Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
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Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region August 2008 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN MERRITT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Brevard and Volusia Counties, Florida U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia August 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 1 I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose and Need for the Plan .................................................................................................... 3 U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service ...................................................................................................... 4 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 4 Legal Policy Context ..................................................................................................................... 5 National Conservation Plans and Initiatives .................................................................................6 Relationship to State Partners ...................................................................................................... 6 II. REFUGE ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................... 9 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 9 Refuge History and Purposes .......................................................................................................9 Special Designations of the Refuge ...........................................................................................13 Ecosystem Context .....................................................................................................................15 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..............................................................................15 Ecological Threats and Problems ............................................................................................... 18 Physical Resources .................................................................................................................... 21 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 21 Geology and Topography ..................................................................................................22 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 23 Air Quality ..........................................................................................................................24 Hydrology and Water Quality ............................................................................................24 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................. 26 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 26 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 37 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 45 Historical Overview ........................................................................................................... 45 Cultural Resource Protection ............................................................................................47 National Register ...............................................................................................................47 Socioeconomic Environment ...................................................................................................... 48 Refuge Administration and Management ...................................................................................53 Resource Protection ..........................................................................................................54 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 58 Personnel, Operations, and Maintenance .........................................................................62 III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 65 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 65 Public Involvement and Planning Process .................................................................................65 Scoping of Issues and Concerns ................................................................................................ 67 Wildlife and Habitat Management .....................................................................................67 Resource Protection ..........................................................................................................69 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 70 Refuge Administration .......................................................................................................71 Table of Contents i IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ....................................................................................................... 73 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 73 Vision ......................................................................................................................................... 73 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................................................................. 74 Wildlife and Habitat Management ..................................................................................... 74 Resource Protection ....................................................................................................... 109 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................... 114 Refuge Administration .................................................................................................... 127 V. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION .......................................................................................................... 139 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 139 Funding Needs and Personnel ................................................................................................. 139 Research .................................................................................................................................. 143 Partnerships ............................................................................................................................. 144 Step-down Management Plans ................................................................................................ 144 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ..................................................................................... 145 Plan Review and Revision........................................................................................................ 145 APPENDICES APPENDIX A. - GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................ 147 APPENDIX B. - REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 163 APPENDIX C. - RELEVANT LEGAL MANDATES ........................................................................... 173 APPENDIX D. - BIOTA ..................................................................................................................... 175 APPENDIX E. - COMPATIBILITY DETERMINATIONS AND APPROPRIATE USE FORMS ......... 189 APPENDIX F. - HABITAT MANAGEMENT PLAN ........................................................................... 249 APPENDIX G. - VISITOR SERVICES PLAN .................................................................................... 251 APPENDIX H. - CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION .............................................................. 253 APPENDIX I. - LIST OF PREPARERS ............................................................................................. 259 APPENDIX J. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT .......................................................................................... 261 Summary of Public Scoping ..................................................................................................... 261 Draft Plan Comments and Service Responses