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Management Plan 2017 - 2022

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Management Plan 2017 - 2022 Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan 2017 - 2022 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This management plan has been developed in accordance with NOAA regulations, including all provisions for public involvement. It is consistent with the congressional intent of Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, and the provisions of the Alabama Coastal Area Management Program. The revision of the January 2007 Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (Reserve or NERR) Management Plan was made possible through the cooperative efforts of the Weeks Bay NERR staff, the Weeks Bay Advisory Committee, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Lands Division, Coastal Section, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Stewardship Division staff. Special recognition is given to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab for facilitating this revision under sub-award DISL-WB- 315-12-1. Financial support for this publication was provided by grants NA11NOS4200146 and NA12NOS4200155 under the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act, administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office for Coastal Management, Stewardship Division. This publication is available for downloading at https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/reserves/weeks-bay.html and www.weeksbayreserve.com. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................................................... 8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................. 11 WEEKS BAY RESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN ......................................................... 15 I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 15 National Estuarine Research Reserve System .................................................................................... 15 National Estuarine Research Reserve System Strategic Goals ............................................................... 16 Biogeographic Regions and Boundaries of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System .............. 17 National Estuarine Research Reserve Administrative Framework ......................................................... 17 Weeks Bay Reserve Administrative Framework .................................................................................... 19 NERR Management Plans ...................................................................................................................... 20 Weeks Bay Reserve Management Plan .................................................................................................. 20 Weeks Bay Reserve Strategic Plan ...................................................................................................... 21 Weeks Bay Reserve Accomplishments................................................................................................... 25 Weeks Bay Reserve Setting .................................................................................................................. 26 The Watershed ........................................................................................................................................ 27 Weeks Bay Physical Aspects .................................................................................................................. 30 Typical Habitats of Weeks Bay Reserve ................................................................................................. 31 Invasive Species Found in Weeks Bay Reserve ..................................................................................... 33 Critical Stressors Affecting Weeks Bay .................................................................................................. 35 Weeks Bay Coastal Area ........................................................................................................................ 37 Weeks Bay Reserve Boundaries ............................................................................................................. 39 Weeks Bay Core and Buffer Area........................................................................................................... 40 References .............................................................................................................................................. 42 II. ADMINISTRATION ................................................................................................... 43 State Agencies ........................................................................................................................................ 44 Reserve Staff .......................................................................................................................................... 44 Roles and Responsibilities ...................................................................................................................... 45 Strategic Partnerships .......................................................................................................................... 47 Weeks Bay Advisory Committee ............................................................................................................ 48 Communications.................................................................................................................................... 49 Communications Planning ...................................................................................................................... 51 Volunteers .............................................................................................................................................. 52 Table of Contents | WBNERR2017 | 3 Accomplishments .................................................................................................................................... 52 Coordination ........................................................................................................................................... 53 Recruiting ................................................................................................................................................ 53 Planning .................................................................................................................................................. 53 Recognition ............................................................................................................................................. 54 Weeks Bay Reserve Disaster Response ............................................................................................... 55 Emergency Actions ............................................................................................................................... 55 Administration Objectives and Actions .............................................................................................. 57 Volunteer Objectives and Actions ....................................................................................................... 59 III. STEWARDSHIP ....................................................................................................... 61 Accomplishments .................................................................................................................................... 62 Weeks Bay Ecosystem Restoration and Conservation ...................................................................... 62 Status of Tract Level Restoration: Current Activities and Planning ....................................................... 64 Resource Manipulation within Reserve Boundary ................................................................................. 67 Monitoring and Evaluation ..................................................................................................................... 68 Weeks Bay Ecosystem Protection........................................................................................................... 69 Weeks Bay Reserve Public Access and Visitor Use ............................................................................ 72 Current Public Access to Facilities ......................................................................................................... 72 Current Access to Outdoor Recreation and Trails .................................................................................. 72 Public Access Opportunities and the Visitor Experience ....................................................................... 73 Public Access Challenges ....................................................................................................................... 73 Resource Protection .............................................................................................................................. 74 State Management and Statutory Authority ............................................................................................ 74 Federal Regulatory Agencies and Programs ........................................................................................... 75 Allowable Ecosystem Uses ..................................................................................................................... 76 Ecosystem Protection Strategies ............................................................................................................. 76 Permissible Actions ...............................................................................................................................
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