Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region September 2009 Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN BOND SWAMP NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Bibb and Twiggs Counties, Georgia U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia September 2009 Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 1 I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose And Need For The Plan ................................................................................................. 3 Fish and Wildlife Service .............................................................................................................. 3 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 4 Legal and Policy Context .............................................................................................................. 6 National and International Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..................................................... 7 Relationship To State Wildlife Agency ..........................................................................................9 II. REFUGE OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................... 11 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 11 Refuge History and Purpose ...................................................................................................... 13 Special Designations .................................................................................................................. 14 Ecosystem Context .....................................................................................................................15 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..............................................................................16 Ecological Threats and Problems ............................................................................................... 17 Habitat Loss and Fragmentation .......................................................................................17 Commercial Expansion .....................................................................................................18 Alterations to Hydrology ....................................................................................................19 Proliferation of Invasive Plants and Animals .....................................................................20 Physical Resources .................................................................................................................... 20 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 20 Geology and Topography ..................................................................................................21 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 21 Hydrology and Water Quality ............................................................................................21 Air Quality ..........................................................................................................................23 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................. 23 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 23 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 24 Threatened and Endangered Species ..............................................................................26 Invasive Species ............................................................................................................... 27 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 27 Socioeconomic Environment ...................................................................................................... 29 Refuge Administration and Management ...................................................................................29 Land Protection and Conservation ....................................................................................29 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 32 Personnel, Operations, and Maintenance .........................................................................37 III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................. 41 Public Involvement and the Planning Process ...........................................................................41 Table of Contents i IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ....................................................................................................... 43 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 43 Vision ......................................................................................................................................... 43 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................................................................. 44 Fish and Wildlife Population Management........................................................................ 44 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 51 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 55 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 60 Refuge Administration ...................................................................................................... 66 V. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................................ 69 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 69 Proposed Projects ...................................................................................................................... 69 Fish And Wildlife Population Management ....................................................................... 69 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 70 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 71 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 72 Refuge Administration ...................................................................................................... 72 Funding and Personnel .............................................................................................................. 73 Partnership/Volunteers Opportunities ........................................................................................ 73 Step-Down Management Plans .................................................................................................. 73 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ....................................................................................... 76 Plan Review and Revision.......................................................................................................... 77 APPENDICES APPENDIX A. GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................ 79 APPENDIX B. REFERENCES AND LITERATURE CITATIONS ...................................................... 89 APPENDIX C. RELEVANT LEGAL MANDATES AND EXECUTIVE ORDERS ............................... 93 APPENDIX D. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ......................................................................................... 107 Summary Of Public Scoping Comments .................................................................................. 107 Fish and Wildlife Population Management...................................................................... 107 Habitat Management....................................................................................................... 107 Resource Protection ....................................................................................................... 108 Visitor Services ..............................................................................................................