Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region October 2011 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN ATCHAFALAYA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Iberville and St. Martin Parishes, Louisiana U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia October 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose And Need For The Plan ................................................................................................. 1 Fish and Wildlife Service .............................................................................................................. 1 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 3 Legal and Policy Context .............................................................................................................. 5 National and International Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..................................................... 6 Relationship To State Wildlife Agency ..........................................................................................7 II. REFUGE OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 9 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 9 Refuge History and Purpose ...................................................................................................... 11 Land Acquisition History ....................................................................................................11 Purposes ........................................................................................................................... 11 Special Designations .................................................................................................................. 13 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..............................................................................14 Ecosystem Context .....................................................................................................................15 Lower Mississippi River Ecosystem ..................................................................................15 Ecological Threats and Problems ............................................................................................... 20 Atchafalaya Basin ............................................................................................................. 20 Forest Loss and Fragmentation Effects on Biological Diversity ........................................21 Alterations to Natural Hydrology and Wetlands ................................................................23 Non-Point Soucre Pollution and Siltation of Aquatic Ecosystems .....................................23 Proliferation of Invasive Aquatic Plants .............................................................................23 Oil and Gas Contaminant Activities ...................................................................................24 Physical Resources .................................................................................................................... 24 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 24 Climate Change and Global Warming ...............................................................................25 Geology and Topography ..................................................................................................27 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 30 Hydrology and Water Quality ............................................................................................31 Air Quality ..........................................................................................................................39 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................. 42 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 42 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 45 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 48 Socioeconomic Environment ...................................................................................................... 50 Regional Demographics and Economy .............................................................................50 Refuge Administration and Management ...................................................................................51 Land Protection and Conservation ....................................................................................51 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 54 Personnel, Operations, and Maintenance .........................................................................56 Table of Contents i III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................. 59 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 59 Summary of Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities ..................................................................... 59 Fish and Wildlife Population Management........................................................................ 60 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 62 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 64 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 65 Refuge Administration ...................................................................................................... 66 IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ....................................................................................................... 67 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 67 Vision ......................................................................................................................................... 67 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................................................................. 67 Fish and Wildlife Population Management........................................................................ 68 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 74 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 81 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 87 Refuge Administration ...................................................................................................... 91 V. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................................ 93 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 93 Projects ...................................................................................................................................... 93 Fish and Wildlife Population Management........................................................................ 93 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 95 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 96 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 97 Refuge Administration ...................................................................................................... 99 Funding and Personnel ............................................................................................................ 100 Partnership/Volunteer Opportunities ........................................................................................ 102 Step-Down Management Plans ................................................................................................ 102 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ..................................................................................... 103 Plan Review and Revision.......................................................................................................