Guam National Wildlife Refuge Vision Statement Guam National Wildlife Refuge hosts a unique and fragile blend of native plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. It stands as a special place and source of pride for all. Here at Guam National Wildlife Refuge, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve and restore the precious resources of both land and sea. Guam’s native wildlife flourish in the native limestone and coastal forests and sea creatures are bountiful in the tropical blue waters. Visitors seek out the beauty and tranquility provided and enjoy seeing and earning about wildlife. The refuge is a vital link between Guam’s cultural and natural heritage, a vibrant reminder of the place nature holds in all of our lives and a treasure for future generations. CCPs provide long-term guidance for management decisions and set forth goals, objectives and strategies needed to accomplish refuge purposes and identify the Service’s best estimate of future needs. These plans detail program planning levels that are sometimes substantially above current budget allocations and, as such, are primarily for Service strategic planning and program prioritization purposes. The plans do not constitute a commitment for staffing increases, operational and maintenance increases or funding for future land acquisition. Guam National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Guam National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Prepared by: Guam National Wildlife Refuge Route 3A, Spur Road Yigo, Guam 96929 and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 5-231 Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 July 2009 i Guam National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment This page left blank intentionally ii Guam National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Table of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Proposed Action ............................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Purpose and Need for the CCP ..................................................................................................... 1-2 1.3 Content and Scope of the CCP ....................................................................................................... 1-5 1.4 Planning and Management Guidance ........................................................................................... 1-5 1.5 Relationship to Previous and Future Refuge Plans ................................................................... 1-8 1.6 Refuge Establishment and Purposes ............................................................................................ 1-8 1.7 Refuge Goals ................................................................................................................................... 1-10 1.8 Relationship to Ecosystem Planning Efforts ............................................................................ 1-12 1.9 Planning and Issue Identification ................................................................................................ 1-18 Chapter 2. Alternatives, Objectives, and Strategies ......................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Considerations in Alternative Design ........................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Alternatives Considered but not Developed ................................................................................ 2-1 2.3 Features Common to all Alternatives ........................................................................................... 2-2 2.4 Alternative Descriptions ................................................................................................................. 2-4 2.5 Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Rationale ............................................................................. 2-20 Chapter 3. Physical Environment ........................................................................................................ 3-1 3.1 Climate .............................................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 Global Climate Change ................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.3 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................................... 3-7 3.4 Topography and Bathymetry ......................................................................................................... 3-9 3.5 Geology and Soils ........................................................................................................................... 3-10 3.6 Environmental Contaminants ...................................................................................................... 3-14 3.7 Surrounding Land Uses ................................................................................................................ 3-18 3.8 Effects to the Physical Environment .......................................................................................... 3-19 Chapter 4. Refuge Biology and Habitat .............................................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Biological Integrity Analysis .......................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Conservation Target Selection and Analysis ............................................................................... 4-1 4.3 Habitats ............................................................................................................................................. 4-3 4.4 Effects to Species and Habitats ................................................................................................... 4-32 Chapter 5. Refuge Facilities and Visitor Service Programs .......................................................... 5-1 5.1 Infrastructure and Administrative Facilities .............................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Operation and Maintenance ........................................................................................................... 5-1 5.3 Recreation Overview ....................................................................................................................... 5-2 5.4 Fishing ............................................................................................................................................... 5-3 5.5 Wildlife Observation and Photography ........................................................................................ 5-3 5.6 Environmental Education ............................................................................................................... 5-4 5.7 Interpretation ................................................................................................................................... 5-4 5.8 Non-Wildlife Dependent Recreation ............................................................................................. 5-4 5.9 Illegal Uses ....................................................................................................................................... 5-5 5.10 Adjacent Area Outdoor Recreational Opportunities and Trends ........................................... 5-5 iii Guam National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment 5.11 Archeological and Cultural Resources ........................................................................................ 5-9 5.12 Social/Economic Environment ................................................................................................... 5-10 5.13 Special Designation Lands ......................................................................................................... 5-15 5.14 Effects to recreational opportunities, economics, and cultural resources ........................... 5-16 5.15 Effects on Economics .................................................................................................................. 5-17 5.16 Effects to Cultural and Historical Resources .......................................................................... 5-18 Chapter 6. Cumulative Effects .............................................................................................................. 6-1 Appendices Appendix A. Species Lists ........................................................................................................................ A-1 Appendix B. Appropriate Use and Compatibility Determinations .................................................... B-1 Use: Wildlife Observation and Photography .................................................................................... B-3 Use: Environmental Education and Interpretation ........................................................................ B-9 Use: Fishing ......................................................................................................................................... B-15 Use: Research, Scientific Collecting, and Surveys ........................................................................