2015 Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan
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2015 Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan CHAPTER 4 - TABLE OF CONTENTS CONSERVATION ACTIONS FOR CONNECTICUT’S KEY HABITATS AND SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED Introduction .......................................................................................................................1 Development of Priority Actions.........................................................................................1 Objectives – Driven Conservation Actions and Opportunities.............................................3 Conservation Opportunity Areas ‐ Guiding the Implementation of Conservation Actions...4 Sources for Inclusion of Habitats and Species........................................................5 Methods for Developing COAs................................................................................5 How Conservation Opportunity Areas Can be Used ...............................................6 Statewide Conservation Actions.......................................................................................13 Administration .......................................................................................................13 Planning................................................................................................................14 Law, Policy, and Enforcement...............................................................................19 Education and Outreach .......................................................................................20 Technical Assistance ............................................................................................22 Data Collection and Analysis ................................................................................24 Direct Management of Natural Resources ............................................................29 Land and Water Acquisition and Protection ..........................................................31 Taxon and Species‐specific Actions...................................................................................33 Mammals ..............................................................................................................33 Birds......................................................................................................................34 Reptiles and Amphibians ......................................................................................35 Fish .......................................................................................................................35 Invertebrates.........................................................................................................36 Plants....................................................................................................................37 Conservation Actions to Conserve Key Habitats and GCN Species ....................................38 Upland Forest Habitat ...........................................................................................38 Upland Woodland and Shrub Habitat....................................................................45 Upland Herbaceous Habitat..................................................................................51 Forested Inland Wetland Habitat...........................................................................59 Shrub Inland Wetland Habitat ...............................................................................64 Herbaceous Inland Wetland Habitat .....................................................................68 Tidal Wetland Habitat............................................................................................73 Freshwater Aquatic Habitat...................................................................................80 Estuarine Aquatic Habitat......................................................................................89 Unique; Natural or Man-Made Habitats.................................................................96 Chapter 4 References .....................................................................................................106 4-i 2015 Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan Chapter 4 List of Figures Figure 4.1: Composite Conservation Opportunity Areas Map depicting areas of significant value to Connecticut GCN species. ......................................................... 6 Figure 4.2: Upland Forest Conservation Opportunity Areas. ......................................................... 7 Figure 4.3: Upland Herbaceous Conservation Opportunity Areas. ................................................ 7 Figure 4.4: Forest Inland Wetland Conservation Opportunity Areas............................................. 8 Figure 4.5: Herbaceous Inland Wetland Conservation Opportunity Areas.................................... 8 Figure 4.6: Cold Water Habitat Conservation Opportunity Areas.................................................. 9 Figure 4.7: Lake Protection Conservation Opportunity Areas........................................................ 9 Figure 4.8: Diadromous Basin Conservation Opportunity Areas.................................................. 10 Figure 4.9: Tidal Wetland Conservation Opportunity Areas. ....................................................... 10 Figure 4.10: Horseshoe Crab Conservation Opportunity Areas. .................................................. 11 Figure 4.11: Tautog Conservation Opportunity Areas.................................................................. 11 Figure 4.12: Winter Flounder Conservation Opportunity Areas. ................................................. 12 Figure 4.13: Sturgeon Conservation Opportunity Areas. ............................................................. 12 List of Tables Table 4.1: Types of actions identified by northeastern states’ Wildlife Action Plans .................... 2 Table 4.2: Climate change adaptation actions for specific habitats............................................. 16 Table 4.3: GCN Species of Upland Forest Habitat......................................................................... 40 Table 4.4: GCN Species of Upland Woodland and Shrub Habitat. ............................................... 46 Table 4.5: GCN Species of Upland Herbaceous Habitat. .............................................................. 52 Table 4.6: GCN Species of Forested Inland Wetland Habitat. ...................................................... 61 Table 4.7: GCN Species of Shrub Inland Wetland Habitat............................................................ 65 Table 4.8: GCN Species of Herbaceous Inland Wetland Habitat. ................................................. 69 Table 4.9: GCN Species of Tidal Wetland Habitat......................................................................... 74 Table 4.10: GCN Species of Freshwater Aquatic Habitat.............................................................. 82 Table 4.11: GCN Species of Estuarine Aquatic Habitat................................................................. 91 Table 4.12: GCN Species of Unique; Natural or Man‐Made Habitats. ......................................... 99 4-ii 2015 Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan CHAPTER 4 CONSERVATION ACTIONS FOR CONNECTICUT’S KEY HABITATS AND SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED INTRODUCTION This chapter addresses Element 4 and presents the highest priority actions developed to address Elements 1, 2, and 3. The Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan (WAP) conservation planning process began with the identification of conservation targets and objectives. Chapter 1 described Element 1 ‐ Connecticut’s fish and wildlife species of greatest conservation need (GCN). Chapter 2 described how Connecticut identified Element 2 ‐ key fish and wildlife habitats. The WAP process then identified the key problems and threats facing these species and their key habitats, Element 3, presented in Chapter 3. This chapter focuses on the priority conservation actions to address these threats to Connecticut’s GCN species and their associated key habitats. Only the highest priority conservation actions, research, survey, and monitoring needs are presented in this chapter and are organized according to the threats they address. Many additional actions were identified and are presented in Appendix 4. Three different levels of actions were identified. First, the most broad, statewide actions are presented, as they apply to most or all GCN species and key habitats. Second, actions that are more specific to a particular taxonomic group or group of species are listed by taxon. Finally, specific actions are listed for each key habitat, and apply to many or all of the GCN species associated with those habitats. Identifying conservation actions and research, survey, and monitoring needs provides the foundation for the dynamic process of developing accurate and current information on Connecticut’s GCN species and key habitats. Use and dissemination of this information enables the important step of incorporating it into land‐use decisions and key conservation efforts across the state. Implementation of the actions will require the efforts of many conservation partners working together to incorporate the needs of GCN species and key habitats into their programs and plans throughout the next decade. DEVELOPMENT OF PRIORITY ACTIONS To meet the goal of keeping common species common, fish and wildlife managers and their cooperators use a collection of tools and actions to address the many diverse threats to fish, wildlife, and their habitats. In 2005, a survey was conducted