Source: NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
ANALYSIS TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR JUNIPER-GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS
Sponsoring Institution
Other Cooperating Institutions
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0206193
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 23, 2004
Project End Date
Dec 31, 2004
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
FLAGSTAFF,AZ 86011
Performing Department
SCHOOL OF FORESTRY
Non Technical Summary
Areas need to be analyze to best utilize the forest in the future. This project will help determine what areas are best suited for prognhorn habitat imporvement,fuelwood cutting, watershed improvement and old growth improvement.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
12106991070100%
Goals / Objectives
Perform analysis of the juniper and grassland vegetation types on the east side of the Chino Valley Ranger District. A GIS project will be created, analyses performed to show which areas have potentail for improved proghorn habitat, watershed improvement, fuelwood and old growth areas, and what activitiy would be most appropriate for each area.
Project Methods
An anlysis report using TES data, GIS layers,pronghorn antelope habitat date and resource optimization model will be created.

Progress 09/23/04 to 12/31/04

Outputs
The objective of this project was to assess the feasibility of utilizing an analytical approach in developing a management strategy and activity plan for sustainable enhancement of Pronghorn Antelope habitat. The project was conducted on the Chino Valley Ranger District, in mid-elevation grasslands which are undergoing juniper encroachment. The approach involved the development of remote sensing and GIS techniques to characterize current habitat conditions, as well as the use of a simulation/optimization model to develop and assess alternative management strategies for habitat enhancement. We created a juniper cover map based on classification of available digital orthophotography. This was accomplished through classification of the 37 digital orthophoto quarter-quads (DOQQ's) which encompass the study area, obtained thru. the Arizona Land Resource Information System. The slow rate of vegetation change and disturbance in the study area meant that the age of the imagery was not of significant concern. The DOQQ imagery was classified into juniper density classes. We did a preliminary masking of habitat types based on Terrestrial Ecosystem Survey (TES) slope attributes. Areas of 30% or greater slope were eliminated as potential pronghorn habitat. This information provides the basis for identifying areas within which restoration areas should be focused, areas of less than 40% slope with grassland potential for core habitat areas, and areas of less than 40% slope for corridor areas. PNF assisted us in delineating Pronghorn core habitat areas, habitat enhancement areas, and Pronghorn travel corridors. This information was supplemented by data derived from GPS collars attached to members of the resident Pronghorn herd, which enabled the delineation of core habitat use areas. These areas were entered into GIS as zones, and these zones formed the basis of the subsequent analysis regarding implementation strategy. 3 broad zone types were defined: 1) GPS Core areas, which are currently actively used by resident Pronghorn. 2) Habitat enhancement areas, which have the potential for Pronghorn use if habitat is restored. 3) Corridor areas, which can/do provide connectivity between habitat areas, and whose function could potentially be improved through habitat enhancement. The information was entered into the Lurch decision support system. A 15-year planning horizon and a management scenario were established. A fundamental limiting factor in this analysis proved to be the quality of the available DOQQ imagery. Due to financial limitations we perform the best possible analysis using freely available data. We undertook to assess the accuracy of our classifications using field data provided by PNF staff. While overall classification accuracy may be as low as 65%, much higher accuracies were observed in the parts of the study area which encompassed the defined Pronghorn habitat management and enhancement zones. These zones define the areas these in which management actions will be conducted, and we believe that the classifications are at least 80% accurate in these areas.

Impacts
The objective of this project was to assess the feasibility of utilizing an analytical approach in developing a management strategy and activity plan for sustainable enhancement of Pronghorn Antelope habitat. The project was conducted on the Chino Valley Ranger District, in mid-elevation grasslands which are undergoing juniper encroachment. The approach involved the development of remote sensing and GIS techniques to characterize current habitat conditions, as well as the use of a simulation/optimization model to develop and assess alternative management strategies for habitat enhancement. The deliverables included a juniper density classification map, as well as a preliminary analysis of management scenarios.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period