JV Breeding Waterfowl (Pxl)

[Joint Ventures] (JVs) are bird conservation partnerships, established to achieve the goals of the [North American Waterfowl Management Plan] (NAWMP). There are 22 bird habitat JVs in North America, and our JV, the [Upper Mississippi/Great Lakes Region Joint Venture] (UMGL JV) is located in the Midwest, in a pivotal location in the [Mississippi Flyway], for people involved in [migratory bird] conservation. We are a collaborative, regional group of government agencies, tribes, nonprofit organizations, corporations, universities, and individuals that conserve habitat for the benefit of migratory birds, other wildlife, and people. Our landscape includes eastern Minnesota; all of Wisconsin and Michigan; eastern Nebraska and Kansas; western, southern and eastern Iowa; northern Missouri, Illinois and Indiana; and northwestern Ohio. To address Waterfowl habitat limitation during the breeding period and improve population trend in our JV, we aim to maximize focal species recruitment through conservation of high quality breeding habitats. To help achieve this objective, we used the spatial datasets of four breeding focal species (Mallard, Wood Duck, Blue-winged Teal, and Ring-necked Duck; see breeding habitat density and distribution maps in Appendix A of the strategic plan). We started with the Landscape Suitability Index (LSI) of each focal species (see plan for details). Habitat polygons with high suitability (suitability score >0.6) were weighted for each species based on its representation of the duck community composition (calculated from abundance data collected in the primary breeding states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan; 20%, 45%, 14%, 6% for Wood Duck, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, and Ring-necked Duck, respectively). Next, we combined species datasets, converted habitat polygons to inside-points, and performed a weighted (kernel) density analysis using weighted habitat points and average bandwidth after performing kernel density analysis for each species separately. This process resulted in a model highlighting the areas having the most important waterfowl breeding habitats for retention and expansion, where Mallards (most abundant focal species) having the largest influence on overall waterfowl breeding concentration and Ring-necked Ducks having the smallest influence. Finally, we converted the original raster dataset of this model to TIFF format (this product) to improve data visualization, assessment, and interactivity online. The raster map was published in the JV Waterfowl Habitat Conservation Strategy – 2017 Revision (Figure 15A). It was also the main layer in Figure 1A in JV's technical report 2017-1 entitled: Targeting Conservation for Waterfowl and People: A Decision Support Tool. This product shows the distribution and relative density (scale of 0 – 1; values of low – high) of the most valuable areas (pixel neighborhoods) across the JV region, to acquire or manage whatever the required conservation action at the local scale is (i.e., retention, protection, and or restoration). Aggregate-priority-areas, emphasized mostly across Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 12 and 23 and surrounding areas, were predicted to produce the most value for the decision makers. This product can be scaled-down (i.e., stepped-down to state, watershed, county, or any smaller target area) and supplemented with additional local data for customized output maps depicting best areas for Waterfowl breeding habitat restoration vs. retention vs. enhancement. See the JV website and related step-down publications for details. Links: * To download this TIFF dataset and related data, metadata, and documentation, please contact us. * To view and explore this TIFF dataset and related data, please visit the [online experience of the UMGL JV Decision Support Tools]. References: * Model codes and final steps (for internal use of UMGLJV staff): (i) AgsJvwMrg4BwfLsi_HghHghst_1PtKd1kmR11345mNrmByMax_R = albers_Jv17WfBrdYs. (ii) albers_Jv17WfBrdYs → converted to TIFF and projected on-the-fly to WGS84 → renamed to Jv17WfBrdYsR. * For internal use of USFWS staff: Data Management Plan (DMP) ID = 763; Title: UMGL JV Breeding Waterfowl Distribution.