Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region August 2010 Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN CAROLINA SANDHILLS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Chesterfield County, South Carolina U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia August 2010 Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 1 Alternative A – Current Management (No Action) Longleaf Pine Forest/Wildlife Management with RCW Focus and Visitor Services ....................................................................1 Alternative B - Maximizing Native Wildlife and Habitat Diversity While Providing Visitor Services ............................................................................................................. 1 Alternative C - (Preferred Alternative) Optimizing Ecosystem Management with Enhanced Visitor Services. ................................................................................................... 2 I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 5 Purpose and Need for the Plan .................................................................................................... 5 Fish and Wildlife Service .............................................................................................................. 5 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 6 Legal and Policy Context .............................................................................................................. 8 National and International Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..................................................... 9 Relationship to State Wildlife Agency, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources ........ 10 II. REFUGE OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................... 11 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 11 Refuge History and Purpose ...................................................................................................... 11 Special Designations .................................................................................................................. 17 Ecosystem Context .....................................................................................................................19 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..............................................................................25 Ecological Threats and Problems ............................................................................................... 27 Physical Resources .................................................................................................................... 27 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 27 Geology and Topography ..................................................................................................33 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 35 Hydrology .......................................................................................................................... 37 Water Quality .................................................................................................................... 44 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................. 45 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 45 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 50 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 52 Socioeconomic Environment ...................................................................................................... 55 Refuge Administration and Management ...................................................................................60 Land Protection, Conservation, and Management ............................................................60 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 68 Personnel, Operations, and Maintenance .........................................................................69 Table of Contents i III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................. 71 Overview .................................................................................................................................... 71 Public Involvement and the Planning Process ........................................................................... 71 Summary of Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities ..................................................................... 73 Fish and Wildlife Population Management........................................................................ 73 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 74 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 75 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 76 Refuge Administration ...................................................................................................... 76 IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ....................................................................................................... 79 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 79 Vision ......................................................................................................................................... 80 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................................................................. 81 Fish and Wildlife Population Management........................................................................ 81 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 91 Resource Protection ....................................................................................................... 102 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................... 105 V. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION .......................................................................................................... 113 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 113 Proposed Projects .................................................................................................................... 113 Fish And Wildlife Population Management ..................................................................... 113 Habitat Management....................................................................................................... 114 Partnership and Volunteer Opportunities ................................................................................. 123 Step-Down Management Plans ................................................................................................ 123 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ..................................................................................... 123 Plan Review and Revision........................................................................................................ 124 ii Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge APPENDIX A. GLOSSARY .............................................................................................................. 125 APPENDIX B. REFERENCES AND LITERATURE CITATIONS .....................................................135 APPENDIX C. RELEVANT LEGAL MANDATES AND EXECUTIVE ORDERS ..............................143 APPENDIX D. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ..........................................................................................157 Summary of Public Scoping Comments ...................................................................................157 APPENDIX E. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION ................................................................161 Overview ................................................................................................................................... 161 APPENDIX F. APPROPRIATE USE DETERMINATIONS ...............................................................163