Seal Beach NWR Final
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan Comprehensive Conservation Plans provide long-term guidance for management deci- sions and 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 mainte- nance increases, or funding for future land acquisition. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan May 2012 Vision Statement Tidal channels meandering through a sea of cordgrass deliver moisture and nourishment to support a healthy marsh ecosystem. As the quiet calm of the morning is interrupted by the clacking of a light-footed clapper rail, school children and other visitors, standing on the elevated observation deck, point with excitement in the direction of the call hoping for a glimpse of the rare bird. Shorebirds dart from one foraging area to another feasting on what appears to be an endless supply of food hidden within the tidal flats. California least terns fly above the tidal channels searching for small fish to carry back to their nests on NASA Island. A diverse array of marine organisms, from tube worms and sea stars to rays and sharks, and even an occasional green sea turtle, thrive within the tidal channels and open water areas of the Refuge’s diverse marsh complex, while Nelson’s sparrows and other upland birds find food and shelter within the native upland vegetation that borders the marsh. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Southwest Region 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-1832 Sacramento, CA 95825-1846 May 2012 Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Purpose and Need for the Comprehensive Conservation Plan ....................................... 1-1 1.3 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Wildlife Refuge System ........................... 1-2 1.3.1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ................................................................................... 1-2 1.3.2 National Wildlife Refuge System .............................................................................. 1-5 1.4 Legal and Policy Guidance .................................................................................................... 1-5 1.4.1 National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 ................................. 1-6 Compatibility Policy .............................................................................................. 1-6 Appropriate Use Policy ......................................................................................... 1-7 Biological Integrity, Diversity and Environmental Health Policy ................. 1-9 Wilderness Stewardship Policy ........................................................................... 1-9 1.4.2 National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ........................................................... 1-10 1.5 Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge ................................................................................ 1-10 1.5.1 Location ....................................................................................................................... 1-10 1.5.2 Physical Setting .......................................................................................................... 1-11 1.5.3 Ecosystem Context .................................................................................................... 1-11 1.5.4 Refuge Purpose and Authority ................................................................................. 1-13 1.5.5 Refuge Vision and Goals ........................................................................................... 1-14 1.5.6 History of Refuge Establishment ............................................................................ 1-15 Chapter 2 – The Planning Process ................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Preparing a Comprehensive Conservation Plan ................................................................ 2-1 2.2 Preplanning ............................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.3 Public Involvement in Planning ........................................................................................... 2-2 2.4 Overview of Issues and Public Scoping Comments ........................................................... 2-3 2.5 Management Concerns/Opportunities ................................................................................ 2-4 2.6 Development of a Refuge Vision .......................................................................................... 2-7 2.7 Development of Refuge Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................. 2-7 2.8 Alternatives Development Process ...................................................................................... 2-8 2.9 Selection of the Refuge Preferred Alternative .................................................................. 2-8 2.10 Plan Implementation ............................................................................................................. 2-9 Chapter 3 – Refuge Management ...................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Overview of Refuge Goals, Objectives, and Strategies ..................................................... 3-1 3.2 Refuge Goals ........................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.3 Objectives and Strategies ...................................................................................................... 3-2 3.4 History of Past Refuge Management ................................................................................ 3-18 3.4.1 Background ................................................................................................................. 3-18 3.4.2 Prior Management Documents ................................................................................ 3-18 3.4.3 Management History ................................................................................................. 3-20 3.4.4 Prior Refuge Actions ................................................................................................. 3-20 ņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņ Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan i Table of Contents ņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņņ 3.5 On-going and Future Refuge Management Actions and Programs ....................... 3-22 3.5.1 Wildlife and Habitat Management ............................................................. 3-22 3.5.1.1 Endangered, Threatened, and Sensitive Species Management.... ......... 3-22 3.5.1.2 Predator Management ................................................................................ 3-26 3.5.1.3 Other Wildlife and Habitat Management Activities ................................ 3-28 3.5.1.4 Habitat Restoration ...................................................................................... 3-32 3.5.1.5 Integrated Pest Management Plan ............................................................ 3-35 3.6 Public Use ...................................................................................................................... 3-37 3.6.1 Public Access ................................................................................................. 3-37 3.6.2 Wildife Observation and Interpretation .................................................... 3-37 3.6.3 Environmental Education .................................................................................. 3-38 3.6.4 Other Wildlife-Dependent Recreational Uses .......................................... 3-38 3.7 Refuge Operations ........................................................................................................ 3-38 3.7.1 General Operations ....................................................................................... 3-38 3.7.2 Voluneers and Partners ............................................................................... 3-39 3.7.3 Coordination with Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach .......................... 3-40 3.7.4 Mosquito Management ................................................................................ 3-41 3.8 Environmental Contaminants Coordination ............................................................ 3-46 3.9 Cultural Resource Management ................................................................................ 3-47 Chapter 4 –Refuge Resources ............................................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................ 4-1 4.1.1 Location and Property Description.............................................................. 4-1 4.1.2 Flyway Setting ...............................................................................................