Department of the Interior Grant: Invasive Species Management at Cornell University

Phragmites australis has invaded wetlands at many Northeast National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) both inland and along the coast. An outstanding question is whether Phragmites supports migratory birds and how the bird use shifts as a site is restored to natural vegetation. Another question is what is the impact of non-native Phragmites on use of the site by aquatic fauna, such as amphibians. This work will deploy acoustic monitors in Phragmites infested sites and un-infested sites in inland and coastal situations to: 1) test/train the software to discern species vocalizations accurately; and 2) compare bird and anuran (frogs and toads) use between the sites. In addition, stationary acoustic monitoring will be compared with mobile acoustic monitoring with detectors mounted on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) uses sound science to manage and sustain Americaâ¿¿s lands, water, wildlife, and energy resources, honors our nationâ¿¿s responsibilities to tribal nations, and advocates for Americaâ¿¿s island communities. As keepers of our nationâ¿¿s legacy, DOI manages natural resources to benefit Americans now and in the future. DOI is developing and implementing cutting edge science and expert management techniques that make this possible. This work will support the following Secretary of Interiorâ¿¿s priorities for financial assistance:

Creating a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt
Utilize science to identify best practices to manage land and water resources and adapt to changes in the environment.
This work is intended to find new and efficient ways to manage an invasive plant that degrades wetland habitats that are important to migratory birds including waterfowl, wading birds, song birds, as well as at-risk species of reptiles and amphibians that NWRs have been charged to conserve.

Restoring trust with local communities. Be a better neighbor with those closest to our resources by improving dialogue and relationships with persons and entities bordering our lands.
Many land managers, including state agencies and private organizations, struggle with the same challenges as the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). By using sound science and innovation to solve our management challenges we provide new tools for our land management partners as well.
The public visits NWRs to enjoy natural places to observe wildlife, photograph beautiful places, and partake of hunting and fishing. Managing invasive plants is part of what we do to support this. Monitoring whether our efforts work in conserving important natural resources is part of sound science.
Invasive plants donâ¿¿t respect property lines, therefore, by managing invasive plants on NWRs we contribute to protecting the land of our neighbors.

This project is authorized by the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742(a) 754); the
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958, 16 U.S.C. 661 667(e;): and the
National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd).