Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Habitat Management Plan
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Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Habitat Management Plan Photo Credit: Kent Mason September 2017 Canaan Valley NWR Habitat Management Plan Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Habitat Management Plan Prepared by: _______________________________________ ______ Wildlife Biologist, Canaan Valley NWR Date Submitted by: _______________________________________ ______ Project Leader, Canaan Valley NWR Date Concurred by: _______________________________________ ______ Chief, Division of Natural Resources and Conservation Planning Date Concurred by: _______________________________________ ______ Refuge Supervisor, South Zone Date Approved by: _______________________________________ ______ Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System Date ii September 2017 Canaan Valley NWR Habitat Management Plan Table of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Photo Credit: Kent Mason .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Scope and Rationale .................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Legal Mandates ........................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Relation to Other Plans................................................................................................................ 3 Refuge Plans ................................................................................................................................ 3 Federal, State, and Regional Plans .............................................................................................. 4 Chapter 2. Background ................................................................................................................... 8 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Photo Credit: Kent Mason .............................................................................................................................. 8 2.1 Refuge Location and Description ................................................................................................. 9 2.2 Geographical Setting ................................................................................................................... 9 Ecoregional Classification ............................................................................................................ 9 Landscape Conservation Cooperative ....................................................................................... 11 Bird Conservation Region 28/ Partners in Flight/ Appalachian Joint Venture .......................... 11 Watershed ................................................................................................................................. 12 2.3 Historical Perspective ................................................................................................................ 12 Pre-European Settlement .......................................................................................................... 12 Post-European Settlement ........................................................................................................ 12 2.4 Climate Influences and Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbances ........................................... 13 2.5 Current Refuge Conditions ........................................................................................................ 13 Climate ....................................................................................................................................... 13 Hydrology .................................................................................................................................. 14 Topography and Geology .......................................................................................................... 15 Soils ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Environmental Contaminants .................................................................................................... 16 Water Quality ............................................................................................................................ 16 Unexploded Ordnance ............................................................................................................... 18 Air Quality .................................................................................................................................. 18 iii September 2017 Canaan Valley NWR Habitat Management Plan Vegetation ................................................................................................................................. 18 Rare Plant and Community Types ............................................................................................. 28 Exotic and Invasive Plant Species .............................................................................................. 29 Birds ........................................................................................................................................... 30 Mammals ................................................................................................................................... 32 Reptiles and Amphibians ........................................................................................................... 33 Fish ............................................................................................................................................. 34 Invertebrates ............................................................................................................................. 35 Invasive Animal Species and Diseases ....................................................................................... 36 Federally Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................................ 36 State Listed Species ................................................................................................................... 37 Chapter 3. Resources of Concern ................................................................................................ 38 Photo Credit: Kent Mason ............................................................................................................................ 38 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 39 3.2 Defining “Resources of Concern” for the Refuge ...................................................................... 39 Refuge Purpose ...................................................................................................................... 39 3.3 Determination of “Resources of Concern” for Canaan Valley NWR ......................................... 42 3.4 Resources of Concern (Focal Species) and Associated Habitat Types for Canaan Valley NWR 45 3.5 Prioritizing Management for Resources of Concern ................................................................. 47 3.6 Conflicting Habitat Needs .......................................................................................................... 47 3.7 Adaptive Management .............................................................................................................. 49 Chapter 4. Habitat Goals, Objectives and Strategies ................................................................... 50 Photo Credit: Kent Mason ............................................................................................................................ 50 4.1 Background ................................................................................................................................ 51 4.2 Habitat Goals, Objectives and Strategies .................................................................................. 53 Chapter 5. Management Units, Habitat Management Actions and Prescriptions ........................... 96 Photo Credit: Kent Mason ............................................................................................................................ 96 5.1 Background ................................................................................................................................ 97 5.2 Management Units .................................................................................................................... 98 5.3 Habitat Management Action Areas ......................................................................................... 100 5.4 Experimental Habitat Prescriptions ......................................................................................... 106 5.5 General Prescriptions for all Management Units .................................................................... 107 iv September 2017 Canaan Valley NWR Habitat Management Plan 5.6 Prescriptions for Habitat Management Action Areas by Management Unit .......................... 109 Big Cove Unit ..........................................................................................................................