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Sandy Point, Green Cay and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuges Comprehensive Conservation Plan

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Sandy Point, Green Cay and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuges Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Sandy Point,GreenCayandBuckIslandNationalWildlifeRefuges U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sandy Point, Green Cay and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuges United States Virgin Islands, Caribbean Islands Sandy Point, Green Cay and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex National Wildlife Refuges Susan Silander, Project Leader Caribbean National Wildlife Refuge Complex United States Virgin Islands, Caribbean Islands P.O. Box 510 Boqueron, PR 00622 National Wildlife Refuge Complex Phone: 787.851.7258 Michael Evans, Refuge Manager Comprehensive Conservation Plan Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge 3013 Estate Golden Rock, Suite 137 Christiansted, St. Croix USVI 00820-4355 Phone: 340.773.4554, Fax: 340.713.8971 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov September 2010 Comprehensive ConservationPlan Cover Photos by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The Leatherback Sea Turtle of Sandy Point The Red-Billed Tropic Bird of Buck Island The St. Croix Ground Lizard of Green Cay Comprehensive Conservation Plans 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. Sandy Point, Green Cay and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuges Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region September 2010 Sandy Point, Green Cay, and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuges COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN SANDY POINT, GREEN CAY AND BUCK ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES United States Virgin Islands Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia September 2010 Table of Contents iii Sandy Point, Green Cay, and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuges TABLE OF CONTENTS COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 1 I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose and Need for the Plan .................................................................................................... 3 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ...................................................................................................... 3 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 4 Legal and Policy Context .............................................................................................................. 5 National and International Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..................................................... 6 Relationship to Island Territory Wildlife Agencies ........................................................................8 II. OVERVIEW OF THE REFUGES ...................................................................................................... 9 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 9 History and Purposes of the Three Refuges ................................................................................9 Special Designations .................................................................................................................. 16 Ecosystem Context .....................................................................................................................16 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..............................................................................17 Ecological Threats and Problems ............................................................................................... 18 Physical Resources .................................................................................................................... 20 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 20 Geology and Topography ..................................................................................................22 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 24 Hydrology, Water Quality and Quantity .............................................................................29 Air Quality ..........................................................................................................................31 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................. 32 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 32 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 37 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 60 Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix .............................................................................................61 Green Cay NWR, St. Croix ...............................................................................................62 Buck Island NWR, St. Thomas ..........................................................................................63 Socioeconomic Environment ...................................................................................................... 63 Refuge Administration and Management ...................................................................................67 Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix .............................................................................................67 Green Cay NWR, St. Croix ...............................................................................................74 Buck Island NWR, St. Thomas ..........................................................................................76 III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 79 Overview of the Planning Process .............................................................................................. 79 Summary of Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities .....................................................................80 Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix .............................................................................................80 Green Cay National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix ..................................................................84 Buck Island NWR, St. Thomas ..........................................................................................85 Wilderness Review ..................................................................................................................... 87 Table of Contents i IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ....................................................................................................... 89 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 89 Refuge Visions ........................................................................................................................... 89 Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix ............................................................................................. 89 Green Cay NWR, St. Croix ............................................................................................... 90 Buck Island NWR, St. Thomas ......................................................................................... 90 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................................................................. 91 Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix ....................................................................................................... 91 Fish and Wildlife Population Management........................................................................ 91 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 99 Resource Protection ....................................................................................................... 102 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................... 104 Refuge Administration .................................................................................................... 108 Green Cay National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix ......................................................................... 111 Fish and Wildlife Population Management.....................................................................
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