the product would complement rather than replace local knowledge, by validating what we know and expanding to areas we know less well. In June 2011, INR completed an initial proof-of-concept product describing high value conservation areas in the Portland-Vancouver region. The product demonstrated a methodology that enabled stakeholder involvement while also being data-driven. In September 2012, we completed a second version of this product that is reported on in this document. While the product is considered complete at this time, it is expected and hoped that the models and data will be updated and improved upon into the future as more and better information becomes available so that the product functions as a “living work” rather than a one-time snapshot in time. Several key products resulted from the project: the High Value Habitat data describing high value terrestrial habitat within the metropolitan region, the Riparian Habitat data describing high value habitat adjacent to streams and rivers, and the high spatial resolution land cover data set describing land cover at a 5 m spatial resolution. Report from the Institute of Natural Resources, Portland State University

2013-05-17T00:00:00Z Christy, John A. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/38596 2013-05-16T16:53:37Z 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z

Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Christy, John A. In July 2012, we sampled 131 plots in wet meadow habitat at the southern end of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Analysis of the data identified eleven different plant associations: Alopecurus pratensis, Carex aquatilis var. aquatilis, Carex nebrascensis, Carex pellita, Carex praegracilis, Carex sheldonii, Distichlis spicata, Juncus balticus, Leymus triticoides, Phalaris arundinacea, and Sparganium eurycarpum. Plant associations spanned a wetland gradient from seasonally moist to seasonally or perennially flooded, but surface water had left most stands at time of sampling. Mean Wetland Indicator Status scores help to place the plant associations within gradients in soil moisture and alkalinity. The Alopecurus pratensis and Phalaris arundinacea associations are dominated by exotic, invasive species and appear to be outcompeting native plant associations. Phases of the Carex praegracilis association appear to be replaced by the Alopecurus pratensis association, while the Carex pellita, Juncus balticus, and Leymus triticoides associations may be replaced by the Phalaris arundinacea association. The Carex aquatilis and Sparganium eurycarpum associations were undersampled and provide only an estimate of composition. Most associations are consistent with what has been included in the National Vegetation Classification. Report by Portland State University's Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC), part of the Oregon University System's Institute for Natural Resources

2013-01-01T00:00:00Z