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United States Department of the Interior TAKE PRIDE~J INAM ERICA United States Department of the Interior FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE South Florida Ecological Services Office 1339 20th Street Vero Beach, Florida 32960 November 19, 2013 Memorandum To: Mike Piccirilli, Chief, Federal Aid, Southeast Regional Office From: Lany Williams, Field Supervisor, South Florida Ecological Services (~&~t~ ~ Subject: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Assistance for Prescribed Fire in Pine Rockland Habitat in Miami-Dade County This document transmits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) biological and conference opinion, based on our review of two proposals to find projects to restore and manage fragments of pine rockland habitat in Miami-Dade County, Florida, with the objective of increasing conservation benefits to federally listed and candidate species. The Opinion evaluates the potential effects of the covered activities on the species listed below in accordance with section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (1 6 U.S.C. 153 1 et seq.): Florida bonneted bat (Eumopsfioridanus) endangered Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corals couperi) threatened Bartram ‘5 scrub-hairstreak butterfly (Strymon ads bartrami) proposed endangered Florida leafwing butterfly (Anaea troglodytafloridalis) proposed endangered Crenulate lead-plant (Amorpha crenulata) endangered Blodgett’ s silverbush (Argythamnia blodgettil) candidate Florida brickell-bush (Brickellia mosieri) proposed endangered Deltoid spurge (Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. deltoidea) endangered Pineland sandmat (Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. pinetoruni) candidate Garber’s spurge (Chamaesyce garberi) threatened Florida prairie-clover (Dalea carthagenensis var. floridana) candidate Florida pineland crabgrass (Digitaria pauc~ora) candidate Small’s milkpea (Galactia smalili) endangered Sand flax (Linum arenicola) candidate Carter’s small-flowered flax (Linum carterj var. carteri) proposed endangered Tiny polygala (Polygala smallil) endangered Everglades bully (Sideroxylon reclinatum ssp. austrofloridense) candidate Florida bristle fern (Trichomanes punctatum ssp.floridanum) candidate This Biological and Conference Opinion is based on infonnation provided in the March 6,2013, (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission [FWC]) and August 8,2013, (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services [FDACSJ) project proposals, telephone TAKE PRIDE~j INAM ERICA~,.< conversations, data on the biology and ecology of threatened and endangered species in the action area, previous biological opinions prepared for similar actions in the action area, the South Florida Multi-Species Recovery Plan (MSRP) (Service 1999), and other published and unpublished sources of information. A complete administrative record of this consultation is on file in the South Florida Ecological Services Office (SFESO). The analysis carried out by the SFESO concluded the funding was “not likely to adversely affect” the Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak butterfly and Florida leafwing butterfly on the FDACS project where these subspecies do not occur in the project area, but may “adversely affect” these two subspecies on the FWC project where they may occur in the project area. Both projects may “adversely affect” other listed and candidate species. Consultation History On April 2, 2013, the SFESO received a request from the Service’s Jacksonville Field Office to review a March 6, 2013, Biological Evaluation for financial support from FWC through the Southeast Regional Office’s Federal Aid Program to conduct prescribed burns on varous properties in pine rockland habitat in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Between April and August 2013, electronic mail communication and telephone conversations occurred to discuss the details of the project. On August 1, 2013, the SFESO received an informal request from FDACS to review a proposal for financial support from FDACS through the Southeast Regional Office’s Federal Aid Program to conduct prescribed burns and habitat management on one property in pine rockland habitat in Miami-Dade County, Florida. They submitted an August 8, 2013, Biological Evaluation for review. In August, electronic mail communication and telephone conversations occurred to discuss the details of the project. BIOLOGICAL OPINION DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION The proposed action is to fund two projects through section 6 grants to restore and manage pine rockland habitat on county lands in Miami-Dade County, Florida, with the objective of increasing conservation benefits to federally listed and candidate species. Given the highly fragmented status of these sites, the implementation of this program is critical to recovering this globally imperiled ecosystem and the species that are dependent on this habitat. Pine rockland forest once covered 185,000 acres (ac) of Miami-Dade County. By 1996, urban and agricultural development had reduced the extent of pine rocklands by 98 percent outside of Everglades National Park (ENP) (Figure 1). Presently the county manages 34 pine rockland stands totaling 1,695 ac (Figure 2). These stands range in size from 4 to 550 ac. Natural fire plays a vital role in pine rockland ecology. Pine rockland species have adapted to periodic fires, and many plant and wildlife species are dependent on fire for their survival. The two projects are described below. 2 1. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Project:_The proposed action for the FWC project is to provide funding to: a) purchase equipment in order to implement a more efficient prescribed fire program in pine rockland habitat and b) conduct prescribed burns in Miami-Dade County on the Navy Wells Pineland Preserves (minimum of 250 ac) and at least 300 additional ac within as many other pine rockland preserves as possible within the 2-year grant period. Some of the other preserves include Richmond (550 ac), Nixon Smiley (112 ac), Deering (104 ac), and Camp Owaissa Bauer (64 ac). The total acreage of these preserves is approximately 1,695 ac, nearly 70 percent of all the public pine rockland managed in Miami-Dade County (Figure 2). Florida’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) identifies “incompatible fire” as a major threat to conservation of pine rocklands. Florida’s Wildlife Legacy Initiative (FWLI) revised their implementation goals to align with priorities outlined in the 2012 SWAP (FWC 2012). This project will help meet an objective outlined in the Tentstrial Goal by increasing the use of fire as a management tool to suppoit upland habitat conservation that benefits Florida’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) (FWLI website). Pine rockland is identified as having a very high threat status (2012 SWAP) as well as a priority fire-dependent upland habitat for the FWLI Terrestrial Goal. Approximately 50 SGCN use Miami-Dade Pine Rocklands (2012 SWAP), including numerous endemic as well as Federal and State listed plants and wildlife that are being threatened by an altered fire regime. The fire regime of pine rocklands has been altered in Miami-Dade County’s preserves by fragmentation due to agricultural and urban development. Pine rocklands have a naturally short fire return interval (3-7 years); however, fire records show that only 8 of 34 preserves examined have burned on even a 10-year cycle. The remaining sites have only had intermittent fire, usually dry season wildfires. The result of this incompatible fire regime is change in the understory structure from open and floristically diverse to a closed sub-canopy dominated by native and exotic hardwoods. The SGCN in pine rocklands depend upon a habitat structure and composition that can only be maintained by fire. Prescribed burning is an essential tool in the conservation of the imperiled plant community and the rare species that inhabit pine rocklands. The purpose of this project is to restore a more natural fire cycle in pine rocklands by increasing the number of acres burned on an annual basis. This proposed project focuses on the FWLI goal to increase prescribed fire as a management tool in pine rocklands. Since 1995, only 1,950 ac of pine rockland have burned by wildfire and prescribed fire in Miami-Dade County preserves. Overall, that figure amounts to a 20-year regime for pine rocklands in the County. Annually, the number of acres burned by prescribed fire is variable, ranging from 0 to 186 ac. Prescribed burns are difficult to schedule because of the variables involved. Equipment purchases will include the acquisition of portable irrigation pumps, portable water pumps, water tanks and other equipment that will improve the efficiency of prescribed fire mop-up operations. The irrigation pumps can be 3 - connected to a hydrant, water truck, or draft from a water body. They can be positioned to initiate mop up immediately following the flaming front and can be repositioned to get higher volumes of water on stubborn residual smoking areas. One key challenge to conducting prescribed burns in urban areas is taking advantage of optimal burning conditions. When ideal weather conditions arrive, fire managers must be ready to take advantage of them. Burning several times a week is currently not an option because mop-up is labor intensive and can sometimes take several days to complete after a burn with entirely manual labor. Performing 100 percent mop-up is critical and required in urban areas because residual smoke can cause numerous problems to the public. The time spent diverting staff and equipment resources to mop-up operations is time that
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