Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan 2011-2016
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Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan 2011-2016 April 1981 Revised, May 1982 2nd revision, April 1983 3rd revision, December 1999 4th revision, May 2011 Prepared for U.S. Department of Commerce Ohio Department of Natural Resources National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Division of Wildlife Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management 2045 Morse Road, Bldg. G Estuarine Reserves Division Columbus, Ohio 1305 East West Highway 43229-6693 Silver Spring, MD 20910 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 Ohio Coastal Management Program. OWC NERR Management Plan, 2011 - 2016 Acknowledgements This management plan was prepared by the staff and Advisory Council of the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve (OWC NERR), in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Wildlife. Participants in the planning process included: Manager, Frank Lopez; Research Coordinator, Dr. David Klarer; Coastal Training Program Coordinator, Heather Elmer; Education Coordinator, Ann Keefe; Education Specialist Phoebe Van Zoest; and Office Assistant, Gloria Pasterak. Other Reserve staff including Dick Boyer and Marje Bernhardt contributed their expertise to numerous planning meetings. The Reserve is grateful for the input and recommendations provided by members of the Old Woman Creek NERR Advisory Council. The Reserve is appreciative of the review, guidance, and council of Division of Wildlife Executive Administrator Dave Scott and the mapping expertise of Keith Lott and the late Steve Barry. Steve, we’ll always miss you, buddy. The staff of the Estuarine Reserves Division of NOAA/NOS/OCRM provided helpful guidance and timely comments throughout the plan’s development, in particular, program specialists Matt Chasse, Tina O’Connell, and program coordinator Erica Seiden. Editorial advice and suggestions were provided by numerous program collaborators including the Old Woman Creek watershed coordinator Breann Hohman, as well as several Ohio Office of Coastal Management, Ohio Sea Grant, and Lake Erie Commission staff. Photos provided by Tim Baldwin, Heather Elmer, Linda Feix, Melissa Myers, Phoebe Van Zoest, and Gene Wright. Dedication This edition of the management plan is dedicated to all of those individuals who have contributed to the successes of the Old Woman Creek NERR throughout its existence: Past and present members of the OWC NERR staff and OWC NERR Advisory Council OWC NERR volunteer staff Members of the Friends of Old Woman Creek The Ohio Department of Natural Resources The ODNR Divisions of Wildlife and Natural Areas Our program partners This management plan is also dedicated to our many visitors and program participants who have learned about estuaries at the Old Woman Creek NERR and then acted to protect them in the Great Lakes and around the country. You have made all our efforts worthwhile. OWC NERR Management Plan, 2011 - 2016 i Table of Contents Table of Contents.................................................................................................... i List of Figures and Tables ......................................................................................iii Abbreviations and Acronyms Used in This Document............................................iv List of Appendices..................................................................................................vi Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………1 Chapter 1. Introduction.......................................................................................... 5 Estuaries: Critical National Resources ........................................................................................5 Foundation for Estuarine Conservation and Protection........................................................5 A System of Protected Estuaries: NERRS ................................................................................ .6 NERRS System Strategic Goals, 2011 - 2016 .....................................................................8 Administrative Framework of NERRS...................................................................................9 Ohio's State Agency Administration of Reserve........................................................................10 Reserve Designation and Operation .........................................................................................10 Reserve Management Plans...............................................................................................11 OWC NERR: Ecological and Social Attributes & Setting....................................................11 Reserve Habitats.................................................................................................................12 Historical and Cultural Perspective of the Reserve ............................................................15 Perspectives of the Lake Erie Ecosystem...........................................................................18 OWC NERR Boundary........................................................................................................21 Chapter 2. Management Plan Overview...............................................................26 Purpose and Scope of this Management Plan ..........................................................................26 Vision of OWC NERR .........................................................................................................28 Mission of OWC NERR.......................................................................................................28 Organization of the Management Plan ...............................................................................30 Goals and Objectives of the OWC NERR, 2011 - 2016 .....................................................31 Chapter 3. Research and Monitoring Plan ...........................................................35 Reserve System Research and Monitoring Guidelines ...................................................... 35 Reserve System Research Goals.......................................................................................37 Research Plan of OWC NERR ..................................................................................................37 OWC NERR Research Actions 2011 - 2016.......................................................................39 Guidelines and Policies for OWC NERR Research............................................................40 Research Funding...............................................................................................................41 Monitoring Plan for OWC NERR ...............................................................................................43 NERR System-wide Monitoring Program............................................................................44 OWC NERR as Sentinel Site ..............................................................................................45 OWC NERR Site-based Monitoring Priorities.....................................................................46 OWC NERR Management Plan, 2011 - 2016 ii Chapter 4. Education, Training, and Outreach Plan.............................................49 Reserve System Education Goals ............................................................................................49 Reserve System Coastal Training Program ..............................................................................50 Education Plan of OWC NERR .................................................................................................51 OWC NERR Education Actions 2011 - 2016......................................................................52 OWC NERR Education Program Description............................................................................55 K-12.....................................................................................................................................55 Post-Secondary Education.................................................................................................57 Community Education.........................................................................................................58 Training ...............................................................................................................................60 Outreach .............................................................................................................................62 Chapter 5. Stewardship Plan................................................................................65 Old Woman Creek and Ecosystem Issues................................................................................65 Stewardship Plan of OWC NERR.............................................................................................68 OWC NERR Stewardship Actions, 2011 - 2016 .................................................................69 Resource Protection ..................................................................................................................71 Law Enforcement ................................................................................................................71 OWC NERR Land Management and Restoration .....................................................................72 Aquatic