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Protected areas (PAs) are a key component of most conservation strategies because they are thought to enhance biodiversity value relative to similar habitats in working landscapes. To examine whether PAs in Nova Scotia are functioning to enhance the biodiversity value of the landscapes in which they are embedded, we surveyed breeding bird communities in forested wetlands inside and outside of a large PA during 2018 and 2019. We found significantly higher species richness and diversity at sites in the working landscape relative to those inside the PA. Bird communities from different wetland types inside the PA were distinct from each other and those outside the PA, whereas bird communities at outside sites were homogenized and comprised of more early-successional species. There were numerous species of conservation concern at both inside and outside sites, indicating that both types of sites are playing important conservation roles. Abundances of these key species were driven by a combination of local (e.g., water table depth, herb, and shrub cover) and landscape scale factors (e.g., edge density and human disturbance). The higher abundance of long-distance migrants and insectivores at inside sites suggests PAs are providing critical additional support to key guilds that are in steep decline.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in materio-vigilance - also known as medical device vigilance - has emerged as a promising strategy for improving the efficiency and safety of medical device monitoring. This theoretical investigates the use of artificial intelligence in materio-vigilance and its likely advantages. Materio-vigilance is an important part of healthcare systems all over the world. Its goal is to keep medical devices safe and working well. With the rising intricacy and volume of clinical gadget information, there is a developing requirement for cutting edge innovations to help effective and exact checking and observation. Simulated intelligence, with its capacity to break down huge datasets, distinguish designs, and create bits of knowledge, holds extraordinary commitment in changing materio-vigilance rehearses. The use of man-made intelligence in materio-vigilance offers a few likely advantages. First, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are capable of analyzing a variety of data sources, such as adverse event reports, electronic health records, and device registries, in order to discover previously unnoticed patterns and associations. This enables prompt interventions and enhanced patient safety by enabling the early detection of adverse events and potential safety issues. Furthermore, computer-based intelligence can aid the mechanization of unfavorable occasion detailing and sign identification processes, diminishing the weight on medical services experts and upgrading proficiency. Unstructured data, such as medical literature and social media posts, can be processed by AI-powered systems to identify emerging safety issues and continuously track device performance. Additionally, AI has the potential to aid in the creation of predictive models that make proactive risk management and targeted interventions possible. AI algorithms are able to identify individuals who are at a higher risk of adverse events by analysing patient characteristics, device usage patterns, and clinical outcomes. This makes it possible for personalized healthcare strategies to be implemented. Additionally, AI-powered decision support systems can help healthcare professionals select, use, and monitor post-market devices in an informed manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) were used as a case study to assess whether Ontario’s Endangered Species Act proponent-driven regulatory approach resulted in successful imperilled species management outcomes. American Eel observation databases and proponent-prepared mitigation plans and monitoring data were used to assess whether: (i) facilities within the distribution range were registered, (ii) effects monitoring protocols were adequate to evaluate adverse effects of facilities, (iii) proponents implemented mitigation actions that followed best management practices (BMPs), and (iv) effectiveness monitoring designs were adequate to evaluate effectiveness of mitigation actions. Less than half of the facilities (8 of 17) within the extant species range were registered. Few eels were observed at each facility, precluding proponents from effectively evaluating the facilities’ effects. Mitigation actions following BMPs were only implemented for eel out-migration at three facilities. Half of the registered facilities implemented effectiveness monitoring, but experimental designs did not follow best practices and standards. To improve this proponent-driven approach, regulators could reduce ambiguity in regulation language and provide clearer, quantitative requirements for facility registration, effects monitoring, mitigation actions, and effectiveness monitoring. Proponents could improve monitoring efforts to establish species occurrence and generate baseline data to measure facility effects and mitigation action effectiveness.

Sagebrush communities, covering millions of hectares in the western United States, are among our most imperiled ecosystems. They are challenged by various anthropogenic stressors, including invasion by nonnative grasses that degrade habitat quality and alter ecosystem function. Sagebrush restoration efforts are underway to improve habitat conditions to benefit a wide range of sagebrush-dependent species. Because birds are good indicators of habitat quality, monitoring avian metrics is an effective way to measure progress of sagebrush restoration. We compared avian community composition and individual species abundance among three sagebrush–steppe habitat types with varying degrees of invasion by nonnative crested wheatgrass Agropyron cristatum at the Camas National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Idaho, USA. Sagebrush-obligate birds, such as sage thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus and sagebrush sparrow Artemisiospiza nevadensis, were most abundant in sagebrush habitats with an understory of native grass. Community composition was similar between sagebrush habitats with native and nonnative grasses, but quite different from bird communities occupying crested wheatgrass. The Habitats and Populations Strategies database, a conservation planning tool, predicts that restoration of crested wheatgrass sites to sagebrush in poor or fair condition will increase the density of sagebrush-obligate bird species. Taken together, these results suggest that restoration of crested wheatgrass near-monocultures back to sagebrush will improve habitat value for much of the bird community whether or not the understory can be converted to primarily native grasses, or a mix of natives and nonnatives. Of the sagebrush bird species of concern, Brewer's sparrow Spizella breweri occupied sagebrush habitats with native vs. nonnative understory at similar abundances, and this species could serve as a metric of intermediate restoration success. However, sagebrush sparrow and sage thrasher, which were significant indicators of sagebrush with native grasses, will likely benefit most from full restoration of a native herbaceous understory. Grassland-obligate birds such as horned lark Eremophila alpestris and grasshopper sparrow Ammodramus savannarum were most abundant at crested wheatgrass–dominated sites and may not benefit from restoration back to shrubland; managers should understand potential trade-offs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the demand for, and scale of, ecological restoration increasing globally, effectiveness monitoring remains a significant challenge. For forest restoration, structural complexity is a recognised indicator of ecosystem biodiversity and in turn a surrogate for restoration effectiveness. Structural complexity captures the diversity in vegetation elements, from tree height to species composition, and the layering of these elements is critical for dependent organisms which rely upon them for their survival. Traditional methods of measuring structural complexity are costly and time-consuming, resulting in a discrepancy between the scales of 'available' versus 'needed' information. With advancements in both sensors and platforms, there exists an unprecedented opportunity for landscape-level effectiveness monitoring using remote sensing. We here review the key literature on passive (e.g., optical) and active (e.g., LiDAR) sensors and their available platforms (spaceborne to unmanned aerial vehicles) used to capture structural attributes at the tree- and stand-level relevant for effectiveness monitoring. Good cross-validation between remotely sensed and ground truthed data has been shown for many traditional attributes, but remote sensing offers opportunities for assessment of novel or difficult to measure attributes. While there are examples of the application of such technologies in forestry and conservation ecology, there are few reports of remote sensing for monitoring the effectiveness of ecological restoration actions in reversing land degradation. Such monitoring requires baseline data for the restoration site as well as benchmarking the trajectory of remediation against the structural complexity of a reference system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riparian systems support disproportionately high biodiversity and are critical for avian conservation in the western United States, yet much historic riparian habitat has been lost or degraded. Restoration of riparian vegetation and associated ecological processes is a high priority, and birds can serve as indicators of restoration success. Here, we analyze data from 17 y of constant-effort mist netting at an urban riparian restoration site to examine changes in capture rates from 2001 to 2017. Capture rates of 4 of 17 species commonly using the site during autumn, and 6 of 14 species using the site during winter, increased over time, and more so in the restored area compared to the mature riparian reference area. This suggests that these birds increased use of the restored habitat area as riparian tree and shrub plantings matured. Birds that responded positively to restoration included several species that breed in and are considered indicators of coniferous forest habitats (Purple Finch, Oregon Junco, Hermit Thrush, and Fox Sparrow) that often inhabit riparian areas during the non-breeding season. Species that breed in riparian habitat did not show as consistent or as strong of a non-breeding season response to restoration. Riparian birds associated with open, wet herbaceous vegetation (Common Yellowthroat and Lincoln's Sparrow) declined in the restored area in autumn while maintaining stable capture rates in the reference area. Three species of finch (Spinus spp.) used the restored habitat, and the site as a whole, in far fewer numbers during the autumn dispersal and migration period in the years following restoration, likely owing to invasive teasel removal efforts. Taken together, these results suggest that restoration actions can result in trade-offs that benefit some birds while reducing suitable habitat for others. Birds complete important activities in the autumn and winter, including dispersal, migration stopover, and molt, so restoration work that supports bird populations during the non-breeding season, even at relatively small urban sites, can make important contributions to their conservation. However, managers should consider the goals of restoration actions in the context of species- or guild-specific responses to restoration-associated changes in vegetation structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Placement of large wood is a common stream restoration technique in western North America and increasingly in other parts of the world. Considerable information exists on response of anadromous salmonids in small (< 15 m bankfull width) coastal streams of western North America, but limited information exists on anadromous fish response to wood placement in larger streams or in the more arid interior Columbia River Basin. An extensive post-treatment design was used to sample 29 large wood placement projects to determine their physical and biological effectiveness. We sampled paired treatment and control reaches that were approximately 20 times longer than bankfull width and quantified fish abundance and habitat attributes during summer. Proportion of pool area, number of pools, large wood (LW), and pool forming large wood were significantly higher in paired treatment than control reaches. Juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), steelhead (O. mykiss) coho salmon (O. kisutch), and cutthroat trout (O. clarkii) abundances were significantly higher in treatment than control reaches, but no significant responses were detected for mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) or dace (Rhinichthys spp.). Chinook and coho responses were positively correlated with LW and pool area suggesting wood placement produced reach-scale increases of juvenile salmonid abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lower Colorado River Multi‐species Conservation Program (MSCP) is charged with restoring habitat for 26 species such as the southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) impacted by water development projects on the river. As of 2015, the MSCP had spent $200 million to create 1,200 ha of habitat at nine sites, but the benefits to these insectivorous birds and other target species have not been quantified. Many MSCP projects emphasized riparian plantings of willow (Salix exigua, Salix gooddingii) and cottonwood (Populus fremontii) on high terraces disconnected from the river. We documented prey availability for insectivores in constructed habitats as an indicator of restoration effectiveness. Using sticky traps as a proxy to estimate aerial insect flux, we found the number of aquatic insects, proportion of aquatic insects, total number of insects, and number of insect orders were all significantly lower in MSCP plantation sites than at the river's edge. Riparian restoration sites over 100 m from the river had only 4% of the aquatic insects, 20% of the total insects, and only half as many insect orders as sites adjacent to the river. Thus, food availability and overall habitat quality for insectivores are likely low in restoration sites that are distant from the river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Securing environmental flows in support of freshwater biodiversity is an evolving field of practice. An example of a large-scale program dedicated to restoring environmental flows is the Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, which has been restoring flows in dewatered tributary habitats for imperiled salmon species over the past decade. This paper discusses a four-tiered flow restoration accounting framework for tracking the implementation and impacts of water transactions as an effective tool for adaptive management. The flow restoration accounting framework provides compliance and flow accounting information to monitor transaction efficacy. We review the implementation of the flow restoration accounting framework monitoring framework to demonstrate (a) the extent of water transactions that have been implemented over the past decade, (b) the volumes of restored flow in meeting flow targets for restoring habitat for anadromous fish species, and (c) an example of aquatic habitat enhancement that resulted from Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program investments. Project results show that from 2002 to 2015, the Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program has completed more than 450 water rights transactions, restoring approximately 1.59 million megaliters to date, with an additional 10.98 million megaliters of flow protected for use over the next 100 years. This has resulted in the watering of over 2414 stream kilometers within the Columbia Basin. We conclude with a discussion of the insights gained through the implementation of the flow restoration accounting framework. Understanding the approach and efficacy of a monitoring framework applied across a large river basin can be informative to emerging flow-restoration and adaptive management efforts in areas of conservation concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing and implementing natural resource monitoring is a challenging endeavor undertaken by many agencies, NGOs, and citizen groups worldwide. Yet many monitoring programs fail to deliver useful information for a variety of administrative (staffing, documentation, and funding) or technical (sampling design and data analysis) reasons. Programs risk failure if they lack a clear motivating problem or question, explicit objectives linked to this problem or question, and a comprehensive conceptual model of the system under study. Designers must consider what Bsuccess^ looks like from a resource management perspective, how desired outcomes translate to appropriate attributes to monitor, and how they will be measured. All such efforts should be filtered through the question BWhy is this important?^ Failing to address these considerations will produce a program that fails to deliver the desired information.We addressed these issues through creation of a Broad map^ for designing and implementing a monitoring program, synthesizing multiple aspects of a monitoring program into a single, overarching framework. The road map emphasizes linkages among core decisions to ensure alignment of all components, from problem framing through technical details of data collection and analysis, to program administration. Following this framework will help avoid common pitfalls, keep projects on track and budgets realistic, and aid in program evaluations. The road map has proved useful for monitoring by individuals and teams, those planning new monitoring, and those reviewing existing monitoring and for staff with a wide range of technical and scientific skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological integrity of managed forests includes the ability of an ecosystem to support a community of organisms with a similar species composition and functional organization as found in nearby natural systems. We developed an indicator system for ecological integrity based on simulated natural disturbance and indicator species to test if forest condition and habitat in managed forests are similar to that found or expected in natural systems. We then applied the method in an area of the boreal forest (Ontario, Canada) where the objective of Ontario's strategic forest management planning approach is, in part, to conserve ecological integrity through the emulation of the natural disturbance process. Forest condition controls the supply of habitat to support the diversity of native organisms, and historically in boreal forests the natural disturbance process drove forest condition. We selected indicators of forest condition (landscape pattern and compositional mosaic) and habitat function (occupancy rates for a broad range of forest birds), and applied our assessment system to test whether indicators of forest condition and habitat function reflect outcomes expected if natural disturbance processes were successfully emulated. We collected occupancy data in natural and managed forest disturbance types using autonomous acoustic recorders, applied occupancy/detection modeling to estimate corrected occupancy rates ( ψ ), and then tested for differences in ψ between disturbance types. Some indicators of forest condition were within the range expected under natural disturbance, but we found relatively less old conifer, more young deciduous and greater edge density in managed forests relative to forests of natural disturbance origin. Most species (11 of 14) occurred with equal ψ in habitat originating from the two disturbance types. Brown creeper ( Certhia americana ), bay-breasted warbler ( Mniotilta varia ) and red-eyed vireo ( Vireo olivaceus) differed between disturbance types. Brown creeper uses older conifer and occurred at lower rates in managed forest, while red-eyed vireo uses a range of deciduous forest ages, and occurred at higher rates in managed forest. Differences in quantity and/or quality of specific habitat types likely explain the responses. The results suggest what directional changes in the forest pattern and compositional mosaic would improve ecological similarity with natural systems, but also indicate what further research is required. We believe this approach to assessing ecological integrity can be adapted to study the effectiveness of conservation management strategies in other systems, and will contribute to adaptive management approaches and evidence-based policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using mechanical treatments to mimic natural disturbances is becoming a standard management and restoration approach. In the Sierra Nevada, as throughout much of western North America, much of aspen habitat is in poor health. Because of the high ecological value of healthy aspen, and its limited extent on the landscape, restoration to reverse the decline and improve stand health has become a management priority in the region. To evaluate the ecological effects of mechanically removing competing conifers to restore aspen in the Sierra Nevada, we compared vegetation characteristics and bird abundance in treated and untreated aspen stands on the Lassen National Forest before and up to 13 years after mechanical conifer removal. Treatments reduced total canopy cover and increased herbaceous cover and the number of aspen stems, while shrub and overstory aspen covers were unchanged. Of 10 aspen focal bird species, 7 increased in abundance following treatment relative to controls, including all species associated with early seral aspen habitat and cavity nesting species; none declined. In contrast, of the six conifer focal species, the four associated with denser conifer habitat declined as a result of the treatments. The two species associated with conifer edges and understory cover increased. Our results demonstrate mechanical conifer removal treatments can provide ecologically meaningful changes in habitat for the avian community and are an effective tool for restoring ecological values of degraded aspen habitat for birds in the Sierra Nevada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Fire Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: We describe and label four types of monitoring—surveillance, implementation, effectiveness, and ecological effects—that are designed to answer very different questions and achieve very different goals. Surveillance monitoring is designed to uncover change in target variables over space and time; implementation monitoring is designed to record whether management actions were applied as prescribed; effectiveness monitoring is designed to evaluate whether a given management action was effective in meeting a stated management objective; and ecological effects monitoring is designed to uncover unintended ecological consequences of management actions. Public land management agencies have focused heavily on implementation and effectiveness monitoring and very little on the more ecologically oriented surveillance and ecological effects monitoring. Tradeoffs, in the form of unintended ecological consequences, are important to consider in the management of natural resources, yet lack of ecological effects monitoring data has hindered our ability to fully understand these tradeoffs. Our proposed monitoring classification scheme offers practitioners and stakeholders a framework that explicitly identifies the type of monitoring they are conducting. We also suggest that, as a start, the effectiveness and ecological effects of a particular type of management activity can be approached rapidly and relatively inexpensively through use of a chronosequence approach to learning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) comprises only a small fraction (1 %) of the Sierra Nevada landscape, yet contributes significant biological diversity to this range. In an effort to rejuvenate declining aspen stands, the Bureau of Land Management conducted conifer removal in three sites (2004 to 2006) and prescribed fire in two sites (2007). The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of these treatments. In each site, aspen densities in three regeneration size classes were measured in treated and untreated transects before and up to five years post-treatment. Five years after treatment, two of the three conifer removal sites showed significant improvement over controls in the density of total stems and two of three regeneration size classes. The third site did not show significant gains over controls in any size class and experienced significant aspen overstory mortality three years after treatment, which was attributed to sunscald and advanced age at the time of treatment. Three years after treatment, the two prescribed fire sites showed significant increases in total stem density and two regeneration size classes, but also exhibited significant stem mortality, which was likely due to a combination of herbivory and drought. Overall, both treatments can be effective, but future treatments should incorporate methods to reduce post-treatment mortality of residual aspen and new sprouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Many rangeland streams and associated fisheries have suffered from livestock grazing as a cost of upland-forage utilization. Due to damage from intensive usage, restoration of damaged streams is now a common land-management objective. The Squaw Valley Ranch of Elko County, Nevada, US, in cooperation with the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Barrick Gold Corp., is attempting to improve those portions of the Rock Creek watershed negatively affected by past ranch operations. The watershed includes both historical and occupied habitat for the threatened Lahonton cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi [Richardson]). From 2003, and continuing to the present, hot-season livestock grazing on Squaw Valley Ranch private and permitted public-land riparian areas was greatly reduced. To assess the effectiveness of this conservation effort, we (1) evaluated BLM archived images of riparian photo points in the watershed, (2) tested for change over time using data from systematic, intermittent, aerial sampling that acquired 2-cm resolution images from low-altitude surveys conducted in 2003, 2004 and 2006, and (3) compared Landsat scenes of the area from before and after 2003. Willow (Salix spp.) cover was chosen as the primary ecological indictor of riparian condition and we introduce willow canopy (m2) per m of stream length in the image field-of-view, as a practical measure of willow status. Archived images from photo points show mostly low-condition riparian plant communities, often with little or no willow canopy evident before 2003, but with conspicuous improvement thereafter. This subjective perception is supported by objective analyses finding, (1) the relative increase in willow cover nearly tripled on one stream, more than doubled on three others, and increased on all but one (fire affected) and (2) a highly significant post-2003 increase in willows in the Landsat record. Thus, the post-2003 increase in willow cover documented in three complementary lines of evidence from ground, air, and space support the predicted ecological benefits of reduced hot-season riparian grazing and the utility of 2-cm imagery as a tool for assessing watershed-wide conservation benefits from a federal cost-share-eligible conservation practice. This appears to be the first use of willow measurements from an aerial survey as a particular indicator of riparian condition and trend and the first demonstration of change detection based on objective measurements from a watershed-scale riparian monitoring effort that used systematic sampling (versus subjective selection) and high sample density to address the large Type II error (false negative) risk common to conventional land-management survey efforts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Restoration of forest ecosystems is a common oblective of land managers throughout the western United States. Unfortunately, limited federal funding and a lack of specific enforcement of existing regulations has resulted in a lack of effectiveness monitoring (monitoring that provides information on the successes and impacts of the activity or prolect) after forest restoration activities on federal lands, thus inhibiting learning about, and improving the success of, restoration efforts. Monitoring could potentially be conducted on limited federal budgets through use of (1) multiparty teams composed of volunteers on a portion of restoration sites, (2) a statistical sampling strategy on a limited set of sites for intensive monitoring by federal monitoring teams, and (3) remote sensing to monitor a select set of variables across a broad portion of the affected landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fishways and other passage facilities frequently prevent or delay the passage of fishes, highlighting the need for effectiveness monitoring. We reviewed the scientific literature from 1960 to 2008 reporting on effectiveness monitoring of fish passage facilities to assess what taxa and life-stages have been studied, the questions that are asked during evaluation, and how these varied over time or by geographic region. We identified 96 peer-reviewed articles of which 68% focused on passage by adult fishes. Salmoniformes was the most studied order (58% of studies). The focus of fishway evaluations did not change over the years, but varied significantly by geographic region. Studies from the tropics had a broader taxonomic scope than studies from temperate locations. Exogenous mechanisms of passage failure, such as environmental, structural and behavioural factors, were studied in 90% of studies from North America but only ∼50% of studies from Europe, South America and Australia. Endogenous (i.e. physiological) mechanisms affecting passage success were not often assessed anywhere, though they were a powerful means of evaluating mechanisms of failure. Few studies monitored migration after fish had left a facility. To improve effectiveness monitoring of passage facilities, we suggest that both endogenous and exogenous mechanisms need to be studied in an integrated fashion to understand passage failure and to inform design or operational changes that could improve passage efficiency. In addition post-departure monitoring is required to more completely assess the fitness consequences of passage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forestry Chronicle is the property of Canadian Institute of Forestry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The assumption that restoring physical habitat heterogeneity will increase biodiversity underlies many river restoration projects, despite few tests of the hypothesis. With over 6,000 in-stream habitat enhancement projects implemented in the last decade at a cost exceeding $1 billion, there is a clear need to assess the consistency of responses, as well as factors explaining project performance. We adopted an alternative approach to individual case-studies by applying meta-analysis to quantify macroinvertebrate responses to in-stream habitat restoration. Meta-analysis of 24 separate studies showed that increasing habitat heterogeneity had significant, positive effects on macroinvertebrate richness, although density increases were negligible. Large woody debris additions produced the largest and most consistent responses, whereas responses to boulder additions and channel reconfigurations were positive, yet highly variable. Among all strategies, the strength and consistency of macroinvertebrate responses were related to land use or watershed-scale conditions, but appeared independent of project size, stream size, or recovery time. Overall, the low quality and quantity of pre- and post-project monitoring data reduced the robustness of our meta-analysis. Specifically, the scope and strength of conclusions regarding the ubiquity of macroinvertebrate responses to restoration, as well as the identification of variables controlling project performance was limited. More robust applications of meta-analysis to advance the science and practice of river restoration will require implementing rigorous study designs, including pre- and post-project monitoring replicated at both restored and control sites, collection of abiotic and biotic variables at relevant spatiotemporal scales, and increased reporting of monitoring results in peer-reviewed journals and/or regional databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A useful theoretical approach in the literature for those trying to conserve forest biodiversity involves a number of strategies to achieve maintenance of habitat for different species across multiple spatial and temporal scales. This approach emphasises the importance of implementing measures in off-reserve areas to complement reserve systems. This contrasts with both the traditional ‘set-aside’ approach to conservation and the primary aim of production forestry. Translating this risk-spreading approach into on-ground practice is often a difficult task. Using the conservation management of habitat for hollow-using fauna in Tasmania''s production forests as a case study, we explore the issues associated with adopting the theory and applying it to on-ground practice. The approach that has evolved is evaluated in terms of the strategies proposed in the literature. The inadequacy of the existing reserve system in Tasmania to fully cater for the conservation of threatened hollow-users, problems associated with the current ‘off-reserve’ measures, impediments to effective implementation and the use of an adaptive management framework are highlighted. We provide some practical considerations to guide more effective implementation. This includes the development of measurable objectives, integration of conservation goals with silvicultural goals, development of clear and practical guidelines, effective training and communication programs and the development of a monitoring and an adaptive management process agreed to by all stakeholders. The ongoing success of such an approach depends on a high level of commitment by all involved to the overall goal of ecologically sustainable forestry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Across the Pacific Northwest (PNW), both public and private agents are working to improve riverine habitat for a variety of reasons, including improving conditions for threatened and endangered salmon. These projects are moving forward with little or no knowledge of specific linkages between restoration actions and the responses of target species. Targeted effectiveness monitoring of these actions is required to redress this lack of mechanistic understanding, but such monitoring depends on detailed restoration information—that is, implementation monitoring. This article describes the process of assembling a database of restoration projects intended to improve stream and river habitat throughout the PNW. We designed the database specifically to address the needs of regional monitoring programs that evaluate the effectiveness of restoration actions. The database currently contains spatially referenced, project-level data on over 23,000 restoration actions initiated at over 35,000 locations in the last 15 years (98% of projects report start or end dates between 1991 and 2005) in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Data sources included federal, state, local, nongovernmental organization, and tribal contributors. The process of database production identified difficulties in the design of regional project tracking systems. The technical design issues range from low-level information such as what defines a project or a location to high-level issues that include data validation and legalities of interagency data sharing. The completed database will inform efficient monitoring design, effectiveness assessments, and restoration project planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hundreds of millions of dollars per year are spent on river restoration in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), but little is known about the effectiveness of this effort. To help address this gap, we analyzed a database containing 23,000 projects at 35,000 locations in the region. We selected a subset of these projects for interviews using a survey instrument developed by a national team of scientists. In total, 47 project contacts in the PNW were interviewed to learn from the individuals directly involved in restoration. At least one-third of the projects surveyed (34%) did not conduct sufficient monitoring to evaluate effectiveness. More than two-thirds (70%) of all respondents reported their projects were successful, but 43% either have no success criteria or are unaware of any criteria for their project. Although almost two-thirds (66%) of respondents anticipate a need for ongoing project maintenance, less than half (43%) have maintenance funds available. These findings suggest that establishing a connection between effectiveness monitoring and project implementation is not a usual component of project design. Consequently, we can only assess the benefits in a few isolated projects and cannot quantify the cumulative benefits of restoration on a larger scale. These findings highlight the need for (1) planning prior to implementation of restoration projects that accounts for monitoring design; (2) coordinated effectiveness monitoring to assess cumulative effects of restoration; and (3) management and maintenance of projects based on real measures of project performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A conceptual model of sustainable forest management is described based on three connected and necessary components: Policy/Strategic Planning, Operational Planning, and EffectivenessMonitoring/Science. Alberta’s proposed Forest Management Planning Standard is described as an example of operational planning. The standard utilizes coarse and fine filter approaches to conserving biodiversity and sets requirements for implementation monitoring. The Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Program (ABMP) is described as an example of effectiveness monitoring supporting Operational Planning. The ABMP is a rigorous science-based initiative that is being developed to monitor and report on biodiversity status and trends throughout the province of Alberta, Canada. The basic survey design consists of 1656 sites, 20 km apart, evenly spaced on a grid pattern across Alberta. Sites will be sampled over a five-year period at a rate of 350 sites/year. Standardized sampling protocols will be used to cover a broad range of species and habitat elements within terrestrial and aquatic environments, as well as broader landscape-level features. Trends and associations detected by ABMP products will be validated through cause-effect research. ABMP focuses research on critical issues and informs both operational planning and the development of policy and strategic-level plans. The Alberta Forest Management Planning Standard and the ABMP are described as key components to implementing resource planning based on ecosystem management principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspen is considered a keystone species, and aspen communities are critical for maintaining biodiversity in western landscapes. Inventories of aspen stand health across the Eagle Lake Ranger District (ELRD), Lassen National Forest, California, U.S.A., indicate that 77% of stands are in decline and at risk of loss as defined by almost complete loss of mature aspen with little or no regeneration. This decline is due to competition from conifers establishing within aspen stands as a result of modification of natural fire regimes coupled with excessive browsing by livestock. Restoration treatments were implemented in four aspen stands in 1999 using mechanical equipment to remove competing conifers to enhance the growth environment for aspen. Recruitment and establishment of aspen stems were measured in treated stands (removal of competing conifers) and non-treated stands (control) immediately prior to treatment and 2 and 4 years post-treatment. There was a significant increase in total aspen stem density and in two of three aspen regeneration size classes for treated stands compared to controls. Pre-treatment total aspen density was positively associated with total aspen density and density in all size classes of aspen (p<0.001). The results demonstrate that mechanical removal of conifers is an effective treatment for restoring aspen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The condition of aquatic habitat and the health of species dependent on that habitat are issues of significant concern to land management agencies, other organizations, and the public at large in southeastern Alaska, as well as along much of the Pacific coastal region of North America. We develop and test a set of effectiveness monitoring procedures for measuring change in floodplain channel habitat in southeastern Alaska. Variables include measures of channel morphology, pool size, pool spatial density, and bed surface grain size distribution. These procedures provide methods of data collection and analysis that, in the context of a statistically defensible sampling protocol, allow for determination of rate and direction of change among different intensities of land use, and thereby evaluation of management strategies. Assessment of channel condition can also contribute to evaluation of both restoration needs and success of restoration activities. Information gained from these procedures, together with information, where available, on watershed and riparian condition and processes and land use history will contribute to interpretation of measured change and its linkage to specific disturbances. Relationships among channel condition indicators and salmonid densities as well as opportunities for future research to better understand ecosystem elements that support biologic productivity are addressed in a companion paper in this volume (Bryant and Edwards). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Rivers and streams that support anadromous salmonids are an important part of land management planning in southeastern Alaska and the Pacific Northwest of North America. Land managers and planners require a consistent set of protocols that include both the physical and biological aspects of the stream for effectiveness monitoring procedures to evaluate management activities in forested watersheds. We apply a quantitative method to estimate salmonid populations and link these estimates to a set of physical variables used in an assessment of channel condition at the reach scale. We are able to obtain precise estimates of juvenile salmonid populations at the habitat and reach scale; however, we find a lack of strong relationships between channel condition variables and salmonid densities. Nonetheless, a few trends appear, such as relationships between coho salmon and both pools and large wood. A significant and positive relationship exists between coho salmon fry density and two measures of pool frequency. Our results suggest that the response of fish populations to changes in the amount and quality of habitat can be measured by using the tested procedures. Complexity in habitat use, seasonal effects, and external factors tend to mask close relationships between fish populations and physical variables. We also discuss the implications for trophic status for fish populations and how this information may provide a more robust evaluation of land management activities on the aquatic biota in managed watersheds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a species of special concern throughout its northern range. It is considered to be sensitive to forest management practices because it requires dense mature hardwood forest for nesting. In Ontario, guidelines that prescribe spatial and temporal buffers were developed in about 1990 to mitigate the potential impacts of harvesting. We monitored 84 nesting areas of red-shouldered hawks in central and southeastern Ontario from 1988 to 1995 to describe the effects of forest management practices on the occupancy and productivity of nesting areas, to evaluate the effectiveness of the guidelines, and recommend modifications as appropriate. The number of years nesting areas had been used previously had a significant negative effect on activity status, but not on nest success. Nesting areas harvested with application of the guidelines had a similar probability of being active to those in uncut forest but nesting areas harvested without application of the guidelines did not. Neither the area nor proximity of selection cuts with a moderate to high residual basal area (≥ 18 m²/ha) affected the activity status of nesting areas. In contrast, the area and proximity of heavy cuts (shelterwood cuts or selection cuts with a residual basal area of 14-16 m²/ha) appeared to have a negative effect on activity status. When nesting areas were active, the proximity and amount of harvesting did not influence nest success. We concluded that the impact of harvesting on the activity status of nesting areas could be mitigated by prohibiting heavy cuts within 300 m of active nests and retaining ≥ 20 ha of forest dominated by tolerant and mid-tolerant hardwood trees, ≥ 18 m tall, with ≥ 70% canopy closure around nests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Forest understory was a significant contributor to wildlife relative abundance. • Consideration of life history strategy improved understanding of species responses. • Forest habitat characteristics and climate were often more important than disturbance. • Many forest resource inventories do not adequately capture wildlife habitat. • Monitoring habitat at multiple scales may improve sustainability assessment. Assessing the impacts of forest harvest on biodiversity is a key mandate for demonstrating sustainable forest management in many jurisdictions, yet the identification of an appropriate suite of wildlife and habitat indicators remains a challenge. We used individual species-based modelling and a spatially extensive dataset of forest-dependent bird, amphibian, and mammal species to measure the strength of response and prominent patterns among taxa to variation in forest habitat conditions, ranging from understory site characteristics to landscape level patterns. Our findings revealed that understory habitat was a significant contributor to species relative abundance. Stand level features and climate were generally more important than disturbance or landscape patterns in affecting wildlife response. There was much variability among species in the specific habitat conditions and scales of importance, consistent with the inherent complexity and diversity of forest ecosystems. Our work highlights that setting targets and monitoring for a diverse range of wildlife and habitat indicators at multiple scales, including understory features, may be needed to adequately assess biodiversity response to sustainable forest management activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]