Prioritizing Species and Actions

ProtocolRita Dixon

Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Why prioritize?

MOST critical needs

Species with the GREATEST conservation

need

PRECLUDE the need to

list

http://teaming.com/sites/default/files/SWAP%20Best%20Practices-110212-for%20website.pdf

“Best Practice” method or technique, through experience and research, has consistently shown results superior to those achieved by other means

Joseph, L. N., R. F. Maloney, and H. P. Possingham. 2009. Optimal allocation of resources among threatened species: a project prioritization protocol. Conservation Biology 23:328–338.

Define objectives

List biodiversity

assets

Weightassets

List manageme

ntprojectsEstimat

e cost

Predict the

benefit

Estimate likelihood of success

State constraint

s

Choose set

of projec

ts

Joseph et al. 2009

Optimal Allocation

(1) Define objectives

e.g., To secure (over a period of 50 years) the greatest number of threatened species of value given a limited budget

(2) List biodiversity assets of interest

(3) Weight assets• Cultural significance• Social values• Economic importance• Evolutionary significance• Ecological function• Endemicity• Taxonomic distinctiveness• Climate Change Sensitivity• Threat status• Conservation responsibility of

jurisdiction for species

Levels of Endemism: State

Levels of Endemism: Ecoregion

Levels of Endemism: Region

Taxonomic distinctiveness• 3 families• 8 genera• 7 speciesWeight = the number of families in the order the number of genera in the familythe number of species in the genusWeight = 0.0771492

http://www.catalogueoflife.org/

http://climatechangesensitivity.org/

Assess Risk• Range/Distribution• Abundance/

Condition• Threats• Trends (short- &

long-term)

Threat Status

• SH Possibly Extirpated

• S1 Critically Imperiled

• S2 Imperiled• S3 Vulnerable• S4 Apparently

Secure• S5 Secure

(4) List management projects• Choose an appropriate project for each species• Project is minimum set of all necessary actions for obtaining

a reasonable (≥95%) probability of securing the species over 50 y

• 4 compulsory components:– outcome monitoring– services and support– project management– infrastructure

• at least one optional intervention (e.g., captive breeding, translocation, pest animal control, weed control, legal actions, education)

• Specify precise location, intensity, and duration of management for each action

(5) Calculate the cost of each project

• Total estimated cost over a 10-year period (i.e., SWAP revision period)

(6) Predict the benefit to assets

The overall “biodiversity benefit,” of project i, , is the difference between the two probabilities above calculated as:

(7) Estimate likelihood of success

• Mi = probability that each project, i, could be implemented successfully

• Ni = probability that, if implemented successfully, it would be reasonably (≥95%) successful in securing the species

• Total probability of success of each project, Si, = MiNi

(8) State constraints• Identify constraints on the projects and the

total budget• Primary constraint is total budget available

(9) Rank projects

W = ValuesB = BenefitsS = Likelihood of successC = Costs

Idaho’s Online Prioritization Tool

https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/species/node/add/swap-species-prioritization

Idaho’s Online Prioritization Tool

https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/species/node/add/swap-species-projects-actions-fo