28th Annual Meeting and Symposium of the
Desert Tortoise Council, February 21-23, 2003
Abstracts

Desert Managers Group Tortoise Recovery Actions, with Emphasis on the Effectiveness Evaluation

Jim Kenna
Field Manager Bureau of Land Management P.O. Box 581260, N. Palm Springs, CA 92258-1260

The Desert Managers Group, at the June 12-13 meeting, decided to increase emphasis on implementation of cooperative recovery actions for desert tortoise, and to become more assertive as a group in promoting recovery actions. The overall strategy was presented to, and accepted by, the Management Oversight Group. The strategy has four components: 1) Evaluate Management Actions, 2) Continue Desert Tortoise Population Monitoring, 3) Finish Land Use Plans, 4) Increase Focus on Causes for Mortality. One of the four emphasis areas in the strategy was Effectiveness Evaluation. Step one in evaluation of actions taken was to compile actions taken by member agencies toward recovery of the Desert Tortoise since listing. That step was completed in coordination with the MOG TAC and University of Redlands. In its December meeting in Needles, California, the Desert Managers Group chartered a working group to work on the second step toward evaluation. The first meeting of that group occurred on March 6, 2003 in Riverside. Once the second step is completed, the DMG plans to sponsor design of long-term (15 years or longer) adaptive management or monitoring studies to be implemented in areas where management action is being taken or has been taken. The intent is for all studies to be peer reviewed and allow for stakeholder participation.