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Welcome to Region 6
The Mountain-Prairie Region consists of 8 states in the heart of the American west including Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
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Science
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Science
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a long tradition of scientific excellence and always uses the best-available science to inform its work to conserve fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitat for the benefit of the American public.
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National Wildlife Refuges
Where Wildlife Comes First
Created in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, today's National Wildlife Refuge System protects habitats and wildlife across the country, from the Alaskan tundra to subtropical wetlands. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Refuge System's 560-plus refuges cover more than 150 million acres and protect nearly 1,400 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
While national wildlife refuges were created to protect wildlife, they are for people too. Refuges are ideal places for people of all ages to explore and connect with the natural world. We invite you to learn more about and visit the national wildlife refuges and wetland management districts in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
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Ecological Services
The Mountain-Prairie Region's Office of Ecological Services (ES) works to restore and protect healthy populations of fish, wildlife, and plants and the environments upon which they depend. Using the best available science, ES personnel work with Federal, State, Tribal, local, and non-profit stakeholders, as well as private land owners, to avoid, minimize, and mitigate threats to our Nation's natural resources.
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Migratory Birds
Providing leadership in the conservation of migratory bird habitat through partnerships, grants, and outreach for present and future generations. The Migratory Bird Program is responsible for maintaining healthy migratory bird populations for the benefit of the American people.
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Fish and Aquatic Conservation
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program in the Mountain-Prairie Region helps conserve, protect, and enhance aquatic resources and provides economically valuable recreational fishing to anglers across the country. The program comprises 12 National Fish Hatcheries.
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Law Enforcement
Law enforcement is essential to virtually every aspect of wildlife conservation. The Office of Law Enforcement contributes to Service efforts to manage ecosystems, save endangered species, conserve migratory birds, preserve wildlife habitat, restore fisheries, combat invasive species, and promote international wildlife conservation.
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External Affairs
External Affairs staff in the Mountain-Prairie Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides support to the regional office and field stations to communicate and faciliate information about the Service's programs to the public, media, Congress, Tribes, partners, and other stakeholders in the 8-state region.
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About Surrogate Species
What are Surrogate Species?
"Surrogate species" are subsets of species which are “representative” of multiple species or aspects of the environment. These include umbrella, focal, keystone, indicator, and flagship species.
Surrogate species is a commonly-used scientific term for system-based conservation planning that uses a species as an indicator of landscape habitat and system conditions. Surrogate species are used for comprehensive conservation planning that supports multiple species and habitats within a defined landscape or geographic area.
The 21st Century Conservation Vision »
The 21st Century Conservation Vision
Despite all our hard work and past achievements, when it comes to keeping pace with 21st-Century conservation threats we have lots of local successes but not at a scale that is changing the course of conservation. The overall condition of natural systems – and the many species of fish and wildlife that inhabit them – is declining.
To effectively address landscape-scale challenges like habitat degradation, encroaching development, climate change, and loss of biodiversity, we must shift from a site-specific or single-species approach to a more integrated and complex landscape-scale model – one that accounts for the complexity and interrelated nature of ecosystems. It means applying the best available science and technology to address the conservation challenges we face.
Working in collaboration with partners on science-based landscape-scale conservation (including planning, on-the-ground protection, restoration, management of species and habitats, monitoring, public engagement, research, etc.) – will help the Service make smarter, more cost-effective conservation investments. It will also improve our ability to ensure landscapes capable of supporting self-sustaining populations of fish and wildlife while providing for the needs of people – now and in the future.
Leading change now will leave a lasting wildlife legacy for future generations. In the face of unprecedented challenges, the Service is more determined than ever to do all it can to conserve wild places and wildlife for the benefit of our children and grandchildren. When it comes to conserving the species and habitats that are our passion and our life’s work, we are unwilling to accept the status quo. We want to do our best to conserve America’s fish, wildlife and plants for future generations. With your participation and commitment, and with the help of our conservation partners, we can build a conservation legacy made to last.
State-Federal Framework
• The Service and States will work together to decide the initial pool of species to be represented and the initial pool of surrogates.
• The Service will not select State trust species as surrogates without concurrence from the State(s) involved.
• The initial scale for selection of surrogate species could be within the geographic boundaries of LCCs.
• The Service and States will work together to coordinate across all administrative boundaries.
• If a State agrees to a State trust species as a possible surrogate, the surrogate population objective will be identical to the State population objective.
• If no population objectives exist for federal trust species, the Service will develop population objectives in a consistent and coordinated manner with the affected State(s).
• The Service and the States will jointly decide the monitoring, data management, and reporting protocols necessary for surrogate species.
• The Service and States may reach out to and use LCCs or other sources for scientific expertise on issues like scale, best species as surrogates, development of robust monitoring protocols, etc. This input may inform the ultimate decisions made by the States and the Service.
• LCCs do not select Surrogate Species.
Surrogate Species Version 1.0 »
Surrogate Species Version 1.0
Version 1.0 will consist of the identification of a least one geography to develop a surrogate species approach together with the relevant state(s); including:
• A description of the identified landscape, explicit geography, key ecological features (habitat types, aquatic systems, etc.).
• List of all species occurring in the landscape that have been designated by the Service or a state fish and wildlife agency as a species of management interest.
• Preliminary or potential surrogate species under consideration in that landscape. Status of existing population objective(s) for the preliminary surrogate(s) and status of ongoing discussions about developing objectives.
• Federal trust species thought to be represented by the preliminary surrogate(s).
• State trust species thought to be represented by the preliminary surrogates.
• Other Federal species not represented that may require individual attention.
• Status of knowledge about known or assumed limiting factors, including both the stressor(s) and proximate sources of stress.
• Any existing or emerging conservation strategies and targets needed to alleviate crucial limiting factors, including explicit SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely) objectives.
Surrogate Species Updated TimeLine »
Updated TimeLine
• Final Version 1.0 Guidance released August, 2013.
• List of all species occurring in the landscape that have been designated by the Service or a state fish and wildlife agency as a species of management interest.
• A Revision Team, made up of technical staff from both FWS and representatives of AFWA Regional organizations, will use the comments and suggestions submitted through last March to develop a final draft of the technical guidance for identifying and selecting surrogate species.
• The new draft will be ready for review and comment Fall of 2013.
• Independent Peer Review will commence late Fall of 2013.
• Regional Version 1.0 completed December 31, 2013.
Resources
• View the Draft Technical Guidance
• The Surrogate Species Approach
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Surrogate Species Guidance
• Montana Example
• Prairie Pothole Example
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