Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction and Background ..................................................................................................................1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................1 Refuge Purposes .........................................................................................................................................................1 Refuge Vision .............................................................................................................................................................1 Refuge Goals ...............................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Need for Plan .........................................................................................................................................2 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service .............................................................................................................................3 The National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................................3 Existing Partnerships ...................................................................................................................................................4 Legal and Policy Guidance ..........................................................................................................................................4 Chapter 2: The Planning Process ................................................................................................................................5 Meetings and Involvement .........................................................................................................................................5 Summary of Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities ......................................................................................................5 Preparation, Publishing, Finalization and Implementation of the CCP .......................................................................8 Wilderness Review .....................................................................................................................................................8 Chapter 3: The Refuge Environment and Management ...........................................................................................9 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................9 Ecological Context .......................................................................................................................................................9 Hydrologic Units, Watersheds, and Ecoregions ..................................................................................................9 Historic Vegetation .....................................................................................................................................11 Land Use/Cover ..........................................................................................................................................11 Migratory Bird Conservation Initiatives ............................................................................................................11 Missouri Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy ...............................................................................................11 Region 3 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Priorities ...................................................................................12 Other Conservation and Recreation Lands in the Area ..............................................................................13 Socioeconomic Context .............................................................................................................................................13 Population and Demographics ...........................................................................................................................13 Employment .......................................................................................................................................................13 Income and Education .......................................................................................................................................13 Demand and Supply for Wildlife-Dependent Recreation ..................................................................................13 Climate ......................................................................................................................................................................15 Geology and Soils .....................................................................................................................................................15 Water and Hydrology ................................................................................................................................................15 Refuge Habitats and Wildlife ...................................................................................................................................16 Bottomland Forest .............................................................................................................................................16 Emergent Wetland ............................................................................................................................................20 Open Water ......................................................................................................................................................20 Agricultural Fields .............................................................................................................................................20 Swan Lake NWR / Draft CCP i Native Prairie ....................................................................................................................................................20 Wet Meadow .....................................................................................................................................................20 Shrub Swamp ...................................................................................................................................................20 Old Field ............................................................................................................................................................20 Wildlife ......................................................................................................................................................................20 Birds ...................................................................................................................................................................20 Mammals ...........................................................................................................................................................20 Amphibians and Reptiles .................................................................................................................................21 Fish and Other Aquatic Species ........................................................................................................................21 Invertebrates ......................................................................................................................................................21 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................................................................21 State-listed Species ...................................................................................................................................21 Federally Listed Threatened/Endangered/Candidate Species ..................................................................21 Threats to Resources ................................................................................................................................................21 Invasive Species ................................................................................................................................................21 Exotic/Pest Species ....................................................................................................................................21 Siltation .............................................................................................................................................................22 Contaminants .....................................................................................................................................................22 Climate Change Impacts ....................................................................................................................................22 Observed Climate Trends ...........................................................................................................................23 Scenarios of Future Climate .......................................................................................................................23 Midwest Key Issues: 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