[Federal Register: April 13, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 69)]
[Notices]
[Page 16886-16888]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13ap09-87]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R3-R-2009-N0036; 30136-1265-0000-S3]
Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife Management Area, Located Throughout 8
Counties in the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability: draft comprehensive conservation plan
and environmental assessment; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and draft
environmental assessment (EA) for Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife
Management Area (Kirtland's Warbler WMA) for public review and comment.
In this draft CCP/EA we describe how we propose to manage Kirtland's
Warbler WMA for the next 15 years. The Kirtland's Warbler WMA is part
of the National Wildlife Refuge System and is administered by the staff
of Seney National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by May 15, 2009. Special mailings, newspaper articles, internet
postings, and other media announcements will inform people of the
opportunities to submit written comments.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments or requests for more information by any
of the following methods. You may also drop off comments in person at
Seney NWR.
Agency Web site: View or download a copy of the document
and comment at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Planning/kirtland/
E-mail: r3planning@fws.gov. Include ``Kirtland's Warbler
WMA Draft CCP/EA'' in the subject line of the message.
Fax: 906-586-3800.
Mail: Attention: Refuge Manager, Seney National Wildlife
Refuge, 1674 Refuge Entrance Road, Seney, MI 49883.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracy Casselman, 906-586-9851.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Kirtland's
Warbler WMA, which we began by publishing a notice of intent April 21,
2006 (71 FR 20722). For more about the initial process and the history
of this WMA, see that notice.
We established this WMA in the early 1980s due, in part, to the
recommendations of the Kirtland's Warbler Recovery Team. The original
goal was to acquire 7,500 acres of land on which habitat would be
managed for the benefit of Kirtland's warbler. At present, the area
contains 124 separate tracts totaling 6,582 acres.
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
(16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), requires us to develop a comprehensive
conservation plan for each national wildlife refuge and wildlife
management area. The purpose in developing a CCP is to provide managers
with a 15-year strategy for achieving wildlife management area purposes
and contributing toward the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge
System, consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife
management, conservation, legal mandates, and our policies. In addition
to outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife and
their habitats, plans identify wildlife-dependent recreational
opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation.
CCP Alternatives and Our Preferred Alternative
Priority Issues
During the public scoping process, we, other stakeholders and
partners, and the public identified several priority issues, which
include habitat management, nuisance species control, and recreation
opportunities and visitor services. To address these issues, we
developed and evaluated the following alternatives during the planning
process.
Alternative 1: Current Management Direction of Habitat Management (No
Action)
The current management direction of Kirtland's Warbler WMA would be
maintained under this alternative. For NEPA purposes, this is referred
to as the ``No Action'' alternative, a misnomer as some changes will
occur over the next 15 years. Nonetheless, in Alternative 1 intensive
management of existing jack pine stands would continue to occur in
close cooperation with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
(DNR), with the primary objective to produce dense jack pine
plantations for Kirtland's Warbler breeding habitat. The WMA staff and
Michigan DNR land managers would continue to monitor habitat
prescription effects and make improvements in jack pine habitat
management as it pertains primarily to Kirtland's Warbler. Public use
would follow the current direction and be linked to uses of the
surrounding state lands. Environmental education and outreach will be
limited primarily to the annual Kirtland's Warbler Festival events.
Alternative 2: Management From an Ecological Perspective
Alternative 2 would seek to make changes from the current high
intensity habitat management that produces jack pine plantations for
Kirtland's Warbler by trenching and planting. Future management would
be from a more ecologically broad and holistic jack pine ecosystem
management standpoint based on benchmark conditions derived from jack
pine stands regenerated by wildfire. This alternative would include
management practices that place a greater emphasis on ecological
integrity and better emulating wildfire-produced jack pine stand
composition and structural patterns and resulting biodiversity. Timber
harvests would try to better emulate wildfire-produced stand
conditions, and a range of regeneration options would be used,
including prescribed fire when and where possible. An increased
emphasis would also occur within law enforcement and visitor use.
Enforcement of hunting regulations, trespass, and other violations
would likely require more staff time and year-round presence. Visitor
use would be facilitated by marking some properties with signs and by
outreach to surrounding communities and users.
Alternative 3: Ecological Management and Land Ownership Consolidation
(Preferred Alternative)
Alternative 3 would seek to manage existing lands as suggested in
Alternative 2, but would also explore land exchanges with the state
(and possibly U.S. Forest Service) to consolidate state and WMA
parcels. Proposed land exchanges would likely increase the total area
of land managed for Kirtland's Warbler, as well as increase management
efficiency by both federal and state agencies. Existing lands and any
new lands acquired through exchange would be managed to benefit the
Kirtland's Warbler and other native flora and fauna of jack pine
ecosystems. However, jack pine stand management would be shifted
towards a more ecologically-based approach rather than the highly
intensive manner of present habitat management that produces jack pine
plantations. For instance, if consolidation would occur and the Service
would obtain upland jack pine stands in the eastern Upper Peninsula,
prescribed fire would be a more likely management tool.
Public Input
We will give the public an opportunity to provide comments upon
release of the draft plan. You may
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submit comments anytime during the comment period.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should know
that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you may
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Dated: March 3, 2009.
Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort
Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. E9-8380 Filed 4-10-09; 8:45 am]
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