Purpose and Need:

The purpose of this Supplement is to clarify actions that will be taken under the selected alternative for the Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge Public Use Plan. A Public Use Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA) for Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) was prepared by Refuge staff and approved by the Regional Director on August 6, 2001. The public use plan and EA outline six wildlife-dependent uses that are priority for the Refuge: wildlife observation, wildlife photography, environmental education, interpretation, hunting and fishing. The preferred alternative included physical developments for access and orientation, such as parking areas, interpretive trails and signs, and wildlife observation areas. The EA and Plan do not sufficiently describe the option of building an education facility that would shelter users during the spring, summer and fall. This supplement describes the proposed project and its environmental consequences.

 

Preferred Alternative:

The preferred alternative as presented in the Environmental Assessment to the Whittlesey Creek Public Use Plan, relating to environmental education and access, is as follows:

 

2.4.2 Alternative 2 - Compatible Public Uses, Including Hunting (Preferred Alternative)

The general philosophy for public use on the refuge would be: "Everything the Service does in relation to the Refuge (management, restoration, public uses, monitoring, research) will be viewed as an opportunity to provide public participation and teach/encourage environmental stewardship. Programs and activities will be developed to create in our visitors:

Awareness and ecological understanding of the Refuge and adjacent landscape

Knowledge of how humans affect the natural system

Understanding of the value of habitat for fish and wildlife

Recognition of fish and wildlife values in general."

Six wildlife-dependent uses are considered priority recreational uses for this Refuge: wildlife observation, wildlife photography, environmental education, interpretation, hunting and fishing. In addition, research is considered a priority use, but is not public/recreational use. Use guidelines under this alternative are described below.

Environmental Education and Interpretation:

The Service would cooperate with the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center and other organizations to plan and offer interpretive and environmental education programs. The Service would continue its partnership with the Center. The Service�s focus in working with the Center would be fish and wildlife conservation, management, and restoration. The Service can play a leadership role in showing how the best science and technology are used for wildlife conservation and restoration efforts. Service lands would be a model and demonstration area for habitat management which fosters broad participation in natural resources stewardship.

The educational theme for the Refuge�s environmental education and interpretive activities would be "habitat restoration - recreating ecosystems piece by piece." The Service, on Refuge lands and those of willing private landowners, would restore fish habitat for trout and salmon in Whittlesey Creek, recreating wetlands on the landscape, and improving degraded habitats. The Service would work cooperatively with interested individuals and organizations to assist with this work.

Orientation and Access to the Refuge:

A clear system of welcome and orientation signs would allow visitors to know where to go, what recreation, interpretation, and educational opportunities are available, any limits on uses, and how to make the best use of their time while visiting the Refuge. Physical developments to accommodate public use and enjoyment of the Refuge would initially be limited to small parking areas and informational and educational signs. The Service would construct short hiking trails and wildlife observation areas. All facilities developed would be accessible to people with disabilities. Generally, lands would be open during daylight hours. All use on the Refuge would be non-motorized, except on public roads and the existing snowmobile trail.

 

Detailed Description of Supplemental Proposed Action:

The Service proposes to enhance its environmental education and interpretation activities at a three-season facility on the Refuge. The proposed facility will be located near Little Whittlesey Creek, enhancing education programming and interpretation for fish, wildlife and their habitats. Programs will emphasize cold-water stream environments of Lake Superior. This facility will allow Refuge staff to bring visitors and educational groups to the Refuge for field training and hands-on programming that is not readily available elsewhere on the Refuge or at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center. It will also provide a safe and accessible parking and staging area for any group or visitor that wants to use the Refuge for priority public uses.

 

Specific facilities that are proposed to be constructed are (see attached conceptual design):

• A 20� x 40� screened shelter that can be shuttered to extend its use to spring and fall. It will be installed on a concrete pad, with an adjacent 24� x 36� gravel pad. The shelter is prefabricated, modular structure that will be installed on site. We will also add screens and shutters to the structure once it is on-site.

• A five-car, gravel parking lot, with bus turn-around and staging area.

• Orientation signs and information kiosk.

• Accessible, gravel trail from staging area to shelter.

• Accessible, gravel trail from shelter to Little Whittlesey Creek. The trail will end at a small accessible platform for access to the Creek by participants.

• Accessible, single rest room, vault-type toilet.

• Lockable gate at staging area to close the facility at night.

Removal of existing driveway and improve road to parking area.

We will plant multiple layers of native vegetation between the parking lot and Little Whittlesey Creek. Vegetation that does not obstruct traffic will be planted in the center of the parking lot, where no gravel will be placed. Where we can, existing gravel driveways will be removed and the areas planted to trees and shrubs. We will also plant multiple layers of native vegetation within the old homestead and along Little Whittlesey Creek where possible, without obstructing views or hindering access to trails and field training sites.

Proper erosion control will be followed during construction to minimize sediment from entering the stream and wetlands.

The Service will cooperate with the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center and other organizations to offer interpretive and environmental education programs at the shelter. We anticipate that student groups of all ages will participate in environmental education activities at the shelter.

Programs will be provided at the shelter during the non-snow months, which are typically from April through November. Most of the use will take place in May and September, when schools plan field activities for their students. All activities will take place during daylight hours and any use in the stream will be discouraged during spawning seasons.

The Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center education programs do not include cold-water stream or riparian habitats, mostly because they are not readily accessible for programming from the Center. This facility and associated programs will fill that gap in the Refuge�s and the Center�s education programming. Some examples of programs that will be provided are: Aquatic Life, Caring for the Creek, Wild about Wildlife, and Homes without Houses. All programs will be divided into age-specific classes to develop a better understanding of the Refuge. Each will have activities designed to meet a restoration/conservation theme.

General habitat types that will be utilized by this proposed public use include streams, coastal wetlands, abandoned farm fields, hayfields, emergent wetlands, woodlands and riparian areas.

 

Effected Environment:

The proposed site is located at the end of Wickstrom Rd. within the Refuge (T.48N., R5W., Section 35). Little Whittlesey Creek runs through the site. Besides Wickstrom Road, an abandoned railroad grade and electric substation are adjacent to the Refuge property.

The proposed facilities will be located at home sites recently acquired by the Service. The parking lot will be placed on a site that, when acquired by the Service, included a trailer home and small cottage. They were removed in 2001. The shelter is sited on an old homestead; the house and barn foundation was moved off the site in 2003.

 

Environmental Consequences:

Impacts can be separated into 1) immediate environmental and economic impacts created by building new facilities and 2) annual impacts created by the public utilizing areas on the Refuge. The annual impacts caused from public use in general are described in detail in the document: "Environmental Assessment for the Public Use Plan, Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge Bayfield County, Wisconsin" dated April 6, 2001. The impacts from facility construction and loss of habitat are described below.

 

Wildlife Habitat

The project will be built on two previous home sites, so placement of these facilities does not displace existing wildlife habitat. However, the facilities will result in lost opportunity to restore wildlife habitat within their footprint.

Impervious surfaces indirectly impact streams and in-stream habitat. Impervious surfaces reduce the amount of runoff that filters into the ground, resulting in increased runoff into streams. Increased runoff often increases erosion of banks, which degrades in-stream habitat.

The parking lot and access trails will be gravel, which allows water to infiltrate, but it will still increase the flow of runoff.

The shelter and concrete slab will create about 1200 square feet of impervious surface and the toilet will create about 100 square feet, which is a reduction in impervious surface when compared to the home and barn that were removed. In addition, a 940 square foot gravel pad will be laid adjacent to the shelter, which will be kept free from vegetation. As noted above, these structures eliminate the option of restoring habitat and pervious surfaces within their footprint.

Tree, shrub and other plantings mentioned in the alternative section will help compensate for the increase of impervious surfaces. No other habitat will be lost from construction of facilities.

 

Fish and Wildlife Populations

The Service�s ability to reach its fish and wildlife population goals would not be negatively affected.

Construction might negatively affect individual wildlife species that are disturbance-sensitive, such as certain migratory birds during the nesting season, but this impact would be minimal. It is unlikely that construction will affect the population viability of such species. On-site construction time will be minimized since prefabricated, modular structures will be used.

Public use might negatively affect individual wildlife species that are disturbance-sensitive, such as certain migratory birds during the nesting season, but this impact would be minimal. It is unlikely that public use will affect the population viability of such species.

 

Direct Impact from Use at Site

Most use by students will be done from access trails and within the building. However, students will likely be in Little Whittlesey Creek at times to take samples and participate in educational activities. This could impact habitat and aquatic wildlife. A platform will be built at the end of the access trail along the stream to reduce impact.

Impact from Proposed Construction and Use on the Wickstrom Bridge and Terwilliger Road

Impact on the degraded Wickstrom Bridge is one of the primary issues related to construction and increased traffic. The bridge currently has a 5 ton load limit. Terwilliger Road is annually maintained with cold-patches, and is in rough condition. The bridge and road are owned and maintained by the Town of Barksdale. The Service and the Town are applying for various grants to replace the bridge. Until the Wickstrom Bridge is replaced, however, the Service has received approval of the Town of Barksdale to span thebridge with 10" thick timber mats that will allow heavy trucks and construction equipment to reach the site. The mats will also allow full school buses to use the bridge once education programs begin. Improvements to Terwilliger Road will be included in a future transportation plan for the Refuge. We will work with the Town to obtain funding to improve Terwilliger Road and Wickstrom Bridge.

 

Public Involvement and Comments Received:

The project�s Compatibility Determination was made available for public review for 30 days. Two notices were printed in the each local paper (Ashland Daily Press on August 7 & 14, 2004 and in the Bayfield County Journal on August 4 & 12, 2004). Notices and the document were posted on selected pages on the Service�s Whittlesey Creek NWR web site. In addition, the draft compatibility determination was sent to the Barksdale town board, Bayfield County supervisor, six adjacent landowners, and about 50 other interested parties via mail or e-mail.

Three comments were received, all supporting the project. One suggested we add a fireplace. One suggested that we use a grass-crete product to help restore infiltration. The other asked if the old Ondossagon School was considered. We did not change our plans based on these comments, except to change the concrete pad planned adjacent to the shelter to a gravel pad. We will also design the building to allow a wood stove to be added later, at our discretion. The Ondossagon School is outside the Refuge boundary.