Glossary accessible—Pertaining to physical access to areas and canopy—A layer of foliage, generally the uppermost activities for people of different abilities, especially layer, in a vegetative stand; midlevel or understory those with physical impairments. vegetation in multilayered stands. Canopy closure adaptive resource management—The rigorous appli­ (also canopy cover) is an estimate of the amount of cation of management, research, and monitoring overhead vegetative cover. to gain information and experience necessary to CCP—See comprehensive conservation plan. assess and modify management activities. It is a CFR—See Code of Federal Regulations. process that uses feedback from research, moni­ cfs—Cubic feet per second. toring, and evaluation of management actions to Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)—The codification of support or modify objectives and strategies at all the general and permanent rules published in the planning levels. It is also a process in which policy Federal Register by the executive departments and decisions are implemented within a framework of agencies of the Federal Government. Each volume scientifically driven experiments to test predictions of the CFR is updated once each calendar year. and assumptions inherent in management plans. compatibility determination—See compatible use. Analysis of results helps managers determine compatible use—A wildlife-dependent recreational use whether current management should continue as or any other use of a refuge that, in the sound pro­ is or whether it should be modified to achieve de­ fessional judgment of the director of the U.S. Fish sired conditions. and Wildlife Service, will not materially interfere Administration Act—National Wildlife Refuge System with or detract from the fulfillment of the mission Administration Act of 1966. of the National Wildlife Refuge System or the pur­ alluvial fan—A sedimentary deposit where a fast- poses of the refuge (Draft Service Manual 603 FW flowing stream has flown into a flatter plain. 3.6). A compatibility determination supports the alternative—A reasonable way to solve an identi­ selection of compatible uses and identified stipula­ fied problem or satisfy the stated need (40 CFR tions or limits necessary to ensure compatibility. 1500.2); one of several different means of accom­ comprehensive conservation plan (CCP)—A document plishing refuge purposes and goals and contribut­ that describes the desired future conditions of ing to the Refuge System mission (Draft Service the refuge and provides long-range guidance and Manual 602 FW 1.5). management direction for the refuge manager to amphibian—A class of cold-blooded vertebrates that accomplish the purposes of the refuge, contribute includes frogs, toads, and salamanders. to the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge Sys­ anastomosis—Reconnection of two streams that for­ tem, and to meet other relevant mandates (Draft merly had been separated. Service Manual 602 FW 1.5). annual—A plant that flowers and dies within 1 year concern—See issue. of germination. conservation—Management of natural resources to baseline—A set of critical observations, data, or in­ prevent loss or waste. Management actions may formation used for comparison or a control. include preservation, restoration, and enhancement. biological control—The use of organisms or viruses cover, also cover type, canopy cover—Present vegeta­ to control invasive plants or other pests. tion of an area. biological diversity, also biodiversity—The variety of cultural resources—The remains of sites, structures, life and its processes, including the variety of living or objects used by people in the past. organisms, the genetic differences among them, and dense nesting cover—Composition of grasses and forbs the communities and ecosystems in which they oc­ that allows for a dense stand of vegetation that cur (Service Manual 052 FW 1.12B). The National protects nesting birds from the view of predators, Wildlife Refuge System’s focus is on indigenous spe­ usually consisting of one to two species of wheat- cies, biotic communities, and ecological processes. grass, alfalfa, and sweetclover. breeding habitat—Habitat used by migratory birds or disturbance—Significant alteration of habitat struc­ other animals during the breeding season. ture or composition. May be natural (for example, 108 Comprehensive Conservation Plan, Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, Montana fire) or human-caused events (for example, timber species listed under the Endangered Species Act, harvest). migratory birds protected by international trea­ drawdown—The act of manipulating water levels in ties, and native plant or wildlife species found on an impoundment to allow for the natural drying- a national wildlife refuge. out cycle of a wetland. Federal trust species—All species where the Federal duck, dabbling—Duck that mainly feeds on vegetable Government has primary jurisdiction including matter by upending on the water surface, or by federally endangered or threatened species, mi­ grazing, and only rarely dives. gratory birds, anadromous fish, and certain ma­ duck, diving—Duck that mainly feeds by diving rine mammals. through the water. fee title—Acquisition of most or all of the rights to a EA—See environmental assessment. tract of land. ecosystem—A dynamic and interrelating complex of Federal land—Public land owned by the Federal Gov­ plant and animal communities and their associated ernment, including lands such as national forests, nonliving environment; a biological community, national parks, and national wildlife refuges. together with its environment, functioning as a flora—All the plant species of an area. unit. For administrative purposes, the U.S. Fish forb—A broad-leaved herbaceous plant; a seed-pro­ and Wildlife Service has designated 53 ecosystems ducing annual, biennial, or perennial plant that covering the United States and its possessions. does not develop persistent woody tissue but dies These ecosystems generally correspond with wa­ down at the end of the growing season. tershed boundaries, and their sizes and ecological fragmentation—The alteration of a large block of complexity vary. habitat that creates isolated patches of the origi­ ecotype—A subspecies or race that is especially adapted nal habitat that are interspersed with a variety of to a particular set of environmental conditions. other habitat types; the process of reducing the EIS—Environmental impact statement. size and connectivity of habitat patches, making Elderhostel—A not-for-profit organization established movement of individuals or genetic information in 1975 that allows senior citizens to travel and between parcels difficult or impossible. take educational programs in the United States fire management plan—Wildland fire management around the world. (wildfire and prescribed) and related activities emergent—A plant rooted in shallow water and hav­ within the context of approved land and resource ing most of the vegetative growth above water. management plans. Examples include cattail and hardstem bulrush. full-time equivalent—One or more job positions with endangered species, Federal—A plant or animal spe­ tours of duty that, when combined, equate to one cies listed under the Endangered Species Act of person employed for the standard government 1973, as amended, that is in danger of extinction work-year. throughout all or a significant portion of its range. gallery forest (as it relates to the Bitterroot River flood­ endangered species, State—A plant or animal species plain)—The forested area found on the higher flood­ in danger of becoming extinct or extirpated in a plains along natural levees and point bar terraces particular State within the near future if factors next to minor floodplain tributaries. It is more closely contributing to its decline continue. Populations of associated with backwater and overbank flooding. these species are at critically low levels, or their When flooding occurs, it is for short duration. This habitats have been degraded or depleted to a sig­ forest is dominated by mature black cottonwood and nificant degree. ponderosa pine along with an understory of large environmental assessment (EA)—A concise public docu­ woody shrubs such as thin-leaved alder, river haw­ ment, prepared in compliance with the National thorn, red osier dogwood, and Wood’s rose. There Environmental Policy Act, that briefly discusses may also be mixed grasses between the trees and the purpose and need for an action and alternatives shrubs (Heitmeyer et al. 2010). to such action, and provides sufficient evidence and geographic information system (GIS)—A computer analysis of impacts to determine whether to pre­ system capable of storing and manipulating spa­ pare an environmental impact statement or finding tial data; a set of computer hardware and software of no significant impact (40 CFR 1508.9). for analyzing and displaying spatially referenced fauna—All the vertebrate and invertebrate animals features (such as points, lines, and polygons) with of an area. nongeographic attributes such as species and age. Federal trust resource—A trust is something managed GIS—See geographic information system. by one entity for another who holds the ownership. goal—Descriptive, open-ended, and often broad state­ The Service holds in trust many natural resources ment of desired future conditions that conveys a for the people of the United States of America as a purpose but does not define measurable units (Draft result of Federal acts and treaties. Examples are Service