THE WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF NATURAL RESOURCES (WVDNR) WILDLIFE RESOURCES SECTION (WRS) IS THE STATE AGENC…

Assistance award details

Assistance award identifier

ASST_NON_F22AF01341_014

FAIN

F22AF01341

Recipient

WEST VIRGINIA-DIVISION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Awarding agency

Department of the Interior

Funding agency

Department of the Interior

Assistance listing (CFDA)

15.634

Total obligated

$35,348

Period

Mar 4, 2022 – Dec 31, 2023

Fiscal year

2022

Place of performance state

WV

Source file

FY2022_All_Assistance_Full_20261006.zip

Description

THE WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF NATURAL RESOURCES (WVDNR) WILDLIFE RESOURCES SECTION (WRS) IS THE STATE AGENCY CHARGED WITH RESTORING, CONSERVING, AND MANAGING FISH AND WILDLIFE POPULATIONS FOR THE USE AND ENJOYMENT OF ITS CITIZENS. AS PART OF THIS FUNCTION, WVDNR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING A STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN (SWAP) EVERY TEN YEARS. AIMED AT CONSERVING WILDLIFE AND HABITATS, THIS PLAN IDENTIFIES SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED (SGCN), THEIR HABITATS, THREATS, AND NEEDED MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES TO KEEP THEM OFF THE LIST OF FEDERALLY THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES. SGCN MANAGEMENT DEPENDS ON THEIR CONNECTION TO HABITATS ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE AND A REQUIRED COMPONENT TO UPDATING THE SWAP IS ALSO UPDATING THE TERRESTRIAL HABITAT.THE PREVIOUS HABITAT MAPPING EFFORT, THE WEST VIRGINIA TERRESTRIAL HABITAT MAP (WVDNR 2015), WAS CREATED IN 2015 FROM THE NORTHEAST TERRESTRIAL HABITAT MAP (FERREE AND ANDERSON 2013) AND ULTIMATELY BASED ON THE 2001 NATIONAL LAND COVER DATA AT A 30- METER RESOLUTION. ADDITIONAL WEST VIRGINIA SPECIFIC LAND COVER MAPPING EFFORTS AT HIGHER RESOLUTIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE THIS TIME BUT NONE HAVE FULLY REMAPPED HABITAT, WHICH IS THE AIM OF THIS PROJECT. THE OPPORTUNITY EXISTS TO PARTNER WITH WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY NATURAL RESOURCE ANALYSIS CENTER (WVU NRAC) TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FREE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE STATEWIDE 2020 HIGH RESOLUTION NATIONAL AGRICULTURE IMAGERY PROGRAM (NAIP) IMAGERY FOR WEST VIRGINIA TO REMAP LAND COVER.THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO PARTNER WITH WVU NRAC TO CLASSIFY THE HIGH SPATIAL (60CM) AND TEMPORAL (2YR) NAIP IMAGERY SPECTRALLY. THE WVDNR WILL USE THE RESULTING 5-METER RESOLUTION, 9-CLASS LAND COVER TO PLAN, MODEL, AND REMAP HABITATS FOR USE IN THE 2025 STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN (SWAP) COMPREHENSIVE REVISION AND TO ALLOW FOR ANALYSIS AND MORE TIMELY MANAGEMENT OF WILDLIFE SPECIES AND THEIR HABITATS ACROSS WEST VIRGINIA. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HABITATS ACROSS WEST VIRGINIA AND HOW