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
		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