Hello Everyone, 

For those of you interested in participating in the TWS mini-workshop to be held during the "break" between the morning and afternoon sessions of the Bsal Symposium (symposium agenda here), you will find the items we will be using attached. I have also included all of the items in a google drive link. The items you will need Monday are:
  1. Workshop Agenda (TWS_Workshop Agenda.pdf)
  2. Management endpoints (TWS_Management_End points.pdf)
  3. Short list of actions (TWS_Shortlist_Bsal Management Action.pdf)
  4. Species / Community scenarios (TWS_Bsal Treatment Table Scenarios.pdf)
  5. Workshop 'worksheet' (TWS_BslRxTableWorksheet.xlsx) 
    • I will bring hard copies of the worksheet to the workshop, too.
Molly and Dede have been working on putting together a excel database for the ecology of each species / community scenario. The most updated version will be uploaded into the google drive folder by Monday.

We will be starting the workshop at 10:10a Pacific Time, immediately following the refreshment break. If you are unable to attend TWS, Jamie and Matt will be providing an opportunity for folks to tune in remotely via zoom, barring any wifi issues. If you are interested in zooming in, please let Matt Gray ([log in to unmask]) or Jamie Voyles ([log in to unmask]) know in advance. The link will be: https://tennessee.zoom.us/j/8653850772

Although we will be providing a brief overview of the materials prior to getting to work, please review the materials attached (or in the drive) so that you are familiar with them prior to the workshop. As a reminder, the development of these materials (i.e., endpoints and management actions) have been a collaborative effort between several Bsal working groups (Decision Science, Management, and Research). Susceptibility information provided in the scenarios is to be used as a guide for determining who in a community may be a competent host, expected to experience mortality events, and help provide a "real world" example of what could happen if Bsal were introduced in the United States. We have provided citations to credit all information, but have also provided estimated competency based on presumed competence from sister species.

As a reminder, this is the first step in developing a comprehensive list of treatment and management options, and we will be further developing this table with additional work planned by the Bsal Decision Science Working Group. The table will be used to (1) help partner Refuges identify optimal management strategies, (2) identify actions that can be included under a categorical exclusion to NEPA, (3) summarize and share knowledge in real time from scientific research, and (4) help identify research gaps.

The Bsal Decision Science Working Group (Evan Grant [lead], Riley Bernard, Brittany Mosher, Robin Russell, and Katrina Alger) look forward to seeing you all at TWS (or virtually online).

Thank you for your time and efforts,

--
Riley F. Bernard, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Scientist

The Pennsylvania State University
United States Geological Survey
Patuxent Research Center
Turners Falls, MA
Office: (413) 863-2462
Pronouns: she/her/hers
"We will be known forever by the tracks we leave."
~Dakota proverb