Maine Department of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife Roland D. Martin, Commissioner Wildlife Division Research & Management Report 2006 THERE’S SOMETHING WILD LURKING ON YOUR TAX RETURN! GIVE A GIFT TO WILDLIFE THIS YEAR - PUT A CHECK WITH THE CHICKADEE! WWWANTEDANTEDANTED Band Recovery Reports New Reporting Procedures Now Available CALL 1-800-327-BAND(2263) WHO: Anyone finding a band or recovering one while hunting. WHAT: An operator will take the band report, and the bird banding laboratory will respond with banding information much faster than previously. WHEN: Weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. After hours and weekend calls will be handled by voice mail services. WHERE: The new number is effective anywhere in Canada, the United States, and most of the Caribbean. WHY: Studies have proven this method significantly improves the reporting rate over previous methods. Results will provide better estimates of survival and harvest rates and will reduce high costs associated with banding studies. Supported by state fish and wildlife agencies, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the United States National Biological Service. INTRODUCTION We can all recall places that have disappeared. The grove of oaks on the ridge above town where partridge and deer gorged themselves on nuts and where hikers shuffled loudly through the leaves in the fall... is now a housing development. The stream hidden in ferns and delicate flowers, where in the spring children caught salamanders and in the winter slid on trays... was flooded and destroyed by runoff from a parking lot. The beach where teenagers exchanged perfect sand dollars while ospreys argued overhead... is covered by a private pier and “no trespassing” signs. The overgrown logging road where bird hunters could always find partridge dusting themselves in the late, warm sun... was absorbed into the school’s athletic fields. These places, with the animals and plants that defined them, and many thousands of other special places, have disappeared. It is simplistic to say that development of land is the cause of habitat loss and the decline of species. More accurately, the pattern of our unplanned development is causing these problems. Historically, Maine’s development pattern was based on the town center with homes nearby so that it was practical to walk to the town hall, store, and post office. Farms were thinly scattered on rural roads. Forests for hunting and wood gathering, and lakes and streams for fishing, were not far from the town centers. Today’s development, sprawled across the landscape, is contributing to the loss of habitat and outdoor experiences. Habitat loss may be swift, as in the case of a large subdivision, or it may be incremental through development of individual lots. Either way, it is altering our very special Maine outdoor legacy. Wildlife and plant habitats are part of a rich, complex web of natural cycles. High quality habitat preserves biological diversity; it provides protection from flooding; and pollination, seed dispersal, and the cycling of nutrients that replenish the soil, air and water depend on the ability of various species to interact successfully with one another and their necessary habitats – and animal and plant communities preserve the appeal and character of the human community as well. If we are not wise in our “habitat” decisions, many common native species will decline, as will our already rare, threatened, or endangered wildlife. Maine residents also use these habitats for outdoor enjoyment, and they will see fewer opportunities for recreation. Large blocks of habitat necessary to maintain populations of larger animals will become scarce. Fishing, hunting, walking in the woods or along the beach, wildlife watching, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and other outdoor activities will continue to be squeezed into smaller, less accessible areas. In some communities, these opportunities will disappear altogether. Until recently, abundant habitat and open space were a fortunate accident of Maine’s development patterns. The fortunate accident is ending — there is no guarantee that habitat and open space will continue to endure in our communities. Against this backdrop, the pages of 2006 Research & Management Report are dedicated to the many ways the Department is working to conserve and manage wildlife habitat – from the challenge of addressing the effects of “urban sprawl,” to the solid success we’ve had working with landowners to provide nesting habitat for Maine’s bald eagles. I believe we can all be proud of Maine’s state-of-the-art, scientific wildlife management programs, which are guided by public input. In closing, I thank you for your interest, support, and participation in the conservation of Maine’s wildlife. The Wildlife Division looks forward to working with you to meet the challenges of the coming years. Here’s to informative, and I trust, enjoyable reading! -- G. Mark Stadler, Director, Wildlife Division Adapted from Beginning with Habitat: An Approach to Conserving Maine’s Natural Landscape for Plants, Animals, and People. Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife / Maine Natural Areas Program, January 2003, 52 pp. These studies are financed in part through Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Funds under Projects 81D, 82R, and 83C, and through the Endangered Species Conservation Act. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife receives Federal funds from the U. S. Department of the Interior. Accordingly, all Department programs and activities must be operated free from discrimination in regard to race, color, national origin, age or handicap. Any person who believes that he or she has been discriminated against should write to The Office of Equal Opportunity, U. S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS WILDLIFE HABITAT PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION .........................................................6 Beginning With Habitat .............................................................................................................6 Landowner Incentive Program ................................................................................................8 State Wildlife Grant Program .................................................................................................10 WILDLIFE HABITAT GROUP .................................................................................................12 Significant Wildlife Habitat ..............................................................................................12 Conserving and Protecting Wildlife Habitats in Northern and Eastern Maine ............13 Maine’s Natural Heritage Program ................................................................................14 Updated Landcover Map ................................................................................................14 Protecting Wildlife and Habitat from Oil Spills .............................................................14 Essential Habitat .....................................................................................................................16 Special Habitats ..........................................................................................................................17 WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SECTION ......................................................................................................22 REGION A - GRAY ..................................................................................................................23 REGION B - SIDNEY .............................................................................................................24 REGION C - JONESBORO ....................................................................................................25 REGION D - STRONG ............................................................................................................26 REGION E - GREENVILLE ....................................................................................................27 REGION F - ENFIELD ............................................................................................................28 REGION G - ASHLAND .........................................................................................................29 Lands Management Program ..............................................................................................30 Bureau of Parks and Lands ..................................................................................................31 SPECIES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................32 Species Planning • Endangered Species Listing ........................................................32 Funding Wildlife Management .......................................................................................33 WILDLIFE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT SECTION ....................................................................................35 REPTILE, AMPHIBIAN and INVERTEBRATE GROUP .....................................................36 Amphibians and Reptiles ...............................................................................................36 PARC • MARAP ........................................................................................................36 Amphibian Monitoring • Blanding’s and Spotted Turtles ......................................37 Wood Turtles ...........................................................................................................38