Wildlife

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Wildlife

Sharing the Lake Tahoe Basin with other species

The Lake Tahoe Basin supports a wide range of wildlife species that vary at different times of the year. The native wildlife community is a natural and integral component of the Lake Tahoe ecosystem. It has been documented that 289 terrestrial (and semi terrestrial) vertebrates occur in the Lake Tahoe Basin as residents or regular visitors (Murphy and Knopp 2000). This total represents 217 bird, 59 mammal, 8 reptile, and 5 amphibian species (TRPA 2001 Threshold Update, Appendix 1). An additional 57 terrestrial species have been recorded in the Basin as accidental visitors or as species facing extinction from the Basin (Murphy and Knopp 2000). Consequently, the Lake Tahoe Basin provides environmental conditions and habitats conducive for a somewhat diverse list of species, with opportunities to fulfill their respective life history requirements.

In general, all wildlife requires specific habitat elements such as food, cover, water, and space to survive and reproduce. The availability of essential habitat elements is dynamic and varies in time and space, and the suitability of a habitat or a combination of habitats is dependant on a particular species' life history requirements. Understanding the relationship between wildlife and habitat, the processes that create habitat, and the life history requirements of a wide diversity of wildlife species is at the heart of sound wildlife protection.

Unfortunately, past and current land uses in the Basin have degraded the quality and quantity of wildlife habitats. Land uses like logging in the late 1800s, increased residential development in the late 1900s, and increased access to back country environments have created the need to reclaim wilderness habitat such that wildlife can be enjoyed by not only by our generation, but generations of people into the future. Projects, programs, and research proposed for wildlife aim to improve wildlife habitats and extend our knowledge base of wildlife biology.

Since 1997, there have been increased efforts by Lake Tahoe Basin agencies to survey for sensitive species. Survey efforts have focused on both Special Interest Species and other agency listed sensitive species. Surveys conducted include California Spotted Owl, Northern Goshawk, Osprey, sensitive amphibians, waterfowl, Willow Flycatcher, furbearers, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, and Bald Eagle. Interagency cooperation has resulted in a coordinated and efficient field effort and has provided land management agencies with a more comprehensive knowledge base on the status of both Special Interest Species and other sensitive species. A continuation of funding for Special Interest Species surveys along with interagency collaboration will prove to be valuable in land management decision-making and reporting on the status of sensitive species at the local and regional levels.

Source:

Draft TRPA 2003 EIP Update
Draft TRPA 2001 Threshold Evaluation

Indicators

W-1 Special Interest Species

Threshold: Provide a minimum number of population sites and disturbance (free) zones for species identified in Table 7-1. Perching trees and nesting sites shall not be physically disturbed, nor shall the habitat within disturbance zone be manipulated in any manner, unless needed to enhance habitat quality (TRPA 1996).

Indicator(s): The minimum number of population sites and disturbance zones maintained as determined by inspection by qualified experts (TRPA 1996).

W-2: Habitats of Special Significance

Threshold: A non-degradation standard shall apply to significant wildlife habitat consisting of deciduous trees, wetlands, and meadows while providing for opportunities to increase the acreage of such riparian associations.

Indicator(s): Preserve existing natural functioning Stream Environment Zone (SEZ) lands in their natural hydrologic condition, restore all disturbed SEZ in undeveloped, unsubdivided lands, and restore 25 percent of the SEZ lands that have been identified as disturbed, developed or subdivided, to attain a 5 percent total increase in the naturally functioning SEZ land (TRPA 1996).

Click here for more information about wildlife indicators from the TRPA 2001 Threshold Evaluation

Research

A goal of TIIMS is housing documents about the past, present and future environmental research conducted in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Scientific research conducted by organizations, agencies, and universities aims to detect, for example, habitat destruction and discover ways to monitor and ultimately eliminate environmental impacts. Ongoing research efforts collecting baseline data will help regulatory agencies establish regulations and develop limits and indicators designed to improve environmental health.

The TRPA, along with the US Forest Service – Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (USFS-LTBMU), California State Parks, California Tahoe Conservancy, and the Nevada Division of Wildlife, have actively implemented a coordinated, interagency wildlife survey program. Collectively, these agencies have been working together, without land management boundaries, to accomplish a similar goal; generate quality information on several wildlife species and habitats throughout the basin. Since 1997, this interagency effort has closely coordinated field efforts; using established and accepted survey protocols, to efficiently, and consistently record information on the basin´s wildlife populations. In addition to wildlife surveys, the interagency group continues to develop a wildlife database (“Wildlife2000”) in which all agency partners enter survey data. The data can be queried to rapidly generate pertinent wildlife information. As part of the data management effort, the interagency monitoring program continues to develop a Geographic Information System (GIS) for wildlife sightings, population activity locations (i.e., nest and den location), and habitats of significance. Similar to the Wildlife2000 database, the GIS provides wildlife managers with a valuable tool to track the site-specific status of sensitive wildlife and their habitats and relate this information with land use or landscape features.

TIIMS is always searching for more documents to include in this section so please contact tiims@trpa.org with possible links to other wildlife research.

Source:

TRPA 2001 Threshold Update

California Tahoe Conservancy: Wildlife Enhancement

Airola, D. A. and N. Shubert. 1981. Reproductive Success, Nest Site Selection, and Management of Ospreys at Lake Almanor, CA. 1969-1980. Cal-Neva Wildlife Transactions. p. 79-85. (Management)

Anthony, R. G., R. J. Steidl, and K. McGarigal. 1995. Recreation and bald eagles in the Pacific Northwest. Pages 223-241 in R. L. Knight and K. J. Gutzwiller, eds. Wildlife and recreationists: coexistance through research and management. Island Press, Covelo, CA 372 pp.(Management)

Belanger, L., and J. Bedard. 1990. Energetic cost of man-induced disturbance to staging snow geese. J. Wildl. Manage. 54:36-41. (Management)

Berger, J. 1990. Environmental Restoration: Science and Strategies for Restoring the Earth (Restoration)

Brooks, R. P., T. J. O´Connell, D. H. Wardrop, and L.E. Jackson. 1998. Towards a regional index of biological integrity: The example of forested riparian systems. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 51: 131-143. (Monitoring/Management)

Burden, R. F. and P. F. Randerson. 1972. Quantitative studies of the effects of human trampling on vegetation as an aid to the management of semi-natural areas. Journal of Applied Ecology 9:439-457. (Management/Regulation)

Conroy, M. J. and C. T. Moore. 2001. Simulation models and optimal decision making in natural resource management. In: Modeling in Natural Resource Management: Development, Interpretation, and Application (eds. T. M. Shenk and A. B. Franklin). Island Press, Washington, D.C. (Decision Making).

Croonquist, M. J. and R. P. Brooks. 1991. Use of avian and mammalian guilds as indicators of cumulative impacts in riparian-wetland areas. Environmental Management 15: 701-714. (Monitoring/Management)

Cowardin, L. W., V Carter, F. C. Golet, and E. T. LaRoe. 1979. Classification of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States. USDI, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D. C. (Management)

Dahl, T. E., 2000. Status and trends of wetlands in the conterminous United States 1986 to 1997. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C. 82pp. (Restoration)

DeSante, D. F. and T. L. George. 1994. Population trends in the landbirds of western North America. Studies in Avian Biology No. 15:173-190. (Regulation)

Ehrenfeld, J. G. 2000. Defining the limits of restoration: the need for realistic goals. Rest. Ecol. 8:1, 2-9 (Restoration)

Elliott-Fisk et al. 1997. Lake Tahoe Case Studies. Pages 217–264, In; Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final Report to Congress, Status of the Sierra Nevada (Addendum). Wildland Resources Center Report No. 40. Centers for Water and Wildland Resources, University of California, Davis. (Management)

Everett, R., P. Hessburg, J. Lahmkuhl, M. Jensen, and P. Bourgeron. 1994. Old forest in dynamic landscapes. J. of Forestry 92:1 22-25. (Regulation/Management)

Fraser, J. D., L. D. Frenzel, and J. E. Mathisen. 1985. The impact of human activities on breeding bald eagles in north-central Minnesota. J. Wildl. Manage. 49:585-592. (Management)

Golightly, R.T. 1991. An Evaluation of the Tahoe Basin for the Support of Nesting and Wintering Bald Eagles. Department of Wildlife, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA. (Management)

Gutzwiller, K. J. 1995. Recreational disturbance and wildlife communities. In: Wildlife and Recreationalists: Coexistence Through Management and Research. Knight R. L. and K. J. Gutzwiller (eds.) Island Press, Washington, D.C. (Management/Regulation)

Keane, J. J. 1999. Ecology of the Northern Goshawk in the Sierra Nevada, California. Ph.D. Dissertation. Univ. of Calif., Davis. Pp. 123. (Management)

Knight, R. L. and D. N. Cole. 1995. Wildlife responses to recreationists. In: R. L. Knight and K. J. Gutzwiller (eds.). Wildlife and recreationists: coexistence though management and research. Pp. 51 – 69. (Management)

Krebs, C. J. 1989. Ecological Methodology. Harper Collins Publishers, New York, NY. Pp. 328 – 370. (monitoring/analysis of monitoring data)

Hardt, R. A. and D. H. Newman. 1995. Regional policies for national forest old-growth planning. J. of Forestry, v91:32-35. (Regulatory/management)

Herron, G.B. C.A. Mortimore, and M.S. Rawlings. 1985. Nevada Raptors: Their Biology and Management. Biological Bulletin Number 8. Nevada Department of Wildlife, Reno, NV. (management)

Huxel, G. R. and A. Hastings. 1999. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and restoration. Rest. Ecol. 7:3, 309-315. (Management/restoration).

James, T. D. W., D. W. Smith, E. E. Mackintosh, M. K. Hoffman, and P. Monti. 1979. Effects of camping recreation on soil, jack pine, and understory vegetation in a northwestern Ontario park. Forest Science 25:333-349.

Kendall, W. L. 2001. Using models to facilitate complex decisions. In: Modeling in Natural Resource Management: Development, Interpretation, and Application (eds. T. M. Shenk and A. B. Franklin). Island Press, Washington, D.C. (Decision Making)

Knight, R. L. and D. N. Cole. 1995. Wildlife responses to recreationists. Pages 51-69. In R.L. Knight and K.J. Gutzwiller (eds.) Wildlife and Recreationists: Coexistence through management and research. Island Press, Washington D.C. (Management)

Knight, R L. and S. K. Knight. 1984. Responses of wintering bald eagles to boating activity. Journal of Wildlife Management 48:999-1004. (Management/restoration)

Kusler, J. A. and M. E. Kentula. 1990. Wetland Creation and Restoration: The Status of the Science. Island Press, Washington D.C. (Restoration)

Levenson, H. and J. R. Koplin. 1984. Effects of human activity on productivity of nesting osprey. J. Wildl. Manage. 48(4):1374-1377. (Management/Regulation)

Laves, K. S. and J. S. Romsos. 1999. Wintering Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and human recreational use of the south shore of Lake Tahoe, California. USDA Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 870 Emerald Bay Road, Suite 1, South Lake Tahoe, CA. (Management/regulation)

Manley, P. N. and M. D. Schlesinger. 2001. Riparian biological diversity in the Lake Tahoe basin. A final report for the California Tahoe Conservancy and the U. S. Forest Service. Pacific Southwest Region, US Forest Service – Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, So. Lake Tahoe, CA. Pp. 465. (Monitoring/management/regulation).