20131121 Draft Puertoricanpa
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DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE REINTRODUCTION OF THE THIRD WILD POPULATION OF THE PUERTO RICAN PARROT IN PUERTO RICO November 21, 2013 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Caribbean Ecological Services Field Office Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program Office P.O. Box 1600 Río Grande, PR 00745 Phone: (787) 887-8769 Fax: (787) 887-7512 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION I - PURPOSE AND NEED FOR PROPOSED ACTION ............................................. 1 1.1 PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 NEED .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 REQUIRED DECISIONS .................................................................................................... 3 1.4 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................. 3 SECTION II - ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................... 4 2.1 HISTORY AND PROCESS USED TO FORMULATE THE ALTERNATIVES .............. 4 2.2 ALTERNATIVE DESIGN, EVALUATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA ................... 5 2.3 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROMDETAILED ANALYSIS6 2.4 ALTERNATIVES ANALYZED IN DETAIL ..................................................................... 6 2.4.1 Alternative A – No Action ............................................................................................. 6 2.4.2 Alternative B – Reintroduction of the PRP in MAF ...................................................... 7 2.4.3 Alternative C – Reintroduction of the PRPs in the GAF Forest .................................... 7 2.5 COMPARISON OF THE ALTERNATIVES ...................................................................... 7 2.6 IDENTIFICATION OF THE PREFERED ALTERNATIVE ............................................ 13 SECTION III - AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................... 14 3.1 MARICAO COMMONWEALTH FOREST ..................................................................... 14 3.1.1. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS............................................................................ 14 3.1.1.1. Location ................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.1.2 Geomorphic/Physiographic....................................................................................... 15 3.1.1.3 Threatened, Endangered, and Candidate Species ..................................................... 15 3.1.1.4 Other Species ............................................................................................................ 15 3.1.2 LAND USE .................................................................................................................. 16 3.1.3 CULTURAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 16 3.1.4 LOCAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ........................................................... 16 3.2 GUAJATACA COMMONWEALTH FOREST ................................................................ 16 3.2.1 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS............................................................................. 16 3.2.1.1 Location .................................................................................................................... 17 3.2.1.2 Geomorphic/Physiographic....................................................................................... 17 3.2.1.3 Threatened, Endangered, and Candidate Species ..................................................... 17 3.2.1.4 Other Species ............................................................................................................ 18 3.2.2 LAND USE .................................................................................................................. 18 3.2.3 CULTURAL RESOURCES ........................................................................................ 18 3.2.4 LOCAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ........................................................... 19 SECTION IV - IMPACTS ANALYSIS ....................................................................................... 19 4.1 ALTERNATIVE A – NO ACTION ................................................................................... 19 4.1.1 HABITAT IMPACTS .................................................................................................. 19 4.1.2 BIOLOGICAL IMPACTS ........................................................................................... 19 4.1.3 LISTED SPECIES AND TRUST RESOURCES ........................................................ 19 4.1.4 PREDATOR CONTROL IMPACTS .......................................................................... 20 4.1.5 PUBLIC USE AND LANDOWNER IMPACTS ........................................................ 20 4.2 ALTERNATIVE B – Reintroduction of PRP in the Maricao Commonwealth Forest (MAF) ................................................................................................................................. 20 ii 4.2.1 HABITAT IMPACTS .................................................................................................. 20 4.2.2 BIOLOGICAL IMPACTS ........................................................................................... 20 4.2.3 FEDERALLY-LISTED SPECIES/CONSERVATION MEASURES ........................ 21 4.2.3.1 Sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus venator) ..................................................... 21 4.2.3.2 Puerto Rican nightjar (Caprimulgus noctitherus) ..................................................... 22 4.2.3.3 Elfin-woods warbler (Setophaga angelae) ............................................................... 23 4.2.3.4 Puerto Rican boa (Epicrates inornatus) .................................................................... 26 4.2.3.5 Higüero de sierra (Crescentia portoricensis) ............................................................ 28 4.2.3.6 Cordia bellonis.......................................................................................................... 30 4.2.3.7 Cranichis ricartii ...................................................................................................... 33 4.2.3.8 Palo de rosa (Ottoschultzia rhodoxylon) ................................................................... 34 4.2.3.9 Gesneria pauciflora .................................................................................................. 36 4.2.4 PREDATOR CONTROL IMPACT ............................................................................ 38 4.2.5 PUBLIC USE AND LANDOWNER IMPACTS ........................................................ 38 4.3 ALTERNATIVE C – Reintroduction of the PRP in the GAF Forest ................................. 39 4.3.1 HABITAT IMPACTS .................................................................................................. 39 4.3.2 BIOLOGICAL IMPACTS ........................................................................................... 39 4.3.3 LISTED SPECIES AND TRUST RESOURCES ........................................................ 39 4.3.3.1 Puerto Rican Boa (Epicrates inornatus) ................................................................... 39 4.3.3.2 Palma de manaca (Calyptronoma rivalis )................................................................ 41 4.3.3.3 Uvillo (Eugenia haematocarpa) ............................................................................... 43 4.3.3.4 Daphnopsis helleriana .............................................................................................. 45 4.3.3.5 Palo de rosa (Ottoschultzia rhodoxylon) ................................................................... 46 4.3.3.6 Matabuey (Goetzea elegans)..................................................................................... 48 4.3.3.7 Schoepfia arenaria .................................................................................................... 49 4.3.3.8 Buxus vahlii ............................................................................................................... 50 4.3.3.9 Peperomia wheeleri .................................................................................................. 52 4.2.4 PREDATOR CONTROL IMPACT ............................................................................ 53 4.2.5 PUBLIC USE AND LANDOWNER IMPACTS ........................................................ 54 SECTION V - SCOPING ............................................................................................................. 54 SECTION VI - LIST OF PREPARERS ....................................................................................... 54 SECTION VII - CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.................................................... 57 SECTION VIII – LIST OF AGENCIES, INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS CONSULTED ................................................................................................. 58 SECTION IX - LITERATURE CITED ........................................................................................ 59 iii SECTION I - PURPOSE AND NEED FOR PROPOSED ACTION 1.1 PURPOSE The US Fish and Wildlife Service (hereafter, the Service), the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (hereafter, the PRDNER) and the US Forest Service (hereafter, the USFS) formed an interagency