DOCSLIB.ORG

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Contents Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................... i Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Refuge Purpose.................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Refuge Vision ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose of and Need for the Plan ..................................................................................................................................... 3 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service .................................................................................................................................... 4 The National Wildlife Refuge System ............................................................................................................................... 4 The Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem..................................................................................................................................... 6 History of Refuge Establishment ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge .............................................................................................................................. 6 Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge........................................................................................................................ 7 West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge ............................................................................................................ 7 Legal Context ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 2 The Planning Process ............................................................................................................................. 9 Summary of Issues, Concerns and Opportunities ........................................................................................................... 10 Habitat Management ............................................................................................................................................... 10 Upland Habitat .................................................................................................................................................. 10 Wetland Habitat ............................................................................................................................................... 10 Croplands .......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Land Acquisition ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Migratory Bird Diversity ........................................................................................................................................... 11 Recreation and Environmental Education ................................................................................................................ 11 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................................................. 11 Vehicle Access .................................................................................................................................................. 12 Partnerships and Cooperative Relationships ........................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 3 The Refuge Environment ....................................................................................................................... 13 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Geographic Setting .......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Climate............................................................................................................................................................................. 13 Refuge Resources ............................................................................................................................................................ 14 Wetlands .................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Wildlife ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Birds .................................................................................................................................................................. 17 Mammals .......................................................................................................................................................... 19 Reptiles and Amphibians .................................................................................................................................. 19 Threatened and Endangered Species ............................................................................................................... 19 Fish .................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Fish, Wildlife and Plant Species of Management Concern............................................................................................. 20 Social and Economic Context .......................................................................................................................................... 24 Archaeological and Cultural Resources .......................................................................................................................... 24 Indian Tribal Interests ....................................................................................................................................... 25 Chapter 4 Management Direction ......................................................................................................................... 27 Current Refuge Programs ................................................................................................................................................ 27 Staffing and Budget......................................................................................................................................................... 27 Habitat Management ...................................................................................................................................................... 27 Upland Management................................................................................................................................................ 28 Wetland Management ............................................................................................................................................. 28 Invasive Plant Species.............................................................................................................................................. 29 Metzger Marsh – A Wetland Management Case Study ......................................................................................... 29 Private Lands ................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Fish and Wildlife Monitoring ........................................................................................................................................... 31 Waterfowl ................................................................................................................................................................ 31 Marsh Birds, Shorebirds and Wading Birds ............................................................................................................. 31 Passerine/Neotropical Migrants (Songbirds)........................................................................................................... 31 Raptors (Hawks, Owls and Eagles) .......................................................................................................................... 32 Fish ........................................................................................................................................................................... 32 Amphibian/Reptile Surveys.....................................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio's Birdlife • Vol. 35, No. 4
    Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio’s Birdlife • Vol. 35, No. 4 Summer 2012 The Orchard Oriole is the smallest oriole in North America, and a common breeder in Ohio. Doug Day caught the interest of this beautiful male on 14 Jun close to his nest in Armleder Park, Hamilton. On the cover: Jerry Talkington obtained a stunning close-up of this Snowy Plover on the Conneaut sandspit. The Ohio rarity moved close to the gathering crowd of birders for good documentation on 02 Jun during its single-day visit. Vol. 35 No. 4 Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio’s Birdlife EDITOR OHIO BIRD RECORDS Craig Caldwell COMMITTEE 1270 W. Melrose Dr. Greg Miller Westlake, OH 44145 Secretary 440-356-0494 243 Mill Street NW [email protected] Sugarcreek, OH 44681 [email protected] PHOTO EDITOR Laura Keene PAST PUBLISHERS [email protected] John Herman (1978-1980) Edwin C. Pierce (1980-2008) CONSULTANTS Mike Egan PAST EDITORS Victor Fazio III John Herman (1978-1980) Laura Peskin Edwin C. Pierce (1980-1991) Bill Whan Thomas Kemp (1987-1991) Robert Harlan (1991-1996) Victor W. Fazio III (1996-1997) Bill Whan (1997-2008) Andy Jones (2008-2010) Jill M. Russell (2010-2012) ISSN 1534-1666 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2012 COMMENTS ON THE SEASON By Craig Caldwell der made separate pilgrimages to Mohican SP and SF in Jun and tallied large numbers of many This was a hot, dry summer in most of Ohio. thrush and warbler species. You will see them cit- Temperatures were above normal in June, part ed repeatedly in the Species Accounts.
    [Show full text]
  • U.S. Lake Erie Lighthouses
    U.S. Lake Erie Lighthouses Gretchen S. Curtis Lakeside, Ohio July 2011 U.S. Lighthouse Organizations • Original Light House Service 1789 – 1851 • Quasi-military Light House Board 1851 – 1910 • Light House Service under the Department of Commerce 1910 – 1939 • Final incorporation of the service into the U.S. Coast Guard in 1939. In the beginning… Lighthouse Architects & Contractors • Starting in the 1790s, contractors bid on LH construction projects advertised in local newspapers. • Bids reviewed by regional Superintendent of Lighthouses, a political appointee, who informed U.S. Treasury Dept of his selection. • Superintendent approved final contract and supervised contractor during building process. Creation of Lighthouse Board • Effective in 1852, U.S. Lighthouse Board assumed all duties related to navigational aids. • U.S. divided into 12 LH districts with inspector (naval officer) assigned to each district. • New LH construction supervised by district inspector with primary focus on quality over cost, resulting in greater LH longevity. • Soon, an engineer (army officer) was assigned to each district to oversee construction & maintenance of lights. Lighthouse Bd Responsibilities • Location of new / replacement lighthouses • Appointment of district inspectors, engineers and specific LH keepers • Oversight of light-vessels of Light-House Service • Establishment of detailed rules of operation for light-vessels and light-houses and creation of rules manual. “The Light-Houses of the United States” Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, Dec 1873 – May 1874 … “The Light-house Board carries on and provides for an infinite number of details, many of them petty, but none unimportant.” “The Light-Houses of the United States” Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, Dec 1873 – May 1874 “There is a printed book of 152 pages specially devoted to instructions and directions to light-keepers.
    [Show full text]
  • 2000 Lake Erie Lamp
    Lake Erie LaMP 2000 L A K E E R I E L a M P 2 0 0 0 Preface One of the most significant environmental agreements in the history of the Great Lakes took place with the signing of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1978 (GLWQA), between the United States and Canada. This historic agreement committed the U.S. and Canada (the Parties) to address the water quality issues of the Great Lakes in a coordinated, joint fashion. The purpose of the GLWQA is to “restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem.” In the revised GLWQA of 1978, as amended by Protocol signed November 18, 1987, the Parties agreed to develop and implement, in consultation with State and Provincial Governments, Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) for lake waters and Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) for Areas of Concern (AOCs). The LaMPs are intended to identify critical pollutants that impair beneficial uses and to develop strategies, recommendations and policy options to restore these beneficial uses. Moreover, the Specific Objectives Supplement to Annex 1 of the GLWQA requires the development of ecosystem objectives for the lakes as the state of knowledge permits. Annex 2 further indicates that the RAPs and LaMPS “shall embody a systematic and comprehensive ecosystem approach to restoring and protecting beneficial uses...they are to serve as an important step toward virtual elimination of persistent toxic substances...” The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement specifies that the LaMPs are to be completed in four stages. These stages are: 1) when problem definition has been completed; 2) when the schedule of load reductions has been determined; 3) when P r e f a c e remedial measures are selected; and 4) when monitoring indicates that the contribution of i the critical pollutants to impairment of beneficial uses has been eliminated.
    [Show full text]
  • Lighthouses – Clippings
    GREAT LAKES MARINE COLLECTION MILWAUKEE PUBLIC LIBRARY/WISCONSIN MARINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MARINE SUBJECT FILES LIGHTHOUSE CLIPPINGS Current as of November 7, 2018 LIGHTHOUSE NAME – STATE - LAKE – FILE LOCATION Algoma Pierhead Light – Wisconsin – Lake Michigan - Algoma Alpena Light – Michigan – Lake Huron - Alpena Apostle Islands Lights – Wisconsin – Lake Superior - Apostle Islands Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light – Wisconsin – Lake Superior - Ashland Ashtabula Harbor Light – Ohio – Lake Erie - Ashtabula Badgeley Island – Ontario – Georgian Bay, Lake Huron – Badgeley Island Bailey’s Harbor Light – Wisconsin – Lake Michigan – Bailey’s Harbor, Door County Bailey’s Harbor Range Lights – Wisconsin – Lake Michigan – Bailey’s Harbor, Door County Bala Light – Ontario – Lake Muskoka – Muskoka Lakes Bar Point Shoal Light – Michigan – Lake Erie – Detroit River Baraga (Escanaba) (Sand Point) Light – Michigan – Lake Michigan – Sand Point Barber’s Point Light (Old) – New York – Lake Champlain – Barber’s Point Barcelona Light – New York – Lake Erie – Barcelona Lighthouse Battle Island Lightstation – Ontario – Lake Superior – Battle Island Light Beaver Head Light – Michigan – Lake Michigan – Beaver Island Beaver Island Harbor Light – Michigan – Lake Michigan – St. James (Beaver Island Harbor) Belle Isle Lighthouse – Michigan – Lake St. Clair – Belle Isle Bellevue Park Old Range Light – Michigan/Ontario – St. Mary’s River – Bellevue Park Bete Grise Light – Michigan – Lake Superior – Mendota (Bete Grise) Bete Grise Bay Light – Michigan – Lake Superior
    [Show full text]
  • Filling Gaps in the Full Annual Cycle of the Black-Crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax Nycticorax)
    Filling gaps in the full annual cycle of the Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Kristie A. Stein, B.S. Graduate Program in Environment and Natural Resources The Ohio State University 2018 Thesis Committee: Christopher Tonra, Advisor Jacqueline Augustine Suzanne Gray Laura Kearns Copyrighted by Kristie A. Stein 2018 Abstract Migratory birds carry out different stages of their life cycle in geographically disparate locations, complicating our ability to track individuals over time. However, the importance of connecting these stages is underscored by evidence that processes occurring in one stage can influence performance in subsequent stages. Over half of migratory species in North America are declining, and it follows that understanding the factors limiting population growth is a major focus of current avian conservation. Globally, Black-crowned Night-Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) are common and widespread, but populations across the Great Lakes region are in long-term decline. Within Ohio, Black-crowned Night-Herons historically nested at 19 colonies but currently occupy only five of those sites. The largest colony, West Sister Island, represents an important breeding area for many species of wading birds and currently hosts the majority of the night-heron breeding population in Ohio. The number of nesting pairs at West Sister Island has been monitored since the 1970s, but little is known about the population outside of the breeding season. My research is the first to examine multiple stages of the full annual cycle of Black-crowned Night-Herons.
    [Show full text]
  • All-Bird Conservation Plan (Complete)
    OHIO ALL-BIRD CONSERVATION PLAN OCTOBER 2010 1 This Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative All-Bird Conservation Plan is based on several regional conservation plans developed by the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture (UMRGLRJV). These include conservation plans for shorebirds (Potter et al. 2007a), landbirds (Potter et al. 2007b), waterbirds (Soulliere et al. 2007a), and waterfowl (Soulliere et al. 2007b). Habitat and bird population objectives from these plans and the UMRGLRJV Implementation Plan (Soulliere et al. 2007c) have been “stepped-down” to the state of Ohio and the primary bird conservation regions that occur within Ohio. Additional maps were incorporated from Soulliere et al. (2007c) with the generous assistance from Brad Potter of the UMRGLRJV. The OBCI Plan benefitted from reviews provided by Mike Reynolds, David Scott, Mark Shieldcastle, and Nathan Stricker. This information was compiled by Suzanne Cardinal and Paul Rodewald with assistance from members of the Conservation Planning and Research Committee of OBCI: Steve Barry Ohio Division of Wildlife Tom Berger Ohio Division of Forestry Doug Brewer U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service R. Jeffrey Brown Ohio Bird-banding Association Bernie Daniel Ohio Bluebird Society Bob Gates Ohio State University Jim Inglis Pheasants Forever Andy Jones Cleveland Museum of Natural History Mike Kravitz Environmental Protection Agency Deni Porej The Nature Conservancy Mike Reynolds Ohio Division of Wildlife John Ritzenthaler Audubon Ohio Amanda Rodewald Ohio State University Kurt Waterstradt U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Suggested Citation: Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative. 2010. Ohio All-bird Conservation Plan. Unpublished report to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Wildlife.
    [Show full text]
  • Hartig Et Al. 2007. Indicator Project
    Cover photos: Landsat 7 satellite image of western Lake Erie Basin and Detroit River corridor provided by USGS Landsat Project; Upper left: angler with walleye (Sander vitreus) by Jim Barta; Middle left: lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) by Glenn Ogilvie; Lower left: Hexagenia by Lynda Corkum; Center: lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) by James Boase/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Lower right: juvenile peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) by Craig Koppie/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Bottom left: bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) by Steve Maslowski/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. STATE OF THE STRAIT STATUS AND TRENDS OF KEY INDICATORS Edited by: John H. Hartig, Michael A. Zarull, Jan J.H. Ciborowski, John E. Gannon, Emily Wilke, Greg Norwood, and Ashlee Vincent 2007 STATE OF THE STRAIT STATUS AND TRENDS OF KEY INDICATORS 2007 Edited by: John H. Hartig, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Michael A. Zarull, Environment Canada Jan J.H. Ciborowski, University of Windsor John E. Gannon, International Joint Commission Emily Wilke, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy Greg Norwood, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ashlee Vincent, University of Windsor Based on the Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Indicator Project, a three-year U.S.-Canada effort to compile and summarize long-term trend data, and the 2006 State of the Strait Conference held in Flat Rock, Michigan Suggested citation: Hartig, J.H., M.A. Zarull, J.J.H. Ciborowski, J.E. Gannon, E. Wilke, G. Norwood, and A. Vincent, eds. 2007. State of the Strait: Status and Trends of Key Indicators. Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, Occasional Publication No.
    [Show full text]
  • Atlas Introduction
    INTRODUCTION Atlas Methodology The primary goal of the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas Project was to document the status and distribution of all birds breeding in Ohio between 1982 and 1987. Additional objectives of this project included providing more accurate information on the distri- bution and nesting occurrences of Ohio’s rare and endangered breeding birds; identifying significant habitats supporting rare or unusual species which could become the focus of preservation efforts; providing baseline data against which future changes in the status and distribution of Ohio’s breeding birds can be measured; providing baseline data for the development of environmental impact statements; involving the birders of Ohio in a cooperative effort of scientific value and heightening their awareness of the state’s summer birdlife. This Atlas represents the work of hundreds of birders throughout Ohio who expended over 30,000 hours between 1982 and 1987 collecting data on the distribution of breeding birds in the state. Over 95% of this data was collected between 1983 and 1987 with 1982 serving as a pilot year for the Atlas Project. In order to fully understand and interpret this data, it is necessary to have some understanding of the goals and mechanics of breeding bird atlas projects. Data Collection: Priority Blocks and Special Areas The basis of any atlas project is a grid system whereby the geographical area to be surveyed is divided into a series of smaller sub–units (usually squares or rectangles called blocks). In Ohio, as in a majority of other states conducting breeding bird atlases, the grid system employed is based on the 7.5 minute topographic map system.
    [Show full text]
  • Page 1464 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 1132
    § 1132 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION Page 1464 Department and agency having jurisdiction of, and reports submitted to Congress regard- thereover immediately before its inclusion in ing pending additions, eliminations, or modi- the National Wilderness Preservation System fications. Maps, legal descriptions, and regula- unless otherwise provided by Act of Congress. tions pertaining to wilderness areas within No appropriation shall be available for the pay- their respective jurisdictions also shall be ment of expenses or salaries for the administra- available to the public in the offices of re- tion of the National Wilderness Preservation gional foresters, national forest supervisors, System as a separate unit nor shall any appro- priations be available for additional personnel and forest rangers. stated as being required solely for the purpose of managing or administering areas solely because (b) Review by Secretary of Agriculture of classi- they are included within the National Wilder- fications as primitive areas; Presidential rec- ness Preservation System. ommendations to Congress; approval of Con- (c) ‘‘Wilderness’’ defined gress; size of primitive areas; Gore Range-Ea- A wilderness, in contrast with those areas gles Nest Primitive Area, Colorado where man and his own works dominate the The Secretary of Agriculture shall, within ten landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where years after September 3, 1964, review, as to its the earth and its community of life are un- suitability or nonsuitability for preservation as trammeled by man, where man himself is a visi- wilderness, each area in the national forests tor who does not remain. An area of wilderness classified on September 3, 1964 by the Secretary is further defined to mean in this chapter an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its of Agriculture or the Chief of the Forest Service primeval character and influence, without per- as ‘‘primitive’’ and report his findings to the manent improvements or human habitation, President.
    [Show full text]
  • WEST SISTER ISLAND Horne of the Herons Revisited
    WEST SISTER ISLAND Horne of the Herons Revisited Ed Pierce I first visited West Sister I s land in 1982. '!be results of those two trips, June 26 and July 2, are reported in the Ohio Cardinal Vol. 5, No . 2 and Vol. 4, No. 2 (joint issue) pgs. 1-11. On those occasions I made a survey of the Island, counted black­ crowned night-heron nests and discovered nesting cattle egrets. I had hoped to find a snowy egret colony as there had been a large increase in these birds in the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and Magee Marsh Wildlife Area canplex the last t'NO surcmers (nine in 1981 and seventeen in 1982) . However, none were found nor any evidence of any nesting ibis, little blue heron or tri-colored heron. I speculated in that previous article that perhaps I visited the Island too late in the season and that the end of April would be a better tline to find these species a:s the adults would then be incubating. Revisiting the Island in 1983 proved this to be incorrect. I made three trips in 1983: May 12 , June 11 and June 25. I was sur­ prised by the lack of tree leaves on May 12. The mainland trees were in leaf but at West Sister no tree bore anything but buds although the v ines and ground cover were in leaf. Perhaps the colder lake temperatures retarded the tree leaf growth. '!be black-crowned night-heron nests contained eggs and newly hatched young. I didn't inspect many nests as this required climbing but I did photograph one nest with four eggs and a second nest with three downy young which I age d at less than five days old (McVaugh, 1973).
    [Show full text]
  • Amendment to the 2016 Integrated Report
    2016 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report - Amendment May 2018 Ohio is amending the 2016 Integrated Water Quality Report to enhance the assessment and impairment listings related to algae in Lake Erie. This amendment includes a new section F.4 below which describes the recreation assessment method based on algae developed to date, a list of subsections/paragraphs in the 2016 which are replaced by this amendment, and a revised list of impaired waters with priority points assigned. F.4 Recreation Assessment for Algae in Western Lake Erie F.4.1 Background A healthy Lake Erie is a vital component of Ohio’s economic and ecological health. Funding under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and other sources has led to the availability of new data and opportunities to expand assessment and reporting of water quality conditions in Lake Erie. The combined data set, along with advances in the use of satellite imagery to detect and track algal blooms, allowed Ohio to add to the 2018 report the first phase of a method to assess the open waters of Lake Erie for recreational impairment caused by algae. Upon review of the results, it became clear that this new method could also be used to assess and list the open waters for the 2016 report to resolve the pending litigation. Regarding data availability, it is important to keep in mind that Ohio’s credible data law (ORC 6111.50 to 6111.56) requires Level 3 credible data for impairment assessments and decisions. However, Ohio EPA cannot compel data collectors to apply for Level 3 status.
    [Show full text]
  • Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio's Birdlife • Vol. 40, No. 4
    Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio’s Birdlife • Vol. 40, No. 4, Summer 2017 Many of the visitors looking for the Blue Grosbeak at the SWACO landfll, Franklin, were treated to views of this beautiful leusistic Red-tailed Hawk. Tom Fishburn captured this photo of it on 03 Jul. On the cover: This male Eastern Bluebird was taking turns with its mate gathering as many insects as they could for their squealing nestlings at Siebenthaler Fen, Greene. They ignored Sean Hollowell as he captured this photo on 05 Jul. Sean felt it looked like the bird was sweating from all of the hard work. Vol. 40 No. 4 Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio’s Birdlife EDITOR OHIO BIRD RECORDS Craig Caldwell COMMITTEE 1270 W. Melrose Dr. Westlake, OH 44145 Jay G. Lehman 440-356-0494 Secretary [email protected] 7064 Shawnee Run Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45243 [email protected] PHOTO EDITOR Christopher Collins PAST PUBLISHERS 3560 Alvera Ct. Beavercreek, OH 45432 John Herman (1978–1980) [email protected] Edwin C. Pierce (1980–2008) LAYOUT PAST EDITORS Roger Lau John Herman (1978–1980) [email protected] Edwin C. Pierce (1980–1991) Thomas Kemp (1987–1991) Robert Harlan (1991–1996) Victor W. Fazio III (1996–1997) CONSULTANTS Bill Whan (1997–2008) Rick Asamoto Andy Jones (2008–2010 Jen Brumfeld Jill M. Russell (2010–2012) Cory Chiappone Tim Colborn Victor Fazio III Stephan Gleissberg Rob Harlan Andy Jones Kent Miller Laura Peskin Robert Sams Jack Stenger Sue Tackett Bill Whan Brian Wulker ISSN 1534-1666 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2017 COMMENTS ON THE SEASON By Craig Caldwell count since I’ve been editor.
    [Show full text]