Comprehensive Conservation Plans Provide Long Term Guidance For
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Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex P.O. Box 524 Newark, CA 94560 Marin Islands Telephone: 510/792 0222 Fax: 510/792 5828 National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1 800-344 WILD www.fws.gov July 2006 Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment %cover_mi_ccp-Laurie.indd 1 7/6/2006 3:49:49 PM Comprehensive Conservation Plans provide long term guidance for management decisions and set forth goals, objectives, and strategies needed to accomplish refuge purposes and identify the Service’s best estimate of future needs. These plans detail program planning levels that are 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. Cover photo USFWS Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge and State of California Ecological Reserve Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan Prepared By U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex P.O. Box 524 Newark, CA 94560 Approved: ____________________________________________ Date: _____________________________ California Nevada Operations Manager Implementation of this Comprehensive Conservation Plan and alternative management actions/programs have been assessed consistent with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 USC 4321 et seq.). This page intentionally left blank Table of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction and Background ..............................................................................1 Introduction............................................................................................................................... 1 Environmental Assessment................................................................................................ 1 Need for this CCP .................................................................................................................... 2 Legal and Policy Guidance ...................................................................................................... 2 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System................. 4 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ........................................................................................... 4 The National Wildlife Refuge System............................................................................... 4 National Wildlife Refuge System Mission and Goals .................................................... 5 San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex ....................................................... 5 The Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge and State of California Ecological Reserve ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 6 Refuge Setting....................................................................................................................... 8 Refuge History...................................................................................................................... 9 Timeline of the Refuge’s History...................................................................................... 12 Refuge Establishment and Explanation of Refuge Purposes ...................................... 13 Current Management ........................................................................................................ 14 Land Ownership................................................................................................................. 17 Existing Partnerships for Management......................................................................... 17 Relationship to Ecosystem Management Goals ............................................................ 18 Adaptive Management ...................................................................................................... 18 Chapter 2. The Comprehensive Conservation Planning Process....................................19 The Planning Process: How this CCP was Developed....................................................... 19 The Planning Core Team .................................................................................................. 20 The Planning Expanded Team ........................................................................................ 21 Public Involvement in Planning...................................................................................... 21 Development of Refuge Vision.............................................................................................. 23 Development of Refuge Goals, Objectives and Strategies................................................. 23 Development of Alternatives................................................................................................. 24 Plan Implementation.............................................................................................................. 24 Chapter 3. Refuge and Resource Description......................................................................25 Physical Resources................................................................................................................. 25 Climate................................................................................................................................. 25 Surface Hydrology ............................................................................................................. 26 Water Supply ...................................................................................................................... 26 Water Quality ..................................................................................................................... 27 Topography ......................................................................................................................... 27 Geology................................................................................................................................. 27 Soils...................................................................................................................................... 28 Wilderness Inventory ........................................................................................................ 29 Air Quality.......................................................................................................................... 29 Hazardous Materials and Contaminants ...................................................................... 29 Biological Resources at the Refuge...................................................................................... 30 Vegetation............................................................................................................................ 30 East Marin Island ............................................................................................................. 30 West Marin Island............................................................................................................. 36 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................ 37 Federally and State Listed Species at the Refuge.......................................................... 43 Cultural Resources................................................................................................................. 43 Social and Economic Environment....................................................................................... 44 Land Use ............................................................................................................................. 44 Traffic and Public Access.................................................................................................. 45 Recreation ........................................................................................................................... 45 Environmental Justice...................................................................................................... 47 Ethnic and Income Characteristics ................................................................................. 48 Chapter 4. Challenges and Opportunities..............................................................................48 Challenges ............................................................................................................................... 48 Chapter 5. Management Direction .........................................................................................49 Refuge Vision Statement ....................................................................................................... 50 Refuge Management Goals.................................................................................................... 50 Refuge Objectives and Management Strategies................................................................. 51 Chapter 6. Plan Implementation ............................................................................................61