Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan January 2005
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan January 2005 This goose, designed by J.N. “Ding” Darling, has become the symbol of the National Wildlife Refuge System The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principle federal agency for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife in their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 96-million acre National Wildlife Refuge System comprised of 544 national wildlife refuges and thousands of waterfowl production areas. It also operates 65 national fish hatcheries and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, manages migratory bird populations, restores significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, administers the Endangered Species Act, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state wildlife agencies. Comprehensive Conservation Plans provide long term guidance for management decisions; set forth goals, objectives, and strategies needed to accomplish refuge purposes; and, identify the Service’s best estimate of future needs. These plans detail program planning levels that are sometimes substantially above current budget allocations and, as such, are primarily for Service strategic planning and program prioritization purposes. The plans do not constitute a commitment for staffing increases, operational and maintenance increases, or funding for future land acquisition. Cover Photo: Assabet River NWR © Marijke Holtrop Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction and Background................................................................................- 1 - Refuge Overview......................................................................................................................- 1 - Purpose and Need for a CCP.................................................................................................- 1 - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mission ................................................................................- 3 - Refuge System Mission ..........................................................................................................- 4 - Laws...........................................................................................................................................- 4 - National and Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives Guiding this CCP...............- 5 - Gulf of Maine - Ecosystem Priorities................................................................................- 5 - North American Waterfowl Management Plan ..............................................................- 5 - Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plans....................................................................- 7 - Regional Wetlands Concept Plan- Emergency Wetlands Resources Act...................- 9 - Our Irreplaceable Heritage - Protecting Biodiversity in Massachusetts, 1998 .........- 9 - Existing Partnerships.............................................................................................................- 9 - Chapter 2: The Comprehensive Conservation Planning Process.......................................- 11 - Wilderness Assessment ........................................................................................................- 12 - Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities ..................................................................................- 13 - Issues and Concerns Considered Outside the Scope of This Plan .................................- 14 - Chapter 3: Refuge and Resource Descriptions .....................................................................- 17 - Geographic/Ecosystem Setting ...........................................................................................- 17 - Socio-economic Setting .........................................................................................................- 17 - Refuge Resources..................................................................................................................- 18 - Climate ................................................................................................................................- 18 - Topography ........................................................................................................................- 18 - Geology................................................................................................................................- 19 - Soils......................................................................................................................................- 19 - Hydrology...........................................................................................................................- 20 - Air Quality ..........................................................................................................................- 21 - Water Quality.....................................................................................................................- 22 - Other Contaminant Issues ...............................................................................................- 26 - Physical Safety Hazards...................................................................................................- 27 - Biological Resources .............................................................................................................- 28 - Vegetation and Habitat Types.........................................................................................- 28 - Vernal pools ............................................................................................................................- 31 - Invasive or Overabundant Species..................................................................................- 31 - Wildlife Resources.................................................................................................................- 32 - Migratory Birds.................................................................................................................- 32 - Mammals.............................................................................................................................- 33 - Reptiles and Amphibians..................................................................................................- 35 - Fisheries .............................................................................................................................- 35 - Invertebrates......................................................................................................................- 37 - Threatened and Endangered Species.............................................................................- 37 - Special Designations .........................................................................................................- 37 - Cultural Resources................................................................................................................- 38 - Prehistoric Period..............................................................................................................- 38 - Historic Period...................................................................................................................- 39 - Socio-economic Resources....................................................................................................- 44 - Population and Demographic Conditions.......................................................................- 44 - Adjacent Communities and Land Uses..........................................................................- 44 - Chapter 4: Management Direction..........................................................................................- 45 - Refuge Complex Vision.........................................................................................................- 45 - Refuge Complex Goals..........................................................................................................- 45 - General Refuge Management..............................................................................................- 59 - Refuge Access and Fees ...................................................................................................- 59 - Accessibility........................................................................................................................- 60 - Fire Management..............................................................................................................- 60 - Land Protection .................................................................................................................- 61 - Resource Protection and Visitor Safety.........................................................................- 62 - Special Use Permits and Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement ............- 62 - Research .............................................................................................................................- 63 - Chapter 5: Refuge Administration..........................................................................................- 65 - Refuge Staffing ......................................................................................................................- 65 - Refuge Funding .....................................................................................................................-