Chapter 7 Monitoring
Three fundamental monitoring needs include:
• Long-term monitoring to identify population trends of SGCN and other priority species • Working with partners to establish appropriate protocols, schedules, and sites for long- term population monitoring • Monitoring for selected fishes and mussel species in western region river basins Special-purpose monitoring is needed to assess the performance of specific conservation actions, including stream restoration projects, hydropower remediation, and species enhancement and restoration projects. Nonnative species impacts need to be monitored, especially impacts by populations of potentially injurious nonnative species, and impacts to SGCN when specific nonnative species are identified within river basins. 7.3.3 Birds It is important to continue ongoing monitoring coordination and adhere to recommendations developed by national and regional entities of NABCI, which includes PIF regional and state plans, Southeastern Migratory Bird Conservation Initiative, the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, and Audubon NC. Coordination with the Continental Bird Monitoring Workgroup of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA) to strengthen the coordination of bird monitoring efforts is another priority.
Other strategies include:
• Continuing to participate in ongoing monitoring research the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center is conducting to evaluate monitoring protocols for migratory birds (Erwin and Blohm 2016) ; • Expanding current bird monitoring across the state, especially Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) and migration banding stations, as training opportunities and technical assistance allow, to improve population status information for birds not adequately sampled under existing protocol (e.g., Breeding Bird Survey); • Establishing ‘surrogate’ species where possible—species that may be representative of the habitat needs of a particular guild of species and are widespread enough to allow for population-level monitoring; • Continuing established shorebird and waterbird monitoring efforts along all coastal and estuarine habitats, and expanding monitoring efforts for secretive marshbirds along estuarine, lake, and tidal swamp habitats using established protocol (Conway 2004) ; and,
• Continuing to monitor recovering species such as Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, and Wood Storks in their key habitats.
7-13
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator