Evaluating Flora and Avian Diversity in the Dalles Project for Special Status Species Protection

Project ID: W912HZ-18-2-0015

Federal Agency: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Partner Institution: University of Washington

Fiscal Year: 2018

Initial Funding: $40,000

Total Funding: $40,000

Principal Investigator: Lawler, Joshua

Abstract: We will complete a comprehensive inventory and evaluation of the flora and avian biota, together with a delineation of the ecological communities, across the Dalles Project area (referred to as Project lands hereafter) as defined by the Army Corps of Engineers. Our study will identify the presence, locations, status, viability, and habitat quality of terrestrial state and federal threatened and endangered species and invasive, nuisance, and noxious species within delineated ecological communities. We will enter relevant data into a GIS database and generate a series of maps to show a detailed, scaled overview of ecological communities, species habitats, and general habitat conditions.
Specifically, we will accomplish the following objectives:
1) Implement scientifically rigorous surveys to inventory and identify to species resident birds and plants and their habitats, including native and non-native and invasive, threatened and endangered, noxious and nuisance plants on 3,000 acres of project lands.
2) Delineate and identify dominant ecological communities, including abiotic components on 3,000 acres of project lands;
3) Assess the status, health, and viability of resident avian and plant populations and their habitats, including special status species, as well the biological diversity and environmental health of ecological communities on 3,000 acres of project lands;
4) Provide qualitative and quantitative information about the identity, location, and abundance of state and federal classified invasive and noxious species within dominant ecological communities.