Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge Habitat
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service VOLUME II HABITAT MANAGEMENT PLAN, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND VISITOR SERVICES PLAN FOR SAM D. HAMILTON NOXUBEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Oktibbeha, Noxubee, and Winston Counties, Mississippi Southeast Region 1 Table of Contents Habitat Management Plan ........................................................................... i Integrated Pest Management Plan .......................................................... 243 Visitor Services Plan ............................................................................... 275 3 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Habitat Management Plan Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge Oktibbeha, Noxubee, and Winston Counties, Mississippi 5 Table Of Contents Habitat Management Plan I. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................. 5 Scope and Rationale ........................................................................................... 5 Legal Mandates .................................................................................................. 6 National and International Conservation Plans and Initiatives ............................. 8 II. Background, Inventory, and Description Of Habitat .......................................................................................... 11 Location .............................................................................................................11 Ecosystem Context ............................................................................................11 Physical or Geographic Setting ..........................................................................14 Historic Habitat Conditions .................................................................................19 Current Habitat ..................................................................................................21 Habitat Descriptions ...........................................................................................24 Habitat Influences ..............................................................................................28 Habitat Changes from Historic to Current Condition ...........................................29 Changes Associated with Global Climate Change .............................................32 Management Unit Descriptions ..........................................................................33 Chapter III. Resources Of Concern .......................................................................................................................... 49 Red-Cockaded Woodpecker ..............................................................................50 Significance .......................................................................................................50 Identification of Habitat Requirements ................................................................53 Species Of Complimentary Habitat Needs .........................................................53 Potential Refuge Contribution To Habitat Needs ................................................54 Waterfowl ...........................................................................................................55 Significance .......................................................................................................55 Identification of Habitat Requirements ................................................................55 Species Of Complimentary Habitat Needs .........................................................56 Potential Refuge Contribution To Habitat Needs ................................................57 Forest Breeding birds .........................................................................................57 Significance .......................................................................................................57 Identification of Habitat Requirements ................................................................57 Species Of Complimentary Habitat Needs .........................................................62 Potential Refuge Contribution To Habitat Needs ................................................62 Reconciling Conflicting Needs............................................................................62 Chapter IV. Habitat Goals and Objectives .............................................................................................................. 64 i HMP Goal 1. (CCP 2014 sub-goal b.1) ..............................................................64 Objective 1.1 (CCP objective b.1.1) ...................................................................64 Objective 1.2 (CCP objective b.1.2) ...................................................................65 Objective 1.3 (CCP objective b.1.3) ...................................................................66 HMP Goal 2. Bottomland Hardwood Forest Condition (CCP sub-goal b.2) .......68 Objective 2.1 (CCP objective b.2.1) ...................................................................68 Objective 2.2 (CCP objective b.2.2) ...................................................................69 HMP Goal 3. (CCP sub-goal b.3) .......................................................................70 Objective 3.1 (CCP objective b.3.1) ...................................................................70 Objective 3.2 (CCP objective b.3.2) ...................................................................71 Objective 3.3 (CCP objective b.3.3) ...................................................................72 HMP Goal 4. (CCP sub-goal b.4) .......................................................................73 Objective 4.1 (CCP objective b.4.1) ...................................................................73 Chapter V. Habitat Management Strategies ........................................................................................................... 75 Selected Management Strategies and Management Unit Prescriptions .............82 MANAGEMENT UNIT 1 .....................................................................................83 MANAGEMENT UNIT 2 .....................................................................................88 MANAGEMENT UNIT 3 .....................................................................................93 MANAGEMENT UNIT 4 .....................................................................................98 MANAGEMENT UNIT 5 ................................................................................... 103 MANAGEMENT UNIT 6 ................................................................................... 107 MANAGEMENT UNIT 7 ................................................................................... 112 MANAGEMENT UNIT 8 ................................................................................... 114 MANAGEMENT UNIT 9 ................................................................................... 119 MANAGEMENT UNIT 10 ................................................................................. 124 MANAGEMENT UNIT 11 ................................................................................. 127 MANAGEMENT UNIT 12 ................................................................................. 136 MANAGEMENT UNIT 13 ................................................................................. 139 MANAGEMENT UNIT 14 ................................................................................. 144 MANAGEMENT UNIT 15 ................................................................................. 148 MANAGEMENT UNIT 16 ................................................................................. 151 MANAGEMENT UNIT 17 ................................................................................. 156 MANAGEMENT UNIT 18 ................................................................................. 167 Documentation of special uses ........................................................................ 172 Documentation of compliance .......................................................................... 172 Chapter VI. Literature Citations ............................................................................................................................. 173 ii Appendix A. Glossary ............................................................................................................................................. 180 Appendix B. Relevant Legal Mandates and Executive Orders ............................................................................. 193 Appendix C. Public Involvement ............................................................................................................................ 195 Appendix D. Appropriate Use Determinations ..................................................................................................... 197 Appendix E. Compatibility Determinations ............................................................................................................ 199 Appendix F. Intra-Service Section 7 Biological Evaluation ................................................................................. 201 Appendix G. Refuge Biota ...................................................................................................................................... 203 Appendix H: The Commercial Sale Of Timber .....................................................................................................