The Use of Avian Focal Species for Conservation Planning in California

Abstract

Conservationists often try to facilitate the complex task of protecting biological diversity by choosing a subset of species from a larger community to help them plan their conservation objectives. Biological knowledge about these species then is used to plan reserve systems or to guide habitat restoration and management efforts, with the assumption that the implementation of these recommendations will maintain overall biodiversity. Partners in Flight (PIF) is developing Bird Conservation Plans to set conservation priorities and specific objectives for bird populations and habitats throughout the United States. Many of these plans use focal species in some way. Here we briefly review the issues surrounding the use of focal species in conservation planning, and present the focal species strategies being developed and implemented by Partners in Flight in California. California PIF created focal species lists by identifying focal habitats, and then selecting those species associated with important habitat elements or ecosystem attributes, as well as those species with special conservation needs. Thus, a suite of species was chosen whose requirements define different spatial attributes, habitat characteristics, and management regimes representative of a healthy system. This process resulted in a diverse list of focal species for each habitat that includes both common and uncommon or rare species. Because focal species lists are based on numerous hypotheses and assumptions, these should be made as explicitly as possible and tested in ongoing monitoring studies as part of an adaptive management program.

Parent Publication

• Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, California, Volume 1 and 2

Citation

Chase, Mary K.; Geupel, Geoffrey R. 2005. The Use of Avian Focal Species for Conservation Planning in California. In: Ralph, C. John; Rich, Terrell D., editors 2005. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, California, Volume 1 Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: p. 130-142