[Federal Register: January 13, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 8)]
[Notices]
[Page 1803-1806]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13ja10-90]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2009-N162; 40136-1265-0000-S3]
Lower Florida Keys Refuges, Monroe County, FL
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability: final Comprehensive Conservation Plan
and finding of no significant impact.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce our
decision and the availability of the final CCP and finding of no
significant impact (FONSI) for the Environmental Assessment for the
Lower Florida Keys Refuges in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. We completed a thorough
analysis of impacts on the human environment, which are included in the
Environmental Assessment (Appendix N of the CCP). The CCP will guide us
in managing and administering the Lower Florida Keys Refuges for the
next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the CCP by writing to: Ms. Anne
Morkill, Refuge Manager, Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuge Complex,
28590 Watson Boulevard, Big Pine Key, FL 33043. You may also access and
download the document from the Service's Web site: http://
southeast.fws.gov/planning.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Anne Morkill; telephone: 305/872-
2239; or Mary Morris, Natural Resource Planner; telephone 850/567-6202.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for the Lower Florida
Keys Refuges. We started this process through a notice in the Federal
Register on May 9, 2003 (68 FR 25058).
The Lower Florida Keys Refuges includes three wildlife refuges--Key
West National Wildlife Refuge (Key West NWR), Great White Heron
National Wildlife Refuge (Great White Heron NWR), and National Key Deer
Refuge in Monroe County, Florida. These are a collection of low-lying,
subtropical islands between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean
that protect all the vital habitats representative of the Florida Keys
ecosystem, including the globally imperiled pine rockland and tropical
hardwood hammock. These geologically and climatically distinct islands
provide a haven for a diversity of native flora and fauna, including
endemic, threatened, endangered, and candidate species.
Key West NWR
Located west of Key West and accessible only by boat, the refuge
consists of the Marquesas Keys and 13 other keys distributed across
over 375 square miles of open water. Key West NWR is among the first
refuges established in the United States. President Roosevelt created
the refuge in 1908 as a preserve and breeding ground for colonial
nesting birds and other wildlife. The refuge encompasses 208,308 acres
of land and water with only 1 percent (2,019 acres) being land. Most
islands are dominated by mangrove plant communities.
The refuge provides habitat and protection for Federally listed
species, including piping plovers and roseate terns. The refuge harbors
the largest wintering population of piping plovers and the largest
colony of white-crowned pigeons in the Florida Keys. It is a haven for
over 250 species of birds, including 10 wading-bird species that nest
in the refuge. Other notable imperiled species include sea turtles.
More loggerhead and green sea turtle nests are found each year in Key
West NWR than in any area of the Florida Keys except the Dry Tortugas.
Waters within the refuge's administrative boundaries are important
developmental habitat for these sea turtle species, as well as
hawksbills and Kemp's ridley sea turtles. In 1975, Public Law 93-632
designated all islands in Key West NWR, except Ballast Key, which is
privately owned, as a part of the National Wilderness Preservation
System. These islands total 2,109 acres.
Great White Heron NWR
Great White Heron NWR was established in 1938, by Executive Order
7993 signed by President Roosevelt, as a haven for great white herons,
migratory birds, and other wildlife. The refuge encompasses 117,683
acres of land and water with 6,300 acres of land, including 1,900 land
acres which were designated Wilderness Areas in 1975, also under Public
Law 93-632. While the islands are primarily mangroves, some of the
larger islands contain pine rockland and tropical hardwood hammock
habitats. This vast area, known locally as the ``backcountry,''
provides critical nesting, feeding, and resting areas for more than 250
species of birds. We co-manage this area with the State through a
``Management Agreement for Submerged Lands Within
[[Page 1804]]
the Boundaries of Key West and Great White Heron National Wildlife
Refuges'' (hereinafter referred to as Management Agreement).
Great white herons are a white color-phase of great blue herons. In
the United States, nesting is restricted to extreme south Florida
including the Florida Keys. The refuge was created to protect great
white herons from extinction since the population was decimated by the
demand for feathered hats. Protection of great white herons was
successful, and these magnificent birds can be observed feeding on
tidal flats throughout the refuge. The refuge islands are also used for
nesting by 10 wading bird species, including the reddish egret, and by
many neotropical migratory bird species.
National Key Deer Refuge
The National Key Deer Refuge was established on August 22, 1957, to
protect and conserve Key deer and other wildlife resources. It
comprises about 8,983 acres of land on several islands within the
authorized approved acquisition boundary, as well as additional parcels
located outside the boundary administered by the refuge. These lands
host diverse habitats, most notably globally endangered tropical
hardwood hammocks and pine rocklands. The refuge provides habitat for
hundreds of endemic and migratory species, including 21 Federally
listed species, such as Key deer, Lower Keys marsh rabbit, and silver
rice rat. It contains a variety of plants endemic to the Florida Keys.
The refuge is an important stopping point for thousands of
migrating birds each year and an important wintering ground for many
North American bird species. Notable species include the piping plover
and peregrine falcon. The mosaic of upland and wetland habitats found
in the Florida Keys are critical breeding and feeding grounds for
birds, and refuge land acquisition efforts strive to add to the lands
already protected. Loggerhead, green, hawksbill, and Kemp's ridley sea
turtles forage in the waters surrounding the refuge, but nesting is
limited to refuge lands on Ohio Key, where a small number of loggerhead
nests are laid annually. There are 2,278 acres of Wilderness Area
designated on this refuge as of 1975 per Public Law 632.
Refuge Purposes
The purposes of the refuges come from the executive orders and
subsequent laws Congress passed as it established each refuge. There
are also specific purposes Congress designated for managing the Refuge
System as a whole. Each of the three refuges has different enabling
legislation and purposes. The CCP has been designed with consideration
of the distinct purposes of each refuge. For the purposes of each
refuge, refer to a notice in the Federal Register dated May 23, 2008
(73 FR 30139).
Alternatives, Including the Preferred Alternative
The Service developed three alternatives for managing the refuges
over the next 15 years and chose Alternative B as the preferred
alternative. A description of the three alternatives follows.
Alternative A--(Current Management--No Action)
The Lower Florida Keys Refuges have a high diversity of community
types and endemic species, with many threatened, endangered, candidate,
and other imperiled species. The primary mission of these refuges is to
provide habitat for wildlife. The refuges currently have a small staff
and funding source for the inventorying and monitoring of natural
resources. Much effort has been put into some resources, such as Key
deer and their habitat (pine rocklands), as a result of cooperative
partnerships with academic and other research organizations. Certain
species, such as great white herons, white-crowned pigeons, and sea
turtles, have been studied over time by refuge biological staff. Under
this alternative, these studies would continue.
Baseline data have yet to be established for some protected
species, species suites, habitats, and cultural resources. The effects
of natural catastrophic disturbances (e.g., Hurricane Wilma in 2005) on
the refuges' resources have not been fully assessed and the effect of
climate change (e.g., sea level rise) is not known.
We would protect threatened and endangered species through a
variety of management tools, such as area closures, law enforcement,
exotic plant control, etc. Working with partners, we would continue
limited research and monitoring of focal species, such as Key deer,
Lower Keys marsh rabbit, and some migratory birds. The National Key
Deer Refuge's prescribed fire management program would continue with
the objectives to reduce fuels and sustain the pine rockland ecosystem
for the benefit of Key deer.
As funding and willing sellers are available, we would continue
habitat conservation through land acquisition within the approved
acquisition boundary and through lease agreements with other agencies
for non-refuge lands that support the refuges' missions. Partnerships
exist to promote land conservation. Exotic plant control to protect and
maintain current habitat would occur at existing levels by relying on
partnerships with the Nature Conservancy, the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission, and Monroe County. A predator management
program is currently under development on National Key Deer Refuge to
reduce the effects of feral cat predation on the endangered Lower Keys
marsh rabbit and other native wildlife.
Most ecologically sensitive areas and living resources are
protected from disturbance or degradation through the use of closure
areas, law enforcement, and the implementation of the Management
Agreement. Impacts from concentrated, non-wildlife-dependent uses
threaten a limited number of sites, particularly islands with
accessible sand beaches. The effects of commercial activities and
public uses (both wildlife-dependent and non-wildlife-dependent) have
not been fully evaluated and visitor carrying capacities have not been
quantified.
We have an active volunteer program to assist in all facets of
refuge management. Partnerships for these purposes and for research are
encouraged and maintained. Under this alternative, the existing level
of administrative resources (e.g., staffing, facilities and assets,
funding, and partnerships) would be maintained. This means some
positions may not be filled when vacated if funds need to be
reallocated to meet rising costs or new priorities.
Alternative B--(Preferred Alternative)
This alternative assumes a slow-to-moderate growth of refuge
resources over the 15-year implementation period of the CCP. It
proposes a proactive and adaptive ecosystem-management approach for the
enhancement of wildlife populations. It will promote a natural
diversity and abundance of habitats for native plants and animals,
especially Keys' endemic, trust, and keystone imperiled species. Many
of the objectives and strategies are designed to maintain and restore
native communities. Active management strategies will be applied
particularly within the globally imperiled pine rockland, salt marsh
transition, and freshwater wetland habitats, and island beach berm
communities. We will initiate research and long-term monitoring to
expand the collection of baseline data and measure variables of
ecosystem health. We will promote
[[Page 1805]]
cooperative studies to monitor and model the immediate and/or long-term
effects of natural catastrophic events (e.g., hurricanes, wildfire) and
global climate change, particularly sea level rise.
Current ongoing and proposed programs and efforts focus on
threatened, endangered, and candidate species of plants and animals.
The need for more comprehensive inventorying and long-term monitoring
is addressed in this alternative, particularly for priority imperiled
species and their habitats within the refuges. The feasibility of
managing the core population of Key deer to minimize the effects of
over-browsing on native plants will be considered in accordance with
the Endangered Species Act.
Habitat enhancement for critically imperiled species, such as the
Lower Keys marsh rabbit and Key tree cactus, will occur to ensure the
long-term sustainability of these species. Opportunities for land
acquisition will focus more strategically on protecting environmentally
sensitive habitat by contacting specific property owners to determine
their willingness to sell, with a particular emphasis on enhancing
habitat connectivity and protecting marsh rabbit habitat. Off-refuge
nursery propagation of the Key tree cactus will be implemented for
later translocation to suitable refuge habitats. Cooperative
partnerships with nurseries and botanical gardens will be developed to
secure seed and plant material of rare and endemic plant species to
ensure genetically viable sources for future restoration needs.
Research will be initiated to identify causal reasons for the marked,
long-term decline in the great white heron nesting population and to
evaluate the potential impacts of sea level rise on the ecology of
wading birds.
Since a primary purpose of the refuges is to provide sanctuary for
nesting and migratory birds, we will provide greater protection from
human disturbance, particularly at colonial nesting bird rookeries and
at beach habitats in the backcountry islands. Additional limitations to
public use may be implemented in sensitive beach areas important for
shorebirds, terns, sea turtles, and butterflies.
Strategies are proposed to enhance the biological diversity and
resiliency of the fire-dependent pine rocklands and also to enhance
fire-adapted habitat features in salt marsh transition and freshwater
wetlands that benefit priority species in the National Key Deer Refuge.
Prescribed fire and mechanical or manual vegetation treatments will be
used as habitat management tools to reduce wildland fuels and restore
desirable habitat features where appropriate. Predictive modeling and
fire effects monitoring will be used on all prescribed-fire treatments
in an adaptive management approach to develop site-specific burn
prescriptions and to determine whether objectives were met. We will
conduct research on fire behavior, fuel response, and fire history. The
fire management step-down plan will be revised and implemented
accordingly in conjunction with the development of a habitat management
step-down plan.
We will continue exotic plant control as an ongoing operation
within the refuges to maintain native habitats and prevent new
infestations. Cooperative efforts will be sought with private property
owners and homeowners associations to control seed sources from private
lands. Existing partnerships will be reinforced to increase coordinated
mapping and monitoring of treated areas with known infestations and
ongoing control needs. Management of non-native exotic predators will
be implemented as directed by the South Florida Multi-Species Recovery
Plan for the benefit of threatened and endangered species. An early
detection and rapid response program will be implemented in cooperation
with Federal, State, and local authorities to address the increasing
invasion by and potential establishment of exotic snakes, lizards, and
other non-native animals in the Florida Keys.
A primary focus of the visitor services program, as proposed, is to
enhance environmental education and outreach efforts substantially to
reach larger numbers of residents, students, educators, and visitors.
This alternative also focuses on increasing public awareness,
understanding, and support for the refuges' conservation mission. It
places priority on wildlife-dependent uses, such as photography and
wildlife observation. A new visitor center on U.S. Highway 1 on Big
Pine Key and enhanced visitor facilities at existing sites (e.g., Blue
Hole and Watson-Mannillo Nature Trails) are proposed. Non-wildlife-
dependent forms of recreation will be limited or restricted in
sensitive areas and awareness efforts will be stepped-up to inform
visitors about protecting wilderness areas. A Visitor Services step-
down plan will specify program details consistent with the Service's
visitor service program standards.
The basic administrative and operational needs of the refuges have
been addressed. Essential new staffing is proposed through the addition
and funding of five permanent, full-time employees. Daily operation of
the refuges will be guided by the CCP and the development and
implementation of 19 projects and 11 step-down management plans.
Wilderness and cultural resource protection objectives and strategies
will be incorporated within the appropriate step-down management plans.
The modest growth in administrative resources will be used for wildlife
monitoring and habitat enhancement to better serve the refuges'
purposes and the CCP's vision. With the exception of a new Visitor
Center that is proposed, the existing number of facilities will be
maintained. Energy efficiency standards will be applied wherever
feasible during facility maintenance, repair, or renovation projects.
Existing vehicles will be replaced with alternative fuel vehicles to
increase fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
Alternative C
This alternative assumes a moderate-to-substantial growth of refuge
resources from internal or external sources. It would more fully
realize the refuges' missions and address the large number of
threatened, endangered, and candidate species along with other
imperiled species and habitat types. While Alternative C contains many
of the provisions to protect and restore habitats similar to
Alternative B, it emphasizes a broader suite of priority species,
assuming the addition of several new staff positions and increased
funding. The long-term inventorying and monitoring plan would be
expanded to cover more species and species suites. Additional studies
on some species would be undertaken and additional biological staffing
would be required. The use of captive, off-refuge sources of some
species facing potential extirpation (e.g., Lower Keys marsh rabbit)
would be explored for reintroduction after a natural catastrophe, such
as a major hurricane. In certain habitats, some alternative habitat
management techniques would be studied and applied. Fire management
efforts would emphasize fire suppression and the reduction of hazardous
fuels by mechanical or manual means to protect private properties, and
the use of prescribed fire would be reduced or eliminated. Under this
alternative, the CCP anticipates shifts in the Visitor Services program
in order to increase visitation and public use. A refuge ranger
position is proposed to coordinate and enhance volunteerism, to foster
expanded relationships with the Friends and Volunteers of Refuges
[[Page 1806]]
(FAVOR), and to establish new partnerships for environmental education
and outreach programs.
Resource protection and visitor safety would be greatly enhanced
through this alternative, with the addition of two law enforcement
officers. This would allow for more patrol and enforcement of closures
and sensitive areas protection, especially of wilderness areas or
cultural resource sites. New areas of the backcountry would be closed
to public access to protect wildlife resources. We would seek expanded
management authority to regulate public and commercial activities in
nearshore waters and submerged lands under the Management Agreement. A
cultural resources field investigation and inventory would be
conducted.
Implementation of Alternative C would also occur through the
development of 11 step-down management plans. New staffing would be
proposed through the addition of 6 permanent, full-time employees. The
positions would be in addition to the 5 full-time positions proposed in
Alternative B, for a total of 11 full-time positions in Alternative C.
New maintenance and government housing facilities would be proposed
along with new vehicles and boats to accommodate the staff increases.
While Alternative C would promote our vision for these refuges, the
resources available to implement it would not likely be forthcoming in
the current economic environment as compared to when first proposed.
Background
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Administration Act), as amended by the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, requires us to develop
a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose for developing a
CCP is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving
refuge 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, CCPs identify wildlife-dependent recreational
opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update
the CCP at least every15 years in accordance with the Administration
Act.
Comments
Notices of availability of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation
Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft CCP/EA) were sent to 200
persons on the mailing list and copies were made available for a 30-day
public review period as announced in the Federal Register on May 23,
2008 (73 FR 30139). At least 47 persons attended two public meetings
held on the Draft CCP/EA during the open comment period. We received 25
comment letters by mail or e-mail from 16 persons and 11 non-
governmental organizations. Comments were received from 4 government
agencies and 1 Tribal government. The Draft CCP/EA was circulated
through the Florida State Clearinghouse to 8 State, regional, and local
governments.
Selected Alternative
After considering the comments we received, and based on the
professional judgment of the planning team, we selected Alternative B
to implement the CCP. It promotes the enhancement of wildlife
populations by maintaining and enhancing a diversity and abundance of
habitats for native plants and animals, especially imperiled species
that are only found in the Florida Keys. Many of the objectives and
strategies are designed to maintain and restore native plant
communities and ensure the biological integrity across the landscape.
Strategies are designed to restore and maintain the fire-dependent pine
rocklands and to enhance habitat features of selected salt marsh
transition and freshwater wetland communities that benefit priority
species in the National Key Deer Refuge. Research and monitoring will
provide essential information for implementing an adaptive management
approach to strategic landscape conservation, providing flexibility in
management strategies in order to incorporate new information and
changing environmental conditions. The CCP also provides for obtaining
baseline data and monitoring indicator species to detect changes in
ecosystem diversity and integrity related to climate change.
Since a primary purpose of the refuges is to provide sanctuary for
nesting and migratory birds, protection from human disturbance will be
enhanced, particularly at colonial nesting bird rookeries and at beach
habitats in the backcountry islands of the Key West and Great White
Heron NWRs. Ongoing research to identify causal reasons for the marked,
long-term decline in the great white heron nesting population, as well
as studies on the impacts of sea level rise on wading birds, will be
expanded.
A primary focus of the visitor services program is to enhance
environmental education and outreach efforts through existing venues
and expanded partnerships to reach a diversity of local residents,
businesses, students, educators, and visitors. This plan focuses on
increasing public awareness, understanding, and support for the
refuges' conservation mission. It places priority on wildlife-dependent
recreational uses, such as wildlife observation and photography. Non-
wildlife dependent forms of recreation, such as beach picnicking and
sunbathing, will be limited or restricted in sensitive areas. Awareness
efforts will be expanded to inform visitors about protecting wilderness
values.
The compatibility determinations for (1) Environmental education
and interpretation; (2) hiking/daypacking, jogging, and walking
(National Key Deer Refuge only); (3) bicycling (National Key Deer
Refuge only); (4) wildlife observation and photography; (5) fishing;
(6) beach use (National Key Deer Refuge only); (7) public use on
wilderness and backcountry islands; (8) research and monitoring; (9)
mosquito management (National Key Deer Refuge and Great White Heron NWR
only); and (10) horseback riding (National Key Deer Refuge only) are
available in Appendix F of the CCP.
Authority
This notice is published under the authority of the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 105-57.
Dated: August 24, 2009.
Patrick Leonard,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-447 Filed 1-12-10; 8:45 am]
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