Great Lakes Coastal Program Strategic Plan
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U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE The Coastal Program ~ Strategic Plan ~ Stewardship of Fish and Wildlife Through Voluntary Conservation Regional Step-Down Plan Region 3 - “Great Lakes -Big Rivers” Part 2 of 3 FY 2007-2011 Table of Contents I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................1 II. Regional Overview..................................................................................................................... 3 Wetland Habitat Types............................................................................................................... 3 Coastal Upland Habitat Types ................................................................................................... 4 Stream/Riparian Habitat Types.................................................................................................. 5 Issues and Risks ......................................................................................................................... 6 Cooperative Conservation.......................................................................................................... 6 III. Goal One: Conserving Habitat................................................................................................. 7 Regional Objectives ................................................................................................................... 7 Key Strategic Activities ............................................................................................................. 7 Performance Measures............................................................................................................... 7 Geographic Focus Areas ............................................................................................................ 8 Duluth-Superior Harbor/St. Louis River Estuary and Watershed Focus Area........................ 9 Superior Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat Initiative Focus Area........................................ 13 Wisconsin Green Bay Watershed Focus Area………………………………………………16 Illinois Lake Michigan Basin Focus Area ............................................................................. 20 Indiana Coastal Zone Focus Area.......................................................................................... 24 Brevort to Lower Grand Focus Area ..................................................................................... 27 Michigan Green Bay Watershed Focus Area………………………………………………..30 Salmon Trout River Watershed Focus Area.......................................................................... 33 Thunder Bay and Watershed Focus Area .............................................................................. 37 Saginaw Bay and Watershed Focus Area.............................................................................. 40 Lower Detroit River and System Focus Area........................................................................ 43 Western Lake Erie Focus Area.............................................................................................. 46 Coastal Program – Great Lakes Five-year Performance Targets............................................. 49 IV. Goal Two: Broaden and Strengthen Partnerships................................................................... 50 Regional Objectives ................................................................................................................. 50 Key Strategic Activities ........................................................................................................... 51 Performance Measures............................................................................................................. 51 V. Goal Three: Improve Information Sharing and Communication............................................ 52 Regional Objectives ................................................................................................................. 52 Key Strategic Activities ........................................................................................................... 52 Performance Measures............................................................................................................. 53 VI. Goal Four: Enhance Our Workforce...................................................................................... 53 Regional Objectives ................................................................................................................. 54 Key Strategic Activities ........................................................................................................... 54 Performance Measures............................................................................................................. 54 VII. Goal Five: Increase Accountability...................................................................................... 55 Regional Objectives ................................................................................................................. 55 Key Strategic Activities ........................................................................................................... 55 Performance Measures............................................................................................................. 56 VIII. Stakeholder Involvement ..................................................................................................... 57 ii List of Figures Figure 1. Location of Coastal Program Focus Areas in the Great Lakes. ..................................... 9 Figure 2. Duluth-Superior Harbor/St. Louis River Estuary and Watershed Focus Area............. 10 Figure 3. Superior Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat Initiative Focus Area............................... 14 Figure 5. Illinois Lake Michigan Basin Focus Area.................................................................... 21 Figure 6. Indiana Coastal Zone Focus Area................................................................................. 24 Figure 7. Brevort to Lower Grand Focus Area............................................................................ 27 Figure 9. Salmon Trout River Watershed Focus Area................................................................. 34 Figure 10. Thunder Bay and Watershed Focus Area................................................................... 38 Figure 11. Saginaw Bay and Watershed Focus Area................................................................... 41 Figure 12. Lower Detroit River and System Focus Area............................................................. 44 Figure 13. Western Lake Erie Focus Area................................................................................... 47 List of Appendices Appendix A: Preliminary List of Great Lakes Coastal Program Focal Species........................... 59 Appendix B: Relevant Conservation Plans and Other References ............................................... 60 Appendix C: List of Coastal Program – Great Lakes Partners ..................................................... 62 Appendix D: Coastal Program Great Lakes Internal Guidance………………………………….64 iii I. Introduction The Nation’s coastal areas and shorelines support myriad terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and as a result, are critical to human endeavors. Fish and wildlife resources and associated habitats serve as a bellwether for ecosystem health. As coastal and shoreline areas fall under increasing pressure, cumulative impacts mount and our natural resources become diminished. The challenges and resulting opportunities are great. Comprising less than 25% of America’s land area, coastal counties are home to more than 50% of our total population—a share projected to swell to 75% by 2010. Only 50% of the Nation’s wetlands remain; more than 70% of the Nation’s riparian habitats are lost or significantly degraded; and, coral reefs and submerged coastal vegetation continue to decline. Further, less than 2% of the Nation’s rivers remain free flowing. Consequences of habitat loss include decreases in fish and wildlife populations and many other natural, social, and economic impacts that have the potential to decrease quality of life. The Coastal Program seeks to address these challenges proactively by partnering with a wide range of stakeholders while holding true to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) mission: “working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.” At the heart of the Service’s mission are the conservation and management of federal trust resource species: migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, inter-jurisdictional fish, certain marine mammals, and species of international concern. As we work under an array of statutory authorities and resource management programs, the Coastal Program serves as a bridge to owners and managers of federal and non-federal lands where partnerships are developed to benefit fish and wildlife and associated habitats directly. With a focus on voluntary, cooperative conservation, the Coastal Program works under the premise that fish and wildlife conservation represents a shared responsibility across all lines of interest and society. To that end, we engage willing partners to conserve and protect valuable fish and wildlife habitat. We provide funding, technical assistance, and planning tools needed to make on-the-ground conservation affordable, feasible,