SAFE HARBOR AGREEMENT FOR THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF THE AMARGOSA VOLE (Microtus californicus scirpensis), IN SHOSHONE, CALIFORNIA Prepared by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office and Susan Sorrells July 7, 2020 2 Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 5 Purpose .................................................................................................................................... 5 Enrolled Lands and Core Area ................................................................................................ 5 Regulatory Framework ........................................................................................................... 5 SHA Standard and Background .............................................................................................. 6 Assurances Provided ............................................................................................................... 6 Relationship to Other Agreements .......................................................................................... 6 2.0 STATUS AND BACKGROUND OF AMARGOSA VOLE .......................................... 7 2.1 Status and Distribution ................................................................................................. 7 2.2 Life History and Habitat Requirements ........................................................................ 8 2.3 Threats ........................................................................................................................ 10 2.4 Ad Hoc Amargosa Vole Recovery Team Conservation and Recovery Efforts to Date 15 2.5 Survival and Recovery Needs for the Species ............................................................ 16 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF ENROLLED PROPERTY and Core Area .................................... 16 3.1 Covered Lands ............................................................................................................ 16 3.2 Conditions on Covered Lands .................................................................................... 20 3.3 Role of the Covered Lands in the Conservation of the Amargosa vole ..................... 20 3.4 Threats ........................................................................................................................ 21 3.5 Baseline Determination .............................................................................................. 21 4.0 COVERED ACTIVITIES .............................................................................................. 22 4.1 Beneficial Management Activities ............................................................................. 22 4.2 Other Management Activities ..................................................................................... 24 4.3 Avoidance and Minimization Measures ..................................................................... 25 5.0 INCIDENTAL TAKE OF COVERED SPECIES ......................................................... 25 6.0 NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT............................................................................... 28 7.0 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARTIES ..................................................................... 28 8.0 AGREEMENT AND PERMIT DURATION ................................................................ 30 9.0 ASSURANCES TO LANDOWNER in case of changed or unforeseen circumstances 31 10.0 MODIFICATIONS ..................................................................................................... 32 11.0 OTHER MEASURES................................................................................................. 32 SIGNATURES .......................................................................................................................... 35 3 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................. 36 APPENDIX 1: Photographs of Core Area for Baseline Determination ....................................... 41 Marsh 31 ................................................................................................................................... 41 Marsh 31A ................................................................................................................................ 49 Marsh 31B ................................................................................................................................. 56 APPENDIX 2: Translocation Protocol for Amargosa voles......................................................... 61 4 SAFE HARBOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN SUSAN SORRELLS AND THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE FOR AMARGOSA VOLE TRANSLOCATION AND RE-INTRODUCTION IN SHOSHONE, CALIFORNIA This Safe Harbor Agreement (Agreement), effective and binding on the date of Permit issuance, is between Susan Sorrells (Landowner) and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), hereinafter referred to as the “Parties.” Service: The Service designates the following as the Agreement Contact: Assistant Field Supervisor U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 777 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 208 Palm Springs, California 92262 760-322-2070 Landowner: P.O. Box 72 Shoshone, California 92384 702-596-2924 Cooperators: California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1701 Nimbus Road Suite D Rancho Cordova, California 95670 916-358-2790 University of California at Davis 1320 Tupper Hall Davis, California 95616 530-754-9740 Bureau of Land Management Barstow Field Office 2601 Barstow Road Barstow, California 92311 760-252-6033 Shoshone Village Old State Highway 127 Shoshone, California 92384 760-852-4335 Summary This Agreement will outline conservation actions that Landowner will implement and monitor on the enrolled property, described below, for the conservation and recovery of the federally endangered Amargosa vole (Microtus californicus scirpensis).The goal of the agreement is to 5 implement conservation actions for the Amargosa vole to provide a net conservation benefit to recovery. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Purpose The purpose of this Agreement is to join with the Landowner to implement the conservation measures for the Amargosa vole through the translocation and re-introduction of the subspecies to suitable habitat on lands owned and managed by the Landowner, and to maintain habitat for the subspecies on Landowner lands. The specific goals of this Agreement are to translocate wild (non-captive) Amargosa voles from a source population, informed by genetic analyses, to re- introduce and establish a self-sustaining population of Amargosa voles within its historical range on Landowner lands. Enrolled Lands and Core Area The properties subject to this Agreement (Enrolled Property) consist of two parcels owned by the Landowner: 1) APN 046-120-26 (220 acres) and 2) APN 046-120-25 (247 acres), totaling 467 acres. While this agreement covers the entire 467 acres, Beneficial Management Activities (including translocation and re-introduction) will only occur in approximately 0.5 acres of marsh habitat within the Enrolled Property where restoration activities have previously been implemented to return the habitat to its natural condition. This area (Core Area) consists of 3 connected marsh sites (Marshes 31, 31A, and 31B) on the west side of Highway 127 near the north end of Shoshone, California. A more detailed description and maps of the Enrolled Property are provided in section 3.1 of this Agreement. Regulatory Framework Sections 2, 7, and 10 of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended, allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to enter into this SHA. Section 2 of the Act states that encouraging interested parties, through Federal financial assistance and a system of incentives, to develop and maintain conservation programs is a key to safeguarding the Nation’s heritage in fish, wildlife, and plants. Section 7 of the Act requires the Service to review programs that we administer and to utilize such programs in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. By entering into this SHA, we are utilizing our Recovery Program to further the conservation of the Nation’s fish and wildlife. Lastly, section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act authorizes the issuance of permits to “enhance the survival” of a listed species. This Agreement follows the Service’s Safe Harbor Agreement policy (64 Federal Register [FR] 32717) and regulations (50 CFR 17.22(c) and 50 CFR 17.32(c)) and implements the intent of the Parties to follow the procedural and substantive requirements of section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). 6 For the purposes of this Agreement, we define “translocation” according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) position statement (IUCN 1987) as “the movement of living organisms from one area with free release in another.” SHA Standard and Background Before entering into a SHA, the Service must determine that the conservation measures to be implemented will contribute to recovering the species by providing a net conservation benefit. Safe Harbor Agreements encourage voluntary conservation efforts by non-Federal landowners and provide them assurances that future property-use restrictions will not be imposed if those efforts attract covered species to their Property or result in increased numbers or distributions of covered species already present. In return for voluntary conservation commitments, the Safe Harbor