Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment National Elk Refuge Wyoming August 2014 Prepared by National Elk Refuge P.O. Box 510 Jackson, Wyoming 83001 307 / 733 9212 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 6, Mountain-Prairie Region Division of Refuge Planning 134 Union Boulevard, Suite 300 Lakewood, Colorado 80228 303 / 236 8145 CITATION U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2014. Comprehensive conservation plan—National Elk Refuge, Wyoming. Lakewood, CO: U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. 287 p. Contents Summary .........................................................................................XI Abbreviations .....................................................................................XVII CHAPTER 1—Introduction.........................................................................1 1.1 Purpose and Need for the Plan. .3 The Decision to be Made...........................................................................3 1.2 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System..........................3 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service .......................................................................3 National Wildlife Refuge System .....................................................................4 1.3 National and Regional Mandates ................................................................5 1.4 Refuge Contributions to Regional and National Plans ..............................................5 Conserving the Future .............................................................................5 Partners in Flight.................................................................................6 North American Waterbird Conservation Plan ............................................................6 North American Waterfowl Management Plan ...........................................................6 Recovery Plans for Federally Listed Threatened or Endangered Species .........................................6 Wyoming State Wildlife Action Plan ..................................................................7 Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan ........................................................7 Bison and Elk Management Plan .....................................................................8 Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee............................................................8 Responding to Accelerating Climate Change.............................................................8 1.5 Landscape-Scale Conservation ..................................................................9 Strategic Habitat Conservation ......................................................................9 Landscape Conservation Cooperatives .................................................................9 1.6 The Planning Process ..........................................................................9 Coordination with the Public .......................................................................11 State Coordination ..............................................................................11 Tribal Coordination ..............................................................................12 Teton County Coordination.........................................................................13 Results of Scoping ..............................................................................13 Selecting an Alternative ..........................................................................13 CHAPTER 2—The Refuge.........................................................................15 2.1 Establishment, Acquisition, and Management History .............................................15 Establishment ..................................................................................15 Acquisition History ..............................................................................15 Management History.............................................................................17 2.2 Purposes .....................................................................................21 2.3 Vision........................................................................................21 2.4 Goals ........................................................................................22 Habitat and Wildlife Management Goal ...............................................................22 Cultural Resources Goal ..........................................................................22 Visitor Services Goal .............................................................................22 Visitor and Employee Safety and Resource Protection Goal .................................................22 IV Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan—National Elk Refuge, Wyoming Administration Goal .............................................................................22 2.5 Special Values................................................................................22 Intact Ecosystem................................................................................22 High Scenic Quality ..............................................................................22 Undeveloped Habitat .............................................................................23 Quality Water Resources ..........................................................................23 Variety and Abundance of Wildlife ...................................................................23 Abundant Visitor Opportunities .....................................................................24 Rich Cultural History .............................................................................25 2.6 Planning Issues ...............................................................................26 Unknown Effects of Climate Change..................................................................26 Landscape-Scale Conservation Needs ................................................................26 Big Game Management Effects on Wildlife Habitat .......................................................26 Invasive Plants Replacing Native Habitat ..............................................................27 Flat Creek Enhancement ..........................................................................27 Conserving Wide-Ranging Wildlife...................................................................27 Managing Habitat for Migratory Birds ................................................................28 Wildlife Disease ................................................................................28 Insufficient Research, Inventory, and Monitoring .........................................................28 Human–Wildlife Conflicts .........................................................................29 Hunting Management ............................................................................29 Increasing Demand for Environmental Education and Interpretation ...........................................30 Operational Efficiency of the Jackson Hole and Greater ellowstoneY Visitor Center................................30 Management of Other Uses........................................................................30 Access .......................................................................................31 Public Outreach Opportunities ......................................................................32 Miller House Restoration..........................................................................32 Lack or Resources to Administer the Refuge ............................................................32 Stronger Programs Through Partnerships ..............................................................33 Refuge Management Effects on the Jackson Economy ....................................................33 Issues Outside the Scope of the CCP .................................................................33 CHAPTER 3—Refuge Resources and Description .................................................35 3.1 Alternatives Development......................................................................35 3.2 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study .......................................36 3.3 Elements Common to All Alternatives. .36 Laws and Regulations ............................................................................36 Invasive Species ................................................................................36 Bison and Elk Management Plan ....................................................................36 Wildlife Disease ................................................................................36 Access for Boating ..............................................................................36 Research .....................................................................................36 Refuge Uses ...................................................................................37 Landowner Coordination ..........................................................................37 Partnerships ...................................................................................37 3.4 Description of Alternatives .....................................................................37 3.5 Alternative A (Current Management)—No Action .................................................37 Climate Change ................................................................................37 Landscape-Scale Conservation......................................................................38