Purpose of a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP)
Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCP) provide long-term guidance for management decisions; set forth goals, objectives and strategies needed to accomplish refuge purposes; and, identify the Fish and Wildlife Service's best estimate of future needs. These plans detail program planning levels that are sometimes substantially above current budget allocations and, as such, are primarily for Service strategic planning and program prioritization purposes. The plans do not constitute a commitment for staffing increases, operational and maintenance increases, or funding for future land acquisition.
Seney NWR | Kirtland's Warbler WMA | Huron NWR | Harbor Island NWR | Michigan Islands NWR
Seney National Wildlife Refuge's CCP:
Seney NWR's CCP was completed in February 2009 after a three year planning process, complete with a public comment period. The CCP will guide the management policies on the Refuge for the next 15 years to ensure the established purposes and missions of the Refuge and National Wildlife Refuge System are fufilled.
Seney National Wildlife Refuge Full CCP (PDF file size 8.01 MB)
Seney National Wildlife Refuge CCP Summary (PDF file size 2.20 MB)
Seney NWR CCP Highlights
The management course proposed in the CCP segments the Refuge into four general units and applies a management strategy to each unit. As proposed, the units follow a general gradient of management from low intensity (wilderness) to higher manipulation (managed impoundments and visitor use). Some high and low intensity management actions would occur in all units except the designated Wilderness. Wildlife needs always receive priority when in conflict with visitor services.
Unit 1: Conservation
This unit contains 14 managed pools, the Visitor Center/Headquarters compound, the Marshland Wildlife Drive and the Fishing Loop. Habitat management will maintain areas for species that the visiting public enjoys, including Trumpeter Swans, Common Loons, wading birds and game fish. Upland habitats will be managed to provide for a diversity of native cover types.
Unit 2: Conservation and Restoration
This unit contains four managed pools, significant mixed pine uplands, and two large old field openings (Diversion Farm and Chicago Farm). The focus of management on this unit will include maintaining seasonal rotation of water levels in the managed pools, natural regeneration of upland forests, and the gradual restoration of the Chicago Farm field to a forested habitat.
Unit 3: Restoration and Preservation
Unit 3 is the largest of the three non-wilderness units. It contains natural and forested wetlands but only three managed pools. A large opening, the Walsh Farms old field, is found on the north end of this unit. Management efforts on this unit will include allowing a greater percentage of natural processes, such as beaver-constructed wetlands, wildfires, and seasonal floods, to shape the landscape.
Unit 4: Wilderness
The Federally-designated wilderness will be managed to maintain natural habitats and processes according to the existing Wilderness Management Plan. Visitor and Refuge staff entry will be limited to foot traffic only. Active habitat manipulation will only occur in emergency situations and the minimum tools necessary will be used to complete tasks.
Whitefish Point Unit (read more about Whitefish Point Unit)
As proposed in the CCP, the Refuge will work with a Joint Committee consisting of the Michigan Audubon Society, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society and the Service to implement provisions of the Human Use Natural Resource Management Plan (PDF file size 637 KB) for Whitefish Point.
Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife Management Area (WMA) CCP
Kirtland's Warbler WMA CCP was completed in September 2009 after a three year planning process involving members of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Kirtland's Warbler Recovery Team, and others. The CCP will guide the management policies on the Refuge for the next 15 years to ensure the established purposes and missions of the Refuge and National Wildlife Refuge System are fulfilled. Like all CCPs, the Kirtland's Warbler WMA will be reviewed periodically and revised as the environment or situation necessitates.
Kirtland's Warbler WMA Full CCP (PDF file size 4.18 MB)
Kirtland's Warbler WMA CCP Summary
Highlights of the CCP
The CCP identified two primary approaches to managing Kirtland's Warbler WMA: emulating natural, wildfire-generated jack pine stands and exploring opportunities to exchange land with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and, possibly, the U.S. Forest Service.
Exchanging land with the state and possibly the Forest Service would likely increase the total area of land managed for Kirtland's Warbler, and it would increase management efficiency for federal and state agencies.
Kirtland's Warbler WMA includes 125 separate tracts ranging in size from 2 acres to 600 acres, and many of these tracts are located within larger tracts of land owned by the Michigan DNR. The WMA is managed by Seney NWR, which is located 150 miles from the closest tract and 300 miles from the most distant tract. Travel time between Seney NWR and WMA tracts limits administrative oversight and effectiveness. Management of Kirtland's Warbler WMA is currently accomplished through a cooperative agreement between the Service and the DNR.
In the meantime, the Service intends to focus on greater ecological integrity within managed jack pine stands. Rather than intensively managed jack pine plantations, future management will try to emulate natural conditions at every stage of jack pine ecosystem development.
Different stages of tree development will benefit species ranging from open land birds like the Clay-colored Sparrow, Prairie Warbler and Upland Sandpiper to birds that depend on later stage trees, such as the Red Crossbill, Black-backed Woodpecker and Olive-sided Flycatcher.
Great Lakes Islands National Wildlife Refuges' CCPs
A CCP is being planned for several small island refuges in Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Michigan. The planning process will set wildlife, habitat, and public use priorities and guide management decisions for the next 15 years. All aspects of the islands management will be address, including fishing, hunting, other recreational purposes, and management activities. Because all the island refuges are similar they will be covered in one CCP. If you would like to stay up to date on the process visit the Division of Conservation Planning website.
Although five refuges will be covered under the Great Lakes Islands CCP, Seney NWR manages two of the refuges and a portion of another as satellite refuges. Seney NWR manages Huron NWR in Lake Superior, Harbor Island NWR in Lake Huron, and four of the eight islands that comprise Michigan Islands NWR in Lake Michigan. The other four islands of the Michigan Islands NWR are managed by Shiawassee NWR. Gravel Island NWR and Green Bay NWR are managed by Horicon NWR.
Great Lakes Islands CCP - In Progress |
