Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region June 2010 Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN HOLLA BEND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Pope and Yell Counties, Arkansas U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia June 2010 Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge TABLE OF CONTENTS COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose And Need For The Plan ................................................................................................. 3 Fish and Wildlife Service .............................................................................................................. 3 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 4 Legal and Policy Context .............................................................................................................. 6 National and International Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..................................................... 7 Relationship To State Wildlife Agency ..........................................................................................8 II. REFUGE OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 9 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 9 Refuge History and Purpose ........................................................................................................ 9 Special Designations .................................................................................................................. 12 Ecosystem Context .....................................................................................................................13 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..............................................................................16 Ecological Threats and Problems ............................................................................................... 20 Physical Resources .................................................................................................................... 21 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 21 Geology and Topography ..................................................................................................21 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 22 Hydrology .......................................................................................................................... 22 Air Quality ..........................................................................................................................23 Water Quality and Quanity ................................................................................................23 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................. 24 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 24 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 26 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 27 Socioeconomic Environment ...................................................................................................... 27 Refuge Administration and Management ...................................................................................31 Land Protection and Conservation ....................................................................................31 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 31 Personnel, Operations, and Maintenance .........................................................................35 III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................. 37 Summary of Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities .....................................................................37 Fish and Wildlife Population Management ........................................................................38 Habitat Management .........................................................................................................39 Resource Protection ..........................................................................................................41 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 41 Refuge Administration .......................................................................................................42 Table of Contents i IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ....................................................................................................... 45 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 45 Vision ......................................................................................................................................... 45 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................................................................. 45 Fish and Wildlife Population Management........................................................................ 46 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 55 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 59 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 62 Refuge Administration ...................................................................................................... 66 V. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................................ 69 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 69 Proposed Projects ...................................................................................................................... 69 Fish And Wildlife Population Management ....................................................................... 69 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 70 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 73 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 74 Refuge Administration ...................................................................................................... 77 Funding and Personnel .............................................................................................................. 78 Partnership/Volunteers Opportunities ........................................................................................ 83 Step-Down Management Plans .................................................................................................. 83 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ....................................................................................... 83 Plan Review and Revision.......................................................................................................... 83 APPENDICES APPENDIX A. GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................ 85 APPENDIX B. REFERENCES AND LITERATURE CITATIONS ...................................................... 95 APPENDIX C. RELEVANT LEGAL MANDATES AND EXECUTIVE ORDERS ............................... 99 APPENDIX D. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ......................................................................................... 113 Summary of Public Scoping Comments ................................................................................... 113 Draft Plan Comments and Service Responses APPENDIX E. APPROPRIATE USE DETERMINATIONS .............................................................. 123 APPENDIX F. COMPATIBILITY DETERMINATIONS ..................................................................... 133 APPENDIX G. INTRA-SERVICE SECTION 7 BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION .................................. 155 APPENDIX H. WILDERNESS REVIEW ........................................................................................... 159 APPENDIX I. REFUGE BIOTA .......................................................................................................