Sandy Point, Green Cay and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuges Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region September 2010 Sandy Point, Green Cay, and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuges COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN SANDY POINT, GREEN CAY AND BUCK ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES United States Virgin Islands Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia September 2010 Table of Contents iii Sandy Point, Green Cay, and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuges TABLE OF CONTENTS COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 1 I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose and Need for the Plan .................................................................................................... 3 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ...................................................................................................... 3 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 4 Legal and Policy Context .............................................................................................................. 5 National and International Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..................................................... 6 Relationship to Island Territory Wildlife Agencies ........................................................................8 II. OVERVIEW OF THE REFUGES ...................................................................................................... 9 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 9 History and Purposes of the Three Refuges ................................................................................9 Special Designations .................................................................................................................. 16 Ecosystem Context .....................................................................................................................16 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..............................................................................17 Ecological Threats and Problems ............................................................................................... 18 Physical Resources .................................................................................................................... 20 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 20 Geology and Topography ..................................................................................................22 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 24 Hydrology, Water Quality and Quantity .............................................................................29 Air Quality ..........................................................................................................................31 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................. 32 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 32 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 37 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 60 Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix .............................................................................................61 Green Cay NWR, St. Croix ...............................................................................................62 Buck Island NWR, St. Thomas ..........................................................................................63 Socioeconomic Environment ...................................................................................................... 63 Refuge Administration and Management ...................................................................................67 Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix .............................................................................................67 Green Cay NWR, St. Croix ...............................................................................................74 Buck Island NWR, St. Thomas ..........................................................................................76 III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 79 Overview of the Planning Process .............................................................................................. 79 Summary of Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities .....................................................................80 Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix .............................................................................................80 Green Cay National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix ..................................................................84 Buck Island NWR, St. Thomas ..........................................................................................85 Wilderness Review ..................................................................................................................... 87 Table of Contents i IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ....................................................................................................... 89 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 89 Refuge Visions ........................................................................................................................... 89 Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix ............................................................................................. 89 Green Cay NWR, St. Croix ............................................................................................... 90 Buck Island NWR, St. Thomas ......................................................................................... 90 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................................................................. 91 Sandy Point NWR, St. Croix ....................................................................................................... 91 Fish and Wildlife Population Management........................................................................ 91 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 99 Resource Protection ....................................................................................................... 102 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................... 104 Refuge Administration .................................................................................................... 108 Green Cay National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix ......................................................................... 111 Fish and Wildlife Population Management...................................................................... 111 Habitat Management....................................................................................................... 113 Resource Protection ....................................................................................................... 114 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................... 116 Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge, St. Thomas ................................................................... 117 Fish and Wildlife Population Management...................................................................... 117 Habitat Management....................................................................................................... 119 Resource Protection ....................................................................................................... 120 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................... 121 V. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION .......................................................................................................... 125 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 125 Current and Proposed Projects ................................................................................................ 125 Fish And Wildlife Population Management – Sandy Point NWR .................................... 125 Fish And Wildlife Population Management – Green Cay NWR .....................................