Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region April, 2006 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN CHICKASAW NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Lauderdale County, Tennessee U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Regional Office 1875 Century Boulevard Atlanta, Georgia 30345 April 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION A. COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN I. BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Need for the Plan ....................................................................................................1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ......................................................................................................3 National Wildlife Refuge System ..................................................................................................3 Legal Policy Context.....................................................................................................................4 Relationship with State Wildlife Agency .......................................................................................4 Ecosystem Context.......................................................................................................................7 Overview .............................................................................................................................7 Threats and Problems.......................................................................................................10 Conservation Priorities and Initiatives ...............................................................................11 II. THE PLANNING PROCESS............................................................................................................15 Overview.....................................................................................................................................15 Issues .........................................................................................................................................16 Fish and Wildlife Population Issues ..................................................................................17 Habitat Issues ...................................................................................................................18 Visitor Services and Environmental Education Issues ......................................................20 Refuge Administration and Operation Issues....................................................................20 Land Protection and Conservation Issues ........................................................................21 III. REFUGE DESCRIPTION ...............................................................................................................25 Land Acquisition .........................................................................................................................25 Refuge Purpose..........................................................................................................................27 Refuge Environment...................................................................................................................28 Topography and Climate...................................................................................................28 Demography......................................................................................................................29 Threatened and Endangered Species ..............................................................................29 Avian Species ...................................................................................................................29 Mammals...........................................................................................................................31 Amphibians and Reptiles ..................................................................................................31 Aquatic Species ................................................................................................................32 Mussels.............................................................................................................................32 Noxious Invasive Species .................................................................................................32 Habitats.............................................................................................................................33 Education and Visitor Services .........................................................................................35 Refuge Administration.......................................................................................................37 Archaeological or Historic Resources ...............................................................................38 Land Protection and Conservation....................................................................................38 Refuge-Related Problems.................................................................................................39 Conservation Priorities ......................................................................................................40 Wilderness Review............................................................................................................41 Table of Contents i IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION.........................................................................................................43 Introduction ................................................................................................................................43 Refuge Vision.............................................................................................................................43 Refuge Goals .............................................................................................................................43 Comprehensive Conservation Plan – Summary Statement .......................................................44 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies..............................................................................................45 Goal 1 – Waterfowl ...........................................................................................................45 Goal 2 – Endangered and Threatened Species................................................................46 Goal 3 – Migratory Land Birds ..........................................................................................47 Goal 4 – Shorebirds and Waterbirds.................................................................................48 Goal 5 – Aquatic Resources .............................................................................................48 Goal 6 – Resident Wildlife.................................................................................................49 Goal 7 – Public Use ..........................................................................................................49 Goal 8 – Administration and Operation.............................................................................50 Goal 9 – Land Protection and Conservation.....................................................................51 V. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION..............................................................................................................53 Background ................................................................................................................................53 Proposed Projects......................................................................................................................53 Project Descriptions ...................................................................................................................54 Project Category 1: Fish and Wildlife Populations and Habitat Management..................54 Project Category 2: Visitor Services and Environmental Education ................................59 Project Category 3: Refuge Administration and Operation..............................................61 Project Category 4: Land Protection and Conservation...................................................61 Staffing and Funding ..................................................................................................................63 Step-down Management Plans ..................................................................................................65 Partnership Opportunities...........................................................................................................67 Monitoring and Evaluation..........................................................................................................67 Plan Review and Revision..........................................................................................................68 SECTION B. APPENDICES APPENDIX I. GLOSSARY...................................................................................................................69 APPENDIX II. REFERENCES AND LITERATURE CITED .................................................................75 APPENDIX III. RELEVANT LEGAL MANDATES ................................................................................79 APPENDIX IV. REFUGE