Desert Tortoise Recovery Office

Implementation of Assessment Team Recommendations

While time and funding limitations preclude a fully collaborative recovery planning process at this time, the Service will begin addressing several issues and implementing additional recommendations in the assessment report to improve the scientific foundations for desert tortoise recovery. These steps extend beyond the current recovery plan revision as long-term commitments to build relationships for broad-based collaboration in recovery implementation and subsequent reviews. The table below lists the key issues identified in the assessment report (pages 5-7) and describes current action items to address these issues.

Issue from Assessment Report/Action Item (modified 1/27/07)

Implementation Start Date

1.

Information for Decision-Making About Desert Tortoise Recovery

Report baseline data on desert tortoise populations

1.

Range-wide monitoring summary report completed

Oct 2006

Formalize population monitoring plan

2.

Complete study plan outline (in progress)

Spring 2007

3.

Complete full study plan

Spring 2008

Address threats through effectiveness monitoring

4.

Incorporate into revised recovery plan

Sept 2007

5.

Develop decision support system to integrate effectiveness monitoring and adaptive management

Feb 2007

6.

Facilitate increased research in this area

Current / Ongoing

2.

Implementation of 1994 Recovery Plan

Establish short- and long-term performance measures

7.

Incorporate measures into revised recovery plan

Sept 2007

Facilitate recovery implementation

8.

Work with regional recovery implementation teams (including government and non-government stakeholders)

Post-final recovery plan revision

3.

Funding of Desert Tortoise Recovery Efforts

Improve recovery funding

9.

Identify/develop funding partners

Current / Ongoing

Identify/clarify funding priorities

10.

Incorporate priorities in revised recovery plan

Sept 2007

11.

Integrate funding priorities with decision support system

Jan 2008

4.

Revised Recovery Plan

October 16, 2009 valign="top">

Identify regional threats and address accordingly

12.

Incorporate current information into revised recovery plan

Sept 2007

13.

Facilitate research to identify relative importance of different threats (Action Item 5 also relevant)

Current / Ongoing

5.

Trust Among Participants in Desert Tortoise Issues

Build long-term trust with/among stakeholders (see Action Item 8)

14.

Commit to/continue written reporting mechanisms (Action Item 5 also relevant)

Current / Ongoing

15.

Maintain up-to-date DTRO web page with information/status of current activities

Current / Ongoing

6.

Institutional Arrangements and Capacity for Collaboration and

7.

Design and Procedures for Proposed Collaborative Process

Build capacity for more formal collaboration in recovery implementation and future recovery plan revision

16.

Clarify role of MOG (also addresses Assessment Report Recommendation #6, page 30)

Jan 2007

17.

Increase coordination and consistency among FWS offices

Current / Ongoing

18.

Incorporate collaborative recovery implementation teams (Action Item 8) into revised recovery plan

Sept 2007

Assessment Report Recommendation #2 (pages 20-21)

Explain or clarify:

a.

how the concepts of recovery units, distinct population segments, and desert wildlife management areas (DWMAs) fit within the recovery planning process;

b.

the relationship between mitigation requirements under a Section 10 take permit and permittee’s responsibilities regarding implementation of the revised recovery plan; and

c.

the possibility that the revised recovery planning process could result in i) modifying the location, boundaries, or number of recovery units; ii) adjusting the location, boundaries, or number of DWMAs; iii) establishing “Safe Harbor” agreements with private landowners; iv) revising critical habitat designation for the desert tortoise; and v) delisting the desert tortoise by recovery unit or region as recovery criteria are achieved.

19.

Clarify in “foundations” paper

Jan 2007

	October 29, 2009		Land Management For Desert Tortoise
	Desert Tortoise Recovery Planning			How You Can Help The Desert Tortoise
	Science Advisory Committee			Announcements
	DesertTortoise.gov			Meeting Summaries
	Desert Tortoise Habitat & Life History			Reports
	Threats to the Desert Tortoise			Authorized Desert Tortoise Form