Gray Bat Conservation in the Sauta National Wildlife

Refuge

Courtni Brown, Brian Doliber, Lea Carmichael, Blake EllettVirginia Tech, Adaptive Management, Summer 2015

Management Team

• Courtni Brown• Brian Doliber• Lea Carmichael• Blake Ellett

ScopeSummer cave roosting, winter hibernacula, and associated foraging habitat for gray bats (Myotis grisescens) in the Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge in Scottsboro, AL.

VisionA delisted, resilient and sustainable Gray bat (Myotis grisescens) population within the Sauta Cave NWR achieved through collaborative partnerships and innovative conservation practices, establishing a model national bat conservation plan.

Conservation Targets“Conservation targets are specific species or ecological systems/habitats that are

chosen to represent and encompass the full suite of biodiversity in the project area for place-based conservation or the focus of a thematic program.”

Biodiversity Targets• Gray Bats (Myotis grisescens) • Sauta Cave National Wildlife

Refuge• Lake Guntersville• Aquatic Insects- Mayfly,

Stonefly, and Caddisfly• Hardwood Forests

Human-Well Being Targets• Mental and Spiritual Health• Physical Health

Conservation Targets Cont’d

Viability Assessment for Gray Bats

“A Viability Assessment serves as a method for evaluating the health of Conservation targets.”

• The Key Ecological Attribute of focus is the summer emergence population size.• According to a 2014 survey, 385,000 Gray Bats emerged for Sauta Cave, which

accounts for approximately 13% of the nationwide summering population.

Threats and OpportunityA Direct Threat is a human action that immediately degrades one or more conservation targets.

An Indirect Threat, or Contributing Factor, is a driver of direct threats and is often an entry point for conservation actions.

An Opportunity is a factor that potentially has a positive effect on one or more targets, either directly or indirectly and is often an entry point for conservation actions

Direct ThreatsGray Bats• White Nose Syndrome• Human Disturbance• Climate Change• Pollution

Aquatic Insects & Hardwood Forest• Invasive Species • Climate Change• Pollution

Sauta Cave & Lake Guntersville• Human Disturbance • Invasive Species • Climate Change• Pollution

Direct Threats and Contributing Factors

Threat RankingBased on level of scope, severity, and irreversibility, Climate Change poses the greatest threat to all targets within the Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge. Specific to Gray bats, White Nose Syndrome is also a very high threat.

Gray Bat Conservation GoalA goal is defined by the Open Standards as a formal statement detailing a desired impact of a project such as the desired future status of a conservation target:

By 2025, the gray bat population displays a 15% increase from the 2014 summer cave emergence count of 385,000 in the Sauta Cave NWR.

StrategiesStrategies: A group of actions with a common focus that work together to reduce threats, capitalize on opportunities, or restore natural systems. Strategies include one or more activities and are designed to achieve specific objectives and goal.

White-nose syndrome• Engage researchers to continue Rhodococcus rhodochrous treatment to prevent white nose syndrome

spread in Sauta CaveHuman disturbance• Increase volunteers and externships at Sauta Cave NWR• Develop and implement a visitor educational program to reduce ecological contamination• Create outreach program for sustainable agricultural practicesInvasive species• Increase volunteers and externships at Sauta Cave NWR• Develop and implement a visitor educational program to reduce ecological contaminationClimate change• Develop and implement a visitor educational program to reduce ecological contaminationPollution• Create outreach program for sustainable agricultural practices

Conservation Strategies Cont’d

Strategy Impact and FeasibilityIncrease volunteers and externships at Sauta Cave NWR• High potential impact and high feasibility result in an effective strategyEngage researchers to continue Rhodococcus rhodochrous treatment to prevent white nose syndrome spread in Sauta Cave• High potential impact and medium feasibility result in a less effective strategyDevelop and implement a visitor educational program to reduce ecological contamination• Medium potential impact and high feasibility result in a less effective strategyCreate outreach program for sustainable agricultural practices• Medium potential impact and medium feasibility result in a less effective

strategy

Results ChainThis strategy requires three initial actions or activities, which are then followed by a chain of results ultimately leading to a reduction in human disturbance:

Activities• Activity 1: Establish a staffing/personnel management plan • Staffing needs and shortcomings identified

• Activity 2: Facilitate partnerships between USFWS and local/regional businesses and schools to develop the volunteer/externship programs• USFWS agrees to volunteer/externship program development• Students and employees of local businesses are aware of

volunteer/externship opportunities • Volunteers and externs commit to program • Staffing at Sauta Cave NWR is adequate • Staff/visitor interactions increased• Enforcement/patrol strengthened • Cave is less accessible to the public and illegal activity

Activities• Activity 3: Educate volunteers and externs on human disturbance and

ecological issues• Comprehensive training/education program created • USFWS allocates educators to the program • Volunteers/externs are properly trained and educated • Volunteers/externs are able to effectively communicate risks and

threats to visitors• Park visitors are aware of and understand human environmental impact• Visitor environmental impact mitigated

Monitoring PlanMonitoring is the periodic process of gathering and evaluating data related to the project goals and objectives. Conservation progress is measured by the use of indicators, which are measurable, precise, consistent, and sensitive data points based on strategic objectives or goals. The specific technique used to collect data to measure an indicator is the monitoring method, which must be accurate, reliable, cost-effective, feasible, and appropriate.

Monitoring Plan Cont’d

Objectives and IndicatorsObjectives are formal statements detailing a desired outcome of a project

1. Adequate staffing at Sauta Cave NWR Objective: By 2017 Sauta Cave NWR has 3 volunteers/externs on site during operating hours year-round

Indicator: Number of volunteers/externs

2. Park visitors are aware of and understand human environmental impact Objective: By 2017 75% of park visitors have interacted with a volunteer and understand human impacts on Sauta Cave NWRIndicator: Anonymous surveys will indicate what percent of visitors came in contact with volunteers/externs and understand human impacts on Sauta Cave NWR

3. Reduction in human disturbance Objective: By 2017, no incidents of human disturbance occur during operational hoursIndicator: Number of incident reports provided by volunteers/externs