SEAFWA 2018

AUTHORS: Jon Oetting, Florida Natural Areas Inventory at Florida State University; Anne Chazal, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation - Natural Heritage Program

ABSTRACT: The South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative’s (SALCC) seeks to improve and expand its regional planning tool, the Conservation Blueprint (Blueprint), so that it directly supports efforts to conserve current and future habitat for at-risk and range restricted species (select rare species) thus allowing users to fine-tune their conservation investments. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation – Natural Heritage Program and the Florida Natural Areas Inventory at Florida State University, with cooperation from the SALCC and other Regional Partners, developed species distribution models to help incorporate ten rare species into the Blueprint: Ambystoma cingulatum (Frosted Flatwoods Salamander), Echinacea laevigata (Smooth Coneflower), Heterodon simus (Southern Hognose Snake), Lindera melissifolia (Pondberry), Lithobates capito (Gopher Frog), Lythrum curtissii (Curtiss' Loosestrife), Notophthalmus perstriatus (Striped Newt), Phemeranthus piedmontanus (Piedmont Fameflower), Rhus michauxii (Michaux's Sumac), and Schwalbea americana (Chaffseed). Drawing from the model products and other available data sets, we also developed supporting data and information on the conservation and management needs of these species. This presentation will be a brief overview of our methods and final results.