Cacapon River and Patterson Creek CFA Action Plan
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Action Plan for the Cacapon River & Patterson Creek Conservation Focus Area West Virginia Division of Natural Resources January 2021 Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction to the State Wildlife Action Plan & Conservation Focus Areas .................................................... 2 Species of Greatest Conservation Need, Habitats and Stresses ................................................................... 2 Conservation Actions .................................................................................................................................... 2 Conservation Focus Areas and Action Plans ................................................................................................. 3 Climate Change and Resilience ..................................................................................................................... 4 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ....................................................................................................... 5 Organization of this Action Plan .................................................................................................................... 6 How to use this plan ...................................................................................................................................... 7 The Cacapon River and Patterson Creek Conservation Focus Area .................................................................. 8 Overview ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 Habitats ....................................................................................................................................................... 10 Terrestrial Habitats.................................................................................................................................. 10 Aquatic Habitats ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Species of Greatest Conservation Need ...................................................................................................... 14 Distinctive Stresses ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Conservation Actions .................................................................................................................................. 15 Potential Partners ....................................................................................................................................... 15 Protected Lands .......................................................................................................................................... 16 Action Plan for the Conservation Focus Area ................................................................................................. 18 Conservation Goals ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Priority Species ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Forest and Woodland Habitats ................................................................................................................... 21 Priority Species ........................................................................................................................................ 21 Rare Plant Communities .......................................................................................................................... 24 Habitat Stresses and Conservation Actions ............................................................................................ 24 Climate Change and Habitat Resilience .................................................................................................. 25 Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................................... 27 Human Benefits ....................................................................................................................................... 30 Rock Outcrops, Cliffs and Talus, and Shale Barrens .................................................................................... 31 Rare Plant Communities .......................................................................................................................... 31 i Habitat Stresses and Conservation Actions ............................................................................................ 31 Climate Change and Habitat Resilience .................................................................................................. 33 Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................................... 33 Human Benefits ....................................................................................................................................... 34 Aquatic, Floodplain and Riparian Habitats .................................................................................................. 35 Priority Species ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Rare Plant Communities .......................................................................................................................... 36 Habitat Stresses and Conservation Actions ............................................................................................ 41 Climate Change and Habitat Resilience .................................................................................................. 41 Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................................... 43 Human Benefits ....................................................................................................................................... 45 Subterranean Habitats ................................................................................................................................ 46 Karst and Cave Habitats .......................................................................................................................... 46 Priority Species ........................................................................................................................................ 46 Habitat Stresses and Conservation Actions ............................................................................................ 46 Climate Change and Habitat Resilience .................................................................................................. 47 Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................................... 50 Human Benefits ....................................................................................................................................... 51 Agricultural and Developed Habitats .......................................................................................................... 52 Priority Species ........................................................................................................................................ 52 Habitat Stresses and Conservation Actions ............................................................................................ 52 Climate Change and Habitat Resilience .................................................................................................. 54 Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................................... 56 Human Benefits ....................................................................................................................................... 57 Landscape Resilience and Connectivity....................................................................................................... 58 Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................................... 64 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 65 Habitat Conservation Priorities ............................................................................................................... 65 Integration of Conservation Actions ....................................................................................................... 65 Connecting Conservation Actions for Climate Resilience ....................................................................... 66 Next Steps in Implementation ................................................................................................................ 66 References ....................................................................................................................................................... 67 ii Appendix 1. SGCN in Cacapon River and Patterson Creek CFA .....................................................................