1.
The Ecology Program: OverviewThe Ecology Program: Overview
Mapping, description, assessment
and analysis of wetlands and
riparian areas
Statewide and ecosystem-specific
land cover mapping and modeling
Description, assessment and
analysis of upland plant
communities and ecological
systems
Description, assessment and
analysis of aquatic communities
and ecological systems
mtnhp.org

2.
Staff changes 2015Staff changes 2015
Departures:Departures:
•Gary Carnefix,Gary Carnefix,
PhotointerpreterPhotointerpreter
•Robin Lium, WetlandRobin Lium, Wetland
Mapping CoordinatorMapping Coordinator
•Karen Newlon,Karen Newlon,
Ecologist/Project ManagerEcologist/Project Manager
•Dave Stagliano, AquaticDave Stagliano, Aquatic
EcologistEcologist

3.
Wetland and Riparian Mapping Center
Started in 2006 with fundingStarted in 2006 with funding
from an EPA Wetlandfrom an EPA Wetland
Program Development GrantProgram Development Grant
Goal: create statewideGoal: create statewide
digital wetland and ripariandigital wetland and riparian
mapping.mapping.
Four full-time GIS specialistsFour full-time GIS specialists
Funding comes from manyFunding comes from many
partnerspartners

4.
Status of wetland mapping circa 2006Status of wetland mapping circa 2006

5.
Land cover mappingLand cover mapping
• Due to funding cuts, the 2014-15 statewide Land
Cover/Land Use layer is an in-house, on demand product.
Accuracy assessment and metadata are incomplete but it
does include fire and agriculture through 2014
• We are using it for predictive modelling (Ecology and
Zoology), as a background map layer, and as the basis
for other project products, including a Human Disturbance
index
• Currently, land cover mapping focuses on specific land
cover classes such as Russian olive and whitebark pine,
and on the production of ancillary products for modelling
and analysis

6.
Russian olive 2013Russian olive 2013
• Classification accuracies ranging from 93.6% to 99.07%
• Overall, 17,694 acres along eastern Montana’s large rivers
were infested by Russian Olive in 2013
• Bighorn River is most affected, with over 3% of its valley
bottom covered by Russian Olive.
• The Musselshell, Clark Fork of the Yellowstone, Marias,
Powder and Yellowstone rivers have over 1% of their flood
plain covered by Russian Olive.
• The Milk River has less than 1%, but it has the third largest
acreage of infestation (2,038 acres).
• Based on our predictive models, a total of 310,664 acres
have a high probability of Russian Olive infestation in the
future as cottonwoods die out

7.
Whitebark pine mappingWhitebark pine mapping
Partnership with USFSPartnership with USFS
Region 1Region 1
Goal is to map extent ofGoal is to map extent of
whitebark pine,whitebark pine,
emphasizing regenerationemphasizing regeneration
and persistenceand persistence
Presence-absencePresence-absence
complete for Beaverhead-complete for Beaverhead-
Deerlodge, Helena, LewisDeerlodge, Helena, Lewis
and Clark, and Gallatin-and Clark, and Gallatin-
Custer NFs, in progress forCuster NFs, in progress for
Lolo and Bitterroot.Lolo and Bitterroot.
Relative AbundanceRelative Abundance
underway for Helena NFunderway for Helena NF

8.
Topographic Position IndexTopographic Position Index

9.
Landform MapLandform Map

10.
Human Disturbance IndexHuman Disturbance Index

11.
Current and ongoing core work/projectsCurrent and ongoing core work/projects
Headwater wetlandsHeadwater wetlands
Intermontane prairie potholesIntermontane prairie potholes
Forested wetlandsForested wetlands
Reference standard wetlandsReference standard wetlands
Ecological site descriptionsEcological site descriptions
National Vegetation Classification StandardNational Vegetation Classification Standard
Index of Alien InvasibilityIndex of Alien Invasibility
Simplified FQAIsSimplified FQAIs
Wetland Prioritization DatabaseWetland Prioritization Database
Macroinvertebrate and Fish SurveysMacroinvertebrate and Fish Surveys
NWI PlusNWI Plus

12.
NWI PlusNWI Plus
Conceptually similar to NHDConceptually similar to NHD
Plus, which develops value-Plus, which develops value-
added attributes for streamadded attributes for stream
reachesreaches
Developed with Core, EPA,Developed with Core, EPA,
USGS and DEQ fundsUSGS and DEQ funds
In addition to the typical NWIIn addition to the typical NWI
attributes (Cowardinattributes (Cowardin
classification and size), itclassification and size), it
provides a wide range ofprovides a wide range of
associated information in oneassociated information in one
geodatabasegeodatabase
Factual info, such asFactual info, such as
– Ownership classOwnership class
– County, Reservation, PLSS infoCounty, Reservation, PLSS info
– Conservation easementsConservation easements
– HUC 8,10 and 12HUC 8,10 and 12
– Omernik ecoregions Level 3 and 4Omernik ecoregions Level 3 and 4
Calculated and modelled info,Calculated and modelled info,
such assuch as
– Rarity on a statewide, watershed andRarity on a statewide, watershed and
ecoregional scaleecoregional scale
– In 90In 90thth
percentile of size classespercentile of size classes
– Part of a wetland or landscapePart of a wetland or landscape
complexcomplex
– Headwater statusHeadwater status
– LLWW indicatorsLLWW indicators

13.
Upcoming workUpcoming work
““Wetland of specialWetland of special
significance”significance”
National WetlandNational Wetland
Condition AssessmentCondition Assessment
Springs and seepsSprings and seeps
Consolidated wetlandConsolidated wetland
assessment databaseassessment database
Screening tool forScreening tool for
remapping wetlandsremapping wetlands
Complete statewideComplete statewide
whitebark mappingwhitebark mapping

14.
Thanks to…Thanks to…
Jen Chutz, Ecologist/Projects ManagerJen Chutz, Ecologist/Projects Manager
Jamul Hahn, Wetland Mapping CoordinatorJamul Hahn, Wetland Mapping Coordinator
Melissa Hart, Ecologist/GIS AnalystMelissa Hart, Ecologist/GIS Analyst
Claudine Tobalske, Ecologist/GIS AnalystClaudine Tobalske, Ecologist/GIS Analyst
Joe Fortier, GIS/Remote Sensing SpecialistJoe Fortier, GIS/Remote Sensing Specialist
Emily Luther, Ecologist/GIS SpecialistEmily Luther, Ecologist/GIS Specialist
Sara Owen, Ecologist/GIS SpecialistSara Owen, Ecologist/GIS Specialist
QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?