Description
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to continue a collaborative effort to develop species distribution models in support of Species Status Assessments for petitioned, proposed, and candidate species for the Endangered Species Act. The project aims to provide the Service with much-needed capacity to address the immense workload in the Southeast, where 60% of recently petitioned species reside. The project will develop empirically-driven, high-resolution information on distributions of species and their likely responses to landscape changes. Key activities include:
• Developing species distribution models
• Integrating data on species locations, past and future landscape conditions, and projected threats
• Providing informational copies of award documents for subcontracts/subgrants
• Managing resources in accordance with accepted practices
The project will contribute to FWS Core Priorities, including Striking Regulatory Balance, Strengthening ESA Implementation, and Accelerating Recovery & Delisting.