[Federal Register: May 23, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 101)]
[Notices]
[Page 30139-30143]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23my08-89]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2008-N0050; 40136-1265-0000-S3]
Lower Florida Keys Refuges, Monroe County, FL
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; draft comprehensive conservation plan
and environmental assessment; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan and
environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for the Lower Florida Keys
Refuges for public review and comment. This DRAFT CCP/EA covers
National Key Deer Refuge, Key West National Wildlife Refuge, and Great
White Heron National Wildlife Refuge. In this Draft CCP/EA, we describe
the alternative we propose to use to manage these refuges for the 15
years following approval of the Final CCP.
[[Page 30140]]
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by June 23, 2008. Two meetings will be held to present the Draft CCP/EA
to the public. Mailings, newspaper articles and posters will inform the
public of the dates, times, and locations of the meetings.
ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the Draft CCP/EA should be addressed
to: Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Attn: Anne Morkill,
Refuge Manager, 28950 Watson Boulevard, Big Pine Key, FL 33043; or, you
may submit comments by e-mail to Mary Morris, Natural Resource Planner,
at mary_morris@fws.gov. A copy of the Draft CCP/EA is available on
compact diskette or hard copy.
You may view or obtain copies of the Draft CCP/EA by visiting the
National Key Deer Refuge's visitor center located in the Big Pine
Shopping Plaza, 175 Key Deer Boulevard, Big Pine Key, FL. Copies may
also be viewed at the following Monroe County Public Libraries: Big
Pine Key Branch, 213 Key Deer Boulevard, Big Pine Key, FL; Marathon
Branch, 3251 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL; and at the Key West
Branch, 700 Fleming Street, Key West, FL.
You may also access or download copies of the Draft CCP/EA at the
following Web site address: http://southeast.fws.gov/planning.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Morris, Natural Resources
Planner, at 850-567-6202; or Anne Morkill, Refuge Manager, at 305-872-
2239.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for the Lower Keys
National Wildlife Refuges. We started the process through a notice in
the Federal Register on May 9, 2003 (68 FR 25058).
The Lower Florida Keys Refuges include three wildlife refuges--Key
West and Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuges and National Key
Deer Refuge, all in Monroe County, Florida.
Key West National Wildlife Refuge
Key West National Wildlife Refuge, west of Key West, Florida, and
accessible only by boat or plane, consists of the Marquesas Keys and 13
other keys distributed across more than 375 square miles of open water.
Key West Refuge 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 one
percent (2,019 acres) being land. Most islands are dominated by
mangrove plant communities. Exceptions are the hardwood hammock in the
Marquesas Keys, and the beaches and dunes there and on Boca Grande and
Woman Keys. All islands lack fresh water and native, terrestrial
mammals are absent.
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 ten wading bird species that nest
on the refuge. Other notable imperiled species include sea turtles.
More loggerhead and green sea turtle nests are found each year on this
refuge 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 on Key West
Refuge, 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 National Wildlife Refuge
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge 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 6,500 acres of land,
the latter of which 1,900 were designated Wilderness in 1975, also
under Public Law 93-632. The islands account for approximately 7,600
acres and 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. The
Service co-manages the open water and submerged lands owned by the
State of Florida through a 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 ten wading bird species, including the reddish egret, and by
many neotropical migratory bird species.
A few green and loggerhead sea turtles nest on Sawyer Key. These
species, as well as hawksbill and possibly Kemp's ridley sea turtles,
forage in State waters within refuge boundaries.
National Key Deer Refuge
National Key Deer Refuge was established on August 22, 1957, to
protect and preserve Key deer and other wildlife resources. It
comprises about 8,983 acres of land on several islands within the
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 the 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 turtle nests are
laid annually.
There are 2,278 acres of Wilderness 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
National Wildlife Refuge System as a whole. Each of the three refuges
has different enabling legislation and purposes. This Draft CCP/EA has
been designed with
[[Page 30141]]
consideration of the distinct purposes of each refuge. These purposes
are as follows:
Key West National Wildlife Refuge
`` * * * a preserve and breeding ground for native birds.'' EO 923
dated August 8, 1908.
`` * * * particular value in carrying out the national migratory
bird management program.'' 16 U.S.C. 667b (An Act Authorizing the
Transfer of Certain Real Property for Wildlife, or other purposes).
`` * * * so as to provide protection of these areas * * * and to
ensure * * * the preservation of their wilderness character * * *''
(Wilderness Act of 1964, Pub. L. 88-577.)
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge
`` * * * as a refuge and breeding ground for great white herons
(white phase of the great blue heron), other migratory birds and other
wildlife.'' EO 7993, dated Oct 27, 1938.
`` * * * for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other
management purpose, for migratory birds.'' 16 U.S.C. 715d (Migratory
Bird Conservation Act).
`` * * * to conserve (A) fish or wildlife which are listed as
endangered species or threatened species * * * or (B) plants * * *'' 16
U.S.C. 1534 (Endangered Species Act of 1973).
`` * * * suitable for (1) incidental fish and wildlife-oriented
recreational development, (2) the protection of natural resources, (3)
the conservation of endangered species or threatened species * * *'' 16
U.S.C. 460k-1 ``* * * the Secretary * * * may accept and use * * * real
* * * property. Such acceptance may be accomplished under the terms and
conditions of restrictive covenants imposed by donors * * *'' 16 U.S.C.
460k-2 (Refuge Recreation Act (16 U.S.C. 460k-460k-4), as amended).
``* * * so as to provide protection of these areas * * * and to
ensure * * * the preservation of their wilderness character * * *''
(Wilderness Act of 1964, Pub. L. 88-577.)
National Key Deer Refuge
``* * * to protect and preserve in the national interest the Key
deer and other wildlife resources in the Florida Keys.'' 71 Stat. 412,
dated Aug. 22, 1957.
``* * * to conserve (A) fish or wildlife which are listed as
endangered species or threatened species * * * or (B) plants * * *'' 16
U.S.C. 1534 (Endangered Species Act of 1973).
``* * * suitable for (1) incidental fish and wildlife-oriented
recreational development, (2) the protection of natural resources, (3)
the conservation of endangered species or threatened species * * *'' 16
U.S.C. 460k-1 ``* * * the Secretary * * * may accept and use * * * real
* * * property. Such acceptance may be accomplished under the terms and
conditions of restrictive covenants imposed by donors * * *'' 16 U.S.C.
460k-2 [Refuge Recreation Act (16 U.S.C. 460k-460k-4], as amended).
``* * * for the development, advancement, management, conservation,
and protection of fish and wildlife resources * * *'' 16 U.S.C.
742f(a)(4) ``* * * for the benefit of the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service, in performing its activities and services. Such
acceptance may be subject to the terms of any restrictive or
affirmative covenant, or condition of servitude * * *'' 16 U.S.C.
742f(b)(1) (Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956).
``* * * conservation, management, and * * * restoration of the
fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats * * * for the
benefit of present and future generations of Americans * * *'' 16
U.S.C. 668dd(a)(2) (National Wildlife Refuge System Administration
Act).
``* * * so as to provide protection of these areas * * * and to
ensure * * * the preservation of their wilderness character * * *''
(Wilderness Act of 1964, Pub. L. 88-577.)
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), which amended the National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966, requires us to develop a CCP for each
national wildlife refuge. The purpose in 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 every 15
years in accordance with the Improvement Act and NEPA.
Significant issues addressed in the Draft CCP/EA include: Habitat
fragmentation, fire management, climate change, lack of inventory and
monitoring, changing public use attitudes, needs and demands, exotic
species control, imperiled species recovery, and administrative
resources.
Alternatives
A full description of each alternative is in the Draft CCP/EA. We
summarize each alternative below.
Alternative A--No Action Alternative
The Lower Florida Keys refuges have a high diversity of community
types and endemic species, with many threatened, endangered, rare, and
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 inventory and monitoring of natural resources.
Much effort has been put into some resources, such as Key deer and
their pine rockland habitat, as a result of cooperative partnerships
with academic and other research organizations. Certain species, such
as great white herons, white-crowned pigeons, reddish egrets, and sea
turtles, have been studied over time by refuge biological staff and
academic partners. 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 catastrophes (e.g., Hurricane Wilma in 2005) on the refuges'
resources have not been assessed and the effect of climate change
(e.g., sea level rise) is not known.
Threatened and endangered species are protected through a variety
of management tools, such as area closures, law enforcement, exotic
plant control, etc. Limited research and monitoring of focal species,
such as Key deer and Lower Keys marsh rabbit and some migratory birds
(e.g., reddish egrets), would continue by utilizing existing staff and
partnerships. The National Key Deer Refuge prescribed fire management
program would continue with the objectives to reduce fuels and to
sustain the pine rockland ecosystem.
The Service would continue habitat conservation through land
acquisition within the approved acquisition boundary and cooperative
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. Currently, exotic plants are controlled
[[Page 30142]]
through partnerships with The Nature Conservancy, the State, and Monroe
County. A predator management program has been initiated on National
Key Deer Refuge to reduce the effects of feral cat predation on the
endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbit.
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 for
Submerged Lands within the Key West and Great White Heron National
Wildlife Refuges. The effects of commercial activities and public uses
(both wildlife-dependent and non-wildlife-dependent) have not been
fully evaluated and carrying capacities are unknown.
The Service has an active volunteer program to assist in all facets
of refuge management. Partnerships for these purposes and research are
encouraged and maintained. Under this alternative, the existing level
of administrative resources (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--Proposed Alternative
This alternative assumes a slow to moderate growth of refuge
resources over the 15-year implementation period of the CCP. It
proposes a management direction for the enhancement of wildlife
populations by promoting 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, particularly the
globally imperiled pine rocklands, salt marsh and freshwater wetlands,
and the island beach berm communities. Research and monitoring would
provide essential information for implementing an adaptive management
approach to ecosystem conservation. This alternative would provide for
obtaining baseline data for ecosystem health.
Current ongoing and proposed programs and efforts focus on
threatened, endangered, rare, and imperiled species of plants and
animals. The need for more comprehensive inventory and monitoring for
baseline data is addressed in this alternative, particularly for
priority imperiled species and their habitats within the refuges.
Habitat carrying capacity for Key deer, by island, would be determined
and the feasibility of population management would be considered within
the realm of the South Florida Multi-Species Recovery Plan in
accordance with the Endangered Species Act.
Habitat enhancement for critically imperiled species, such as the
Lower Keys marsh rabbit and Key tree-cactus, would occur to ensure the
long-term sustainability of these species. Opportunities for land
acquisition from willing sellers would focus on protecting more marsh
rabbit habitat. Off-refuge nursery propagation of the Key tree-cactus
would be implemented for later translocation to suitable refuge
habitats. Research would be initiated to identify causal reasons for
the marked, long-term decline in the great white heron nesting
population.
Since a primary purpose of the refuges is to provide sanctuary for
nesting and migratory birds, greater protection from human disturbance
would be provided, 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 improve the fire-dependent pine
rocklands and to enhance habitat features in salt marsh and freshwater
wetlands that benefit priority species on the National Key Deer Refuge.
Prescribed fire and mechanical or manual vegetation treatments would be
used as habitat management tools to reduce wildland fuels and benefit
priority species and habitats where appropriate. Predictive modeling
and fire effects monitoring would 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. The
National Key Deer Refuge habitat and fire management plans would be
revised and implemented accordingly.
Exotic plant control would continue as an ongoing operation within
the refuges in order to maintain habitats and prevent new infestations.
Cooperative efforts would be sought to control seed sources from
private lands and to increase coordinated mapping and monitoring of
areas with known infestations. Management of non-native and exotic
animals would be implemented as directed by the South Florida Multi-
Species Recovery Plan for the benefit of threatened and endangered
species.
A primary focus of the visitor services program, as proposed, is to
enhance environmental education and outreach efforts substantially to
reach larger numbers of 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 wildlife photography and wildlife
observation. A Visitor Services' step-down plan would specify program
details consistent with the Service's visitor services' program
standards. Non-wildlife-dependent forms of recreation would be limited
or restricted in sensitive areas and awareness efforts would be
stepped-up to inform visitors about protecting Wilderness areas.
The basic administrative and operational needs of the refuges have
been addressed. Essential new staffing is proposed through the addition
of six permanent full-time staff. Daily operation of the refuge would
be guided by the CCP through the development and implementation of
eleven step-down management plans. Wilderness and cultural resource
protection objectives and strategies would be incorporated within the
appropriate step-down management plans. The modest growth in resources
would be used for wildlife monitoring and habitat enhancement to better
serve the refuges' purposes and the CCP's vision. Existing facilities
and vehicles would be maintained with the exception of the new visitor
services' facility that is proposed.
Alternative C
This alternative assumes a moderate to substantial growth of the
refuges' resources from internal or external sources. It would more
fully realize the refuges' missions and address the huge number of
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. The
long-term ecological inventory 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 rabbits) 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. Education and
outreach programs on alternative habitat management tools and
strategies are proposed. Studies to monitor the immediate and/or long-
term effects of natural, catastrophic events (e.g., hurricanes) and
global climate change,
[[Page 30143]]
particularly sea level rise, would be initiated.
Under this alternative, the plan anticipates shifts in the Visitor
Services' Program if visitation and public use increase. Positions are
proposed to add another refuge ranger position to coordinate and
enhance volunteerism and to foster relationships with the refuges'
friends group and other partners for environmental education and
outreach programs.
Resource protection and visitor safety would be greatly enhanced
through this alternative, with the addition of two new law enforcement
officers. This would allow for more patrol and enforcement of closed
areas and for more protection of sensitive areas, especially of
Wilderness areas or cultural resource sites. A cultural resources'
inventory would be conducted.
The operation of the refuges for meeting their goals and purposes
would be more optimally realized under this alternative. Implementation
of the plan, including details of refuge operations, would also occur
through the development of eleven step-down management plans. New
staffing is proposed through the addition of seven permanent full-time
staff. These positions are in addition to the six full-time positions
proposed in Alternative B, for a total of thirteen full-time positions
with Alternative C. New maintenance and staff housing facilities are
proposed along with new vehicles and boats to accommodate the staffing
increases.
Next Step
After the comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and
address them in the form of a final CCP and a Finding of No Significant
Impact.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
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.
Authority: This notice is published under the authority of the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law
105-57.
Dated: April 8, 2008.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. E8-11617 Filed 5-22-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P