Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region August 2008 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN LOGAN CAVE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Benton County, Arkansas U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia August 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose And Need For The Plan ................................................................................................. 3 Fish and Wildlife Service .............................................................................................................. 4 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 4 Legal and Policy Context .............................................................................................................. 5 National and International Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..................................................... 5 Relationship To State Wildlife Agency ..........................................................................................6 II. REFUGE OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 7 Introduction and Purposes ............................................................................................................7 Ecosystem Context .......................................................................................................................7 Ecological Threats and Problems ............................................................................................... 10 Physical Resources .................................................................................................................... 12 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 12 Geology and Topography ..................................................................................................12 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 13 Hydrology .......................................................................................................................... 13 Air Quality ..........................................................................................................................14 Water Quality and Quanity ................................................................................................14 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................. 14 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 14 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 15 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 16 Socioeconomic Environment ...................................................................................................... 16 Refuge Administration and Management ...................................................................................17 Land Protection and Conservation ....................................................................................17 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 17 Personnel, Operations and Maintenance ..........................................................................17 III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................. 19 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 19 Public Involvement and the Planning Process ...........................................................................19 Summary of Issues, Concerns and Opportunities ......................................................................19 Fish and Wildlife Population Management .................................................................................20 Threatened and Endangered Species ..............................................................................20 Karst Dependant Species .................................................................................................20 Neo-tropical Migratory Birds .............................................................................................. 21 Habitat Management .................................................................................................................. 21 Logan Cave ....................................................................................................................... 21 Logan Stream ....................................................................................................................21 Surface Habitat ................................................................................................................. 22 Land Protection .......................................................................................................................... 22 Recharge zone .................................................................................................................. 22 Bat Foraging Area ............................................................................................................. 22 Table of Contents i Visitor Services........................................................................................................................... 22 Scientific Monitoring & Research ...................................................................................... 24 Refuge Administration ................................................................................................................ 24 Funding and Staffing ......................................................................................................... 24 Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................... 24 Fences/Gates/Boundary Signs ......................................................................................... 24 Wilderness Review ..................................................................................................................... 24 IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ......................................................................................................... 25 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 25 Vision ......................................................................................................................................... 25 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................................................................. 25 Goal 1. Fish and Wildlife Population Management .......................................................... 26 Goal 2. Habitats ............................................................................................................... 28 Goal 3. Resource Protection ............................................................................................ 30 Goal 4. Education and Visitor Services ............................................................................. 31 Goal 5. Refuge Administration ......................................................................................... 33 V. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................................. 35 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 35 Proposed Projects ...................................................................................................................... 35 Fish And Wildlife Population Management ....................................................................... 35 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 37 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 37 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 38 Refuge Administration ...................................................................................................... 38 Funding and Personnel .............................................................................................................. 39 Partnership/ Volunteers Opportunities ....................................................................................... 39 Step-Down Management Plans .................................................................................................