FINAL MALPAI BORDERLANDS HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN FOR PRIVATELY OWNED AND STATE TRUST RANGELANDS IN THE MALPAI BORDERLANDS OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO Prepared for: Malpai Borderlands Group 6226 Geronimo Trail Road P.O. Box 3536 Douglas, Arizona 85608 Prepared by: Malpai Borderlands Habitat Conservation Plan Technical Working Group And William Lehman 1205 N. Roosevelt Street Boise, Idaho 83706 2008 AESO/SE 22410-2006-F-0408 HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN FOR PRIVATELY-OWNED AND STATE-TRUST RANGELANDS IN THE MALPAI BORDERLANDS OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND........................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose and Need ................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Description of the Applicant ................................................................................................. 2 1.2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Organizational Principles ............................................................................................... 3 1.2.3 Past/Current Activities/Programs ................................................................................... 4 1.3 MBHCP Planning History .................................................................................................... 8 1.4 Regulatory Background ........................................................................................................ 8 1.4.1 The “Take” Prohibition. ................................................................................................. 9 1.4.2 Section 10(a)/HCPs ........................................................................................................ 9 1.4.3 Critical Habitat ............................................................................................................... 9 1.4.4 Other Act Provisions ...................................................................................................... 9 1.4.5 Coordination with State Wildlife Agencies ................................................................. 10 2.0 OVERVIEW OF THE PLANNING AREA ....................................................................... 11 2.1 Description of the Area ....................................................................................................... 11 2.1.1 Land Ownership/Management ..................................................................................... 11 2.1.2 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................. 15 2.2 Land Use Management ....................................................................................................... 16 2.2.1 Livestock Grazing Management in the Malpai Borderlands ....................................... 16 2.2.2 Current Ecological Problems/Conditions .................................................................... 18 3.0 OVERVIEW OF THE MBHCP .......................................................................................... 22 3.1 Plan Structure/Organization ................................................................................................ 23 3.1.1 Required Elements ....................................................................................................... 23 3.1.2 Additional Elements. .................................................................................................... 26 3.2 Roles and Responsibilities .................................................................................................. 27 3.2.1 Plan Activities/Parties/Cooperators ............................................................................. 27 3.2.2 The “Programmatic” Approach ................................................................................... 29 3.3 Proposed Covered Species .................................................................................................. 32 3.4 Proposed Covered Area ...................................................................................................... 35 3.5 Proposed Covered Activities ............................................................................................... 35 3.5.1 Grassland Improvement Activities .............................................................................. 36 3.5.2 Ranch Management Activities ..................................................................................... 39 3.6 Role of Livestock Grazing under the MBHCP ................................................................... 42 3.7 Implementing Agreement. .................................................................................................. 43 3.8 Permit Term ........................................................................................................................ 43 4.0 BIOLOGY OF THE COVERED SPECIES ....................................................................... 44 4.1 Aquatic Species ................................................................................................................... 44 4.1.1 Rio Yaqui Fish ............................................................................................................. 44 4.1.2 Chiricahua Leopard Frog ............................................................................................. 48 4.1.3 Lowland Leopard Frog ................................................................................................ 49 4.1.4 Northern Mexican Gartersnake .................................................................................... 50 4.1.5 Huachuca Water Umbel ............................................................................................... 51 4.2 Grassland Species ............................................................................................................... 52 _________________________________________________________________________________ 2008 Page ii HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN FOR PRIVATELY-OWNED AND STATE-TRUST RANGELANDS IN THE MALPAI BORDERLANDS OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4.2.1 Northern Aplomado Falcon ......................................................................................... 52 4.2.2 Black-tailed Prairie Dog .............................................................................................. 54 4.2.3 Western Burrowing Owl .............................................................................................. 55 4.2.4 White-sided Jackrabbit ................................................................................................. 56 4.3 Riparian Species.................................................................................................................. 57 4.3.1 Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo .................................................................................... 57 4.3.2 Western Red Bat .......................................................................................................... 59 4.4 Montane Species ................................................................................................................. 60 4.4.1 New Mexico Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake ........................................................................ 60 4.4.2 Mexican Spotted Owl .................................................................................................. 61 5.0 CONSERVATION PROGRAM .......................................................................................... 63 5.1 MBHCP Goals/Objectives .................................................................................................. 63 5.1.1 MBHCP Goals ............................................................................................................. 63 5.1.2 MBHCP Objectives ..................................................................................................... 64 5.2 Conservation Program Summary ........................................................................................ 65 5.3 Rancher Participation in the HCP ....................................................................................... 66 5.3.1 Types of Rancher Participation .................................................................................... 66 5.3.2 Certificates of Inclusion ............................................................................................... 68 5.4 Determining Species Presence ............................................................................................ 70 5.4.1 Species Habitat and Occurrence Maps ........................................................................ 70 5.4.2 Pre-activity Survey Alternative .................................................................................... 76 5.5 Take Minimization Measures ............................................................................................. 79 5.5.1 Critical Time Periods and Species Habitat Associations ............................................. 80 5.5.2 Grassland improvement Activities ............................................................................... 81 5.5.3 Ranch Management Activities ..................................................................................
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