On November 22nd, 2016, The Pacific Northwest Coast Landscape Conservation Design Core Team convened in Portland, OR to share progress made on key elements and discuss key next steps to implementation. We welcomed approximately thirty representatives from multiple entities in the region, including many first-time participants. Thank you to all who were able to attend and to those who continue to assist the forward progress of the initiative. Please see the below meeting recap and presentation links to learn more.

• Agenda
• Meeting Overview
• Meeting Notes

Meeting Presentations:

• Draft Project Framework Overview, Khem So (USFWS) & Tom Miewald (NPLCC, USFWS)
• Open Standards & Shared Conservation Targets Presentation, Sara Evans-Peters (Pacific Birds Joint Venture)
• Social Network Mapping Presentation, Ken Vance-Borland (Conservation Planning Institute)
• Draft Communication Plan, Meghan Kearney (NPLCC)
• Draft Habitat Connectivity Workshop Agenda, Tom Miewald

The meeting capped off with breakout sessions to brainstorm the following questions (view the session summary here):

1. Are there any gaps in the Project Plan that you believe should be added because they reflect the values and priorities of stakeholders or represent the interests of key ecosystems/habitats/species within the LCD?
2. What is the desired governance structure of the LCD? Are there additional elements we need to consider?
3. Is there a key priority you believe is missing from the funding strategy within the next two years? What suggestions do you have for potential sources of funding to fund the highest priority tasks through 2018?
4. How will your organization use the outcomes of the LCD to advance its conservation interests? What management decisions will be made? At what scale? What timing? Is there anything that could be done to make the outcomes of the LCD more useful for your organization?

If you were unable to attend this meeting but would like to provide feedback to any of the agenda items please contact us.

First Habitat Connectivity Workshop Recap

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On December 6th, we hosted the first Habitat Connectivity Workshop in Portland, Or. The meeting was a successful first step towards planning for ecoregion-wide habitat connectivity. We welcomed over 50 participants from multiple agencies, enthused to come together for this effort.

The morning portion of the meeting consisted of presentations focused on multi-scale connectivity efforts already in progress around the region. View each of these presentations below.

• Connectivity Through Collaboration, Tom Miewald
• Habitat Connectivity and Forest Planning, Bill Gaines
• Oregon Connectivity Project
• The Nature Conservancy Connectivity Analysis
• Washington Habitat Connectivity Working Group Connectivity Analyses
• Oregon Metro Habitat Connectivity Toolkit
• Columbian White-tailed Deer Habitat Connectivity Model
• Washington Connected Landscapes Project: Identifying Priority Areas for Climate-connectivity conservation

For the second half of the day we split into four breakout groups to brainstorm key questions. By early January, we will synthesize the results of the brainstorm to inform a draft project plan. Keep your eyes on columbiacoastblueprint.com for these results. We look forward to sharing and soliciting further feedback from attendees. 

If you want to learn how to engage, please contact Tom Miewald.