Landscape Partnership Resources Library

Central Hardwoods JV and Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozarks LCC Boundary Change Letter

A letter regarding the Central Hardwoods JV proposal to modify boundaries of the Appalachian lCC and the Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozark LCC.

National Geographic Framework for Guiding Conservation on a Landscape Scale

In 2009, a new map of ecologically based conservation regions in which to organize capacity and implement strategic habitat conservation was developed using rapid prototyping and expert elicitation by an interagency team of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey scientists and conservation professionals. Incorporating Bird Conservation Regions, Freshwater Ecoregions, and U.S. Geological Survey hydrologic unit codes, the new geographic framework provides a spatial template for building conservation capacity and focusing biological planning and conservation design efforts. The Department of Interior’s Landscape Conservation Cooperatives are being organized in these new conservation regions as multi-stakeholder collaborations for improved conservation science and management.

Boundary Change Map for CHJV and AppLCC

The Central Hardwoods Joint Venture is requesting the entire Central Hardwood Bird Conservation Region be put into the GCPO LCC boundary, which would redefine the Appalachian LCC boundary as seen in this map.

Agenda for October 4th ISC Call

The agenda included a discussion on the Central Hardwoods Joint Venture letter, a decision to approve the Work Plan, and the allocation of the remaining FY12 Funds.

Freshwater Mussels of the Powell River, Virginia and Tennessee: Abundance and Distribution in a Biodiversity Hotspot

Historically, the Powell River had a diverse freshwater mussel fauna of 46 species. Various surveys conducted over the past century have recorded a decline in mussel densities and diversity throughout much of the river, due to historical and on-going anthropogenic impacts. In 2008 and 2009, random timed-search, systematic search, and quadrat sampling of 21 sites were completed to document species richness, relative abundance, density, and size-class structure of resident mussel populations. We recorded 19 species from 18 sites, including 5 endangered species during quadrat sampling efforts. he mussel fauna of the lower Powell River continues to represent one of the most diverse in the United States. Outside of the Powell River, only 2 or 3 populations remain for most of the listed species extant in the river. Given these qualities, the Powell River deserves recognition as a location for focused conservation efforts to protect its diverse mussel assemblage.