Marbled Murrelet Conservation
Our research is applied in Marbled Murrelet conservation and management
in British Columbia and in the U.S. Here are a few links showing the
application of our research.
Extensive research in Clayoquot Sound contributing to the management
of Marbled Murrelets in this Biosphere Reserve.
Burger, A. E. and T. A. Chatwin (eds.). 2002. Multi-scale studies of
populations, distribution and habitat associations of Marbled Murrelets
in Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia. Ministry of Water, Land and Air
Protection, Victoria, BC. (ISBN 0-7726-4739-9). Available at: http://env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/techpub/mamuwebs.pdf
Application of research in the development of the Marbled Murrelet
account within the Identified Wildlife Management Strategy (part of the
BC Forest and Range Practices Act).
IWMS. 2004. Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus.
Identified Wildlife Management Strategy: Accounts and Measures for
Managing Identified Wildlife. Ministry of Enviroment, Victoria, BC.
Available at: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/frpa/iwms/documents/Birds/b_marbledmurrelet.pdf
Our research was also applied in the Conservation Assessment
published by the Canadian Marbled Murrelet Recovery Team, the precursor
to the Canadian Marbled Murrelet Recovery Strategy. Alan Burger was the
lead author in the biological review – Part A of the Marbled Murrelet
Conservation Assessment.
Burger, A. E. 2002. Conservation assessment of Marbled Murrelets in
British Columbia: review of the biology, populations, habitat
associations, and conservation. Technical Report Series No. 387,
Canadian Wildlife Service, Delta, BC. http://www.sfu.ca/biology/wildberg/bertram/mamurt/links.htm
The biological review was followed by a Management Strategy – Part B
of the Marbled Murrelet Conservation Assessment.
CMMRT (Canadian Marbled Murrelet Recovery Team). 2003. Marbled Murrelet
Conservation Assessment 2003, Part B – Marbled Murrelet Recovery Team
advisory document on conservation and management. Canadian Wildlife
Service, Delta, BC. Available at: http://www.sfu.ca/biology/wildberg/bertram/mamurt/links.htm
Our research is currently being applied in the development of the Canadian Marbled Murrelet Recovery Strategy (complete draft STILL under review in 2010 - now five years!!), and the Marbled Murrelet Nesting Habitat Action Plan (draft completed April 2005 and also held up by the Canadian and British Columbia governments).
Alan Burger contributed to the 5-year status review of the Marbled
Murrelet in Washington, Oregon and California. This review included
much of our research findings.
McShane, C., T. Hamer, H. Carter, G. Swartzman, V. Friesen, D. Ainley,
R. Tressler, K. Nelson, A. Burger, L. Spear, T. Monagen, R. Martin, L.
Henkel, K. Prindle, C. Strong, and J. Keany. 2004. Evaluation report
for the 5-year status review of the Marbled Murrelet in Washington,
Oregon, and California. Unpublished report, prepared for U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Region 1. Portland Oregon. EDAW, Inc., Seattle, WA.
Available at: http://www.earthjustice.org/library/background/marbled_murrelet_status_review_pdf.html
Burger was also a co-author of a review of Marbled Murrelet biology
and management in Alaska and British Columbia published by the U.S.
Geological Survey in 2007:
Piatt, J.F., K.J. Kuletz, A.E. Burger, S.A. Hatch, V.L. Friesen, T.P.
Birt, M.L. Arimitsu, G.S. Drew, A.M.A. Harding, and K.S. Bixler. 2007.
Status Review of the Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in
Alaska and British Columbia. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report
2006-1387. Available at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1387/
We have also been involved in the development and application of air
photo interpretation and helicopter aerial surveys as tools in
identifying and managing murrelet nesting habitat in British Columbia.
This is now a common method used by forest companies and theB.C.
government for assessing murrelet nesting habitat in many parts of B.C.
Burger, A. E. (ed.) 2004. Standard methods for identifying and ranking
nesting habitat of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus)
in British Columbia using air photo interpretation and low-level aerial
surveys. BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, BC,
and Ministry of Forests, Nanaimo, BC. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/fia_docs/mamu_standard.pdf
Rob Ronconi's PhD work focused on the links between marine (foraging) and inland (nesting) habitat which will ultimately be useful in determining factors limiting murrelet populations. See our publications page.
Nathan Henze worked with staff of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve to investigate the effects of boat traffic on the behaviour and distribution of murrelets during the breeding season. See our publications page.
Our ongoing radar work on southwest Vancouver Island is establishing baseline counts for long-term monitoring of murrelet populations at about 30 watersheds, and in combination with GIS habitat analyses, we are also investigating landscape-level habitat associations in these watersheds.