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FY 16-17: Agency Priority Goal

Monarch Butterfly and Other Pollinators Conservation

Priority Goal

Restore or enhance habitat to improve the health of the monarch butterfly and other pollinator populations that help sustain functioning ecosystems and the long-term productivity of working agricultural lands.

By September 30, 2017, the Department of the Interior (through the Fish & Wildlife Service) will double the acres of restored or enhanced habitat for Monarch butterflies and other pollinators. (Doubling the number of acres restored or enhanced for Monarch butterflies and other pollinators by September 30, 2017 will result in a total of 320,000 acres of agency land, private land, and state land restored or enhanced.)

Themes:

Natural Resources and Environment

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Performance Indicators

Monarch Butterfly and Other Pollinators Conservation

Performance is measured as the number of acres of newly restored or enhanced Monarch butterfly habitat. The Department will report semi-annually a single rolled-together number that tracks the amount of newly restored or enhanced habitat available to Monarchs and other pollinators. Results of the related USDA and EPA pollinator activities are reported on www.performance.gov under those agencies’ corresponding Agency Priority Goals.

Habitat restoration involves the manipulation of an area with the goal of returning natural/historical function(s) and integrity to a site that has lost or degraded native habitat for Monarchs. For this goal, habitat restored includes habitat creation and restoration on Service-owned lands and interests (e.g. National Wildlife Refuges and National Fish Hatcheries) or through partnerships with the owners and managers of other lands ( state lands, private lands, rights-of-ways (ROW’s), mitigation banks, easements, and federal lands highways projects) who receive financial and/or technical assistance from FWS. Examples may include (but are not limited to) planting native plant communities that likely existed previously on the site and burning grass communities heavily invaded by exotic species to reestablish native grass/plant communities.

Habitat enhancement involves the manipulation of an area to change specific function(s) or successional stage of the project site conditions to provide additional benefits for Monarchs. Habitat enhancement includes implementation or modification of land management practices such as mowing, haying, grazing, fire, mechanical/chemical treatments, use of pesticides, control of invasive species, forest management activities, and interseeding existing habitat with milkweeds and forbs. For this goal, habitat enhanced includes periodic manipulation of a site to maintain habitat in a condition that benefits Monarchs.

Baseline: Number of acres of restored or enhanced monarch butterfly habitat through FY 2015 = 130,000 acres.

Data Accuracy and Reliability

The Department ensures the accuracy and reliability of the performance data in measuring progress towards its Agency Priority Goals, in accordance with the five data quality specifications in the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 for:

Means used to verify and validate measured values: All performance data reported on http://www.performance.gov/ by the Department is subject to the data verification and validation standards initially published in 2003 and reissued in 2007 (see https://www.doi.gov/performance/data-validation-and-verification). Implementing organization heads or chief officials confirm in writing the validity of the data. In the case of Agency Priority (Performance) Goals, senior officials in the implementing organization personally present the data on a quarterly basis to the senior Departmental leadership.

Sources for the data: In response to data calls, bureau program managers provide performance data based on their observations that can include extrapolations of selected representative samples or past history adjusted for estimates of changing conditions. These data are tracked and maintained in separate systems, including spreadsheets. Following review by the providing bureau or office, data is collected, reviewed, integrated, and maintained by the Department’s Office of Planning and Performance Management on the www.performance.gov website.

Level of accuracy required for the intended use of the data: Performance data reported in the Annual Performance Plan & Report and on http://www.performance.gov/ is used for management purposes, as a representative indicator of progress in relation to a target or goal established by the corresponding implementing organization. The accuracy of the data is that which is considered necessary to provide a reasonable representation of the progress made relative to a target or goal for discussion purposes, so as to help:
- determine if the progress is considered adequate
- provide understanding of the ability for the processes and methods being implemented to achieve the goal
- indicate if any further exploration or evaluation is needed to better ensure achievement of the goal; and
- whether alternative action, including adjusting funding levels, facilities, workforce, IT capabilities, etc., is needed to help better ensure achievement of the goal.

Limitations to the data at the required level of accuracy: Performance data is subject to potential errors from: the use of estimations and extrapolations, especially where direct measurement is impractical and/or considered too costly; individual observation; miscommunication; and/or failure to effectively employ the guidance described in the “Indicator” description in http://www.performance.gov/. However, based on multiple review levels and accuracy certifications, we do not believe these limitations to be significant.
How the agency has compensated for such limitations if needed to reach the required level of accuracy: Along with the implementing organization’s official assurance of faithfully employing the data verification and validation standards, submitted data is reviewed within the context of the scope and nature of the activity, plans, and past experience to help confirm accuracy. Following review and verification by the submitting bureau or office, the data is reviewed within its corresponding trends and programmatic context by the Department’s Office of Planning and Performance Management to determine if further consultation with the data provider is necessary to adjust or correct the reported data before publication. Senior management and leadership consider this level of accuracy to be acceptable in their use of the data. Past experience in using the data, historical trend and programmatic context assessments, and bureau data quality certifications indicate that the limitations are considered minor and compensating measures are not considered necessary.

In addition to employing the Department’s data validation and verification standards, and internal reviews of submitted data, the best “test” of the data’s accuracy is in its use. Agency Priority (Performance) Goal data is reviewed during quarterly status reviews where senior officials report their data directly to the Department’s senior leadership and is made publicly available through http://www.performance.gov/.

Indicator target and actual value information
Fiscal Year Quarter	Period Ending (Month, Year)	Target Value	Actual Value	Explanation of Actual
2016-Q2	March, 2016		13233	The Department (through the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS)) restored or enhanced 7,173 acres of habitat for monarchs and other pollinators in the second quarter of FY 2016. A total of 13,233 acres are in the process of being restored or enhanced as of the end of Quarter 2 of FY 2016.
2016-Q4	September, 2016	195000	332038
2017-Q2	March, 2017
2017-Q4	September, 2017	320000

Indicator Statement:

By September 30, 2017, the Department of the Interior (Fish & Wildlife Service) will double the acres of restored or enhanced habitat for Monarch butterflies and other pollinators. (Doubling the number of acres restored or enhanced for Monarch butterflies and other pollinators by September 30, 2017 will result in a total of 260,000 acres of agency land, private land, and state land restored or enhanced.)

Indicator Overview:

Baseline: Number of acres of restored or enhanced monarch butterfly habitat through FY 2015 = 130,000 acres.

Data Accuracy and Reliability

Means used to verify and validate measured values: All performance data reported on http://www.performance.gov/ by the Department is subject to the data verification and validation standards initially published in 2003 and reissued in 2007 (see https://www.doi.gov/performance/data-validation-and-verification). Implementing organization heads or chief officials confirm in writing the validity of the data. In the case of Agency Priority (Performance) Goals, senior officials in the implementing organization personally present the data on a quarterly basis to the senior Departmental leadership.

Sources for the data: In response to data calls, bureau program managers provide performance data based on their observations that can include extrapolations of selected representative samples or past history adjusted for estimates of changing conditions. These data are tracked and maintained in separate systems, including spreadsheets. Following review by the providing bureau or office, data is collected, reviewed, integrated, and maintained by the Department’s Office of Planning and Performance Management on the www.performance.gov website.

Level of accuracy required for the intended use of the data: Performance data reported in the Annual Performance Plan & Report and on http://www.performance.gov/ is used for management purposes, as a representative indicator of progress in relation to a target or goal established by the corresponding implementing organization. The accuracy of the data is that which is considered necessary to provide a reasonable representation of the progress made relative to a target or goal for discussion purposes, so as to help:
- determine if the progress is considered adequate
- provide understanding of the ability for the processes and methods being implemented to achieve the goal
- indicate if any further exploration or evaluation is needed to better ensure achievement of the goal; and
- whether alternative action, including adjusting funding levels, facilities, workforce, IT capabilities, etc., is needed to help better ensure achievement of the goal.

Limitations to the data at the required level of accuracy: Performance data is subject to potential errors from: the use of estimations and extrapolations, especially where direct measurement is impractical and/or considered too costly; individual observation; miscommunication; and/or failure to effectively employ the guidance described in the “Indicator” description in http://www.performance.gov/. However, based on multiple review levels and accuracy certifications, we do not believe these limitations to be significant.
How the agency has compensated for such limitations if needed to reach the required level of accuracy: Along with the implementing organization’s official assurance of faithfully employing the data verification and validation standards, submitted data is reviewed within the context of the scope and nature of the activity, plans, and past experience to help confirm accuracy. Following review and verification by the submitting bureau or office, the data is reviewed within its corresponding trends and programmatic context by the Department’s Office of Planning and Performance Management to determine if further consultation with the data provider is necessary to adjust or correct the reported data before publication. Senior management and leadership consider this level of accuracy to be acceptable in their use of the data. Past experience in using the data, historical trend and programmatic context assessments, and bureau data quality certifications indicate that the limitations are considered minor and compensating measures are not considered necessary.

Unit Of Measurement: acres

Indicator Reporting Frequency: Semi Annually

Indicator Direction: INCREASING