Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Island Howland Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex Box 50167 Howland Island Honolulu, HI 96850 808/792 9550 National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov Comprehensive Conservation Plan National Wildlife Refuge System Information 1 800/344 WILD November 2008 Cover Photo: Masked boobys on the shore November 2008 of Howland Island / USFWS Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan Vision Statement Howland is one of the last places in the world where the terrestrial and marine tropical island ecosystems are still intact and relatively free of human impacts. Natural, physical and ecological processes unfold with limited human interference, and support a diverse community of native marine organisms, including seabirds, marine mammals, turtles, fish, plants, corals, and other invertebrates. Nesting and foraging seabirds dominate the landscape and seascape while sheer isolation and solitude help us see our place in the natural world. White tern / USFWS Comprehensive conservation plans provide long-term guidance for management decisions and set forth goals, objectives, and strategies needed to accomplish refuge purposes and identify the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s best estimate of future needs. These plans detail program planning levels that are sometimes substantially above current budget allocations and, as such, are primarily for Service strategic planning and program prioritization purposes. The plans do not constitute a commitment for staffing increases, operational and maintenance increases, or funding for future land acquisition. Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan Unincorporated U.S. Territory, Central Pacific Ocean The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has completed the Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge). The CCP will guide management of the Refuge for the next 15 years. The CCP describes the Service’s preferred alternative for managing the Refuge and its effects on the human environment. Decision Following comprehensive review and analysis, the Service selected Alternative B in the Environmental Assessment (EA) for implementation because it is the alternative that best meets the following criteria: Achieves the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Achieves the purposes of the Refuge. Will be able to achieve the vision and goals for the Refuge. Maintains and restores the ecological integrity of the habitats and plant and animal populations on the Refuge. Addresses the important issues identified during the scoping process. Addresses the legal mandates of the Service and the Refuge. Is consistent with the scientific principles of sound wildlife management. Can be implemented within the projected fiscal and logistical management constraints associated with the Refuge’s remote location. As described in detail in the CCP and EA, implementing the selected alternative will have no significant impacts on any of the natural or cultural resources identified in the CCP and EA. Public Review The planning process incorporated a variety of public involvement techniques in developing and reviewing the CCP. This included three planning updates, meetings with partners, and public review and comment on the draft planning documents. The details of the Service’s public involvement program are described in the CCP. Conclusions Based on review and evaluation of the information contained in the supporting references, I have determined that implementing Alternative B as the CCP for management of Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge is not a major Federal action that would significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the meaning of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Accordingly, the Service is not required to prepare an environmental impact statement. FONSI-i Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan Table of Contents CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Introduction..................................................................................................................................1-1 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service .............................................................................................1-1 National Wildlife Refuge System ................................................................................................1-1 National Wildlife Refuges in the Pacific .....................................................................................1-4 Refuge Establishment, Purpose and Boundary............................................................................1-6 Regional and Ecosystem Conservation Plans..............................................................................1-9 Refuge Vision Statement ...........................................................................................................1-10 Refuge Goals..............................................................................................................................1-11 CHAPTER 2: PLANNING PURPOSE, NEED, AND ISSUES Planning Process ..........................................................................................................................2-1 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................................2-1 Planning Issues and Opportunities...............................................................................................2-2 CHAPTER 3: MANAGEMENT DIRECTION Overview......................................................................................................................................3-1 Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Rationale ...............................................................................3-4 CHAPTER 4: REFUGE AND RESOURCE DESCRIPTION Geographic/Ecosystem Setting ....................................................................................................4-1 Climate.........................................................................................................................................4-1 Global Climate Change................................................................................................................4-2 Geology and Soils........................................................................................................................4-7 Hydrology ....................................................................................................................................4-9 Air and Water Quality..................................................................................................................4-9 Environmental Contaminants.......................................................................................................4-9 Terrestrial Vegetation and Habitats .............................................................................................4-9 Terrestrial Wildlife.....................................................................................................................4-10 Marine Habitats, Fish and Wildlife............................................................................................4-12 Threatened and Endangered Species .........................................................................................4-16 Invasive Species ........................................................................................................................4-17 Wilderness Resources ................................................................................................................4-17 Archaeology and Paleontology..................................................................................................4-17 Recent Cultural History .............................................................................................................4-18 Socio-economics........................................................................................................................4-21 ToC-i Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan APPENDICES Appendix A. Glossary of Terms and Acronyms Appendix B. Species Lists Appendix C. References Appendix D. Planning Team Members Appendix E. Quarantine Protocol Appendix F. Wilderness Review Appendix G. Statement of Compliance Appendix H. Plan Implementation and Costs Appendix I. Consultation and Coordination Appendix J. Responses to Comments LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 National Wildlife Refuges in the Pacific…………………………………………1-5 Figure 1.2 Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge: Geographic Location and Boundary..1-8 ToC-ii Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION Introduction This document is a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge (Howland). It will guide management of refuge operations, site visitation, and habitat restoration for 15 years. Guidance within the CCP is in the form of goals, objectives, strategies (Chapter 3), and wilderness study findings (Appendix F). The CCP was revised as appropriate based upon public comments. The refuge manager of the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Remotes Complex)