Red River National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region July 2008 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN RED RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto, Red River, and Natchitoches Parishes, Louisiana U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia July 2008 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 ................................................................................................................ 6 National and International Conservation Plans and Initiatives ........................................................ 7 Relationship to State Wildlife Agency ............................................................................................. 8 II. REFUGE OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................... 11 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 11 Refuge History and Purpose .........................................................................................................11 Special Designations .................................................................................................................... 14 Ecosystem Context ....................................................................................................................... 14 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ................................................................................17 Ecological Threats and Problems ................................................................................................. 18 Wildlife Management in an Urban Environment ...........................................................................18 Invasive and Nuisance Wildlife ..................................................................................................... 19 Invasive and Nuisance Plants ....................................................................................................... 20 Physical Resources ....................................................................................................................... 22 Climate .......................................................................................................................................... 22 Geology and Topography ............................................................................................................. 23 Soils .............................................................................................................................................. 23 Hydrology ...................................................................................................................................... 24 Air Quality ..................................................................................................................................... 26 Water Quality and Quantity ........................................................................................................... 26 Biological Resources ..................................................................................................................... 27 Habitat .......................................................................................................................................... 27 Wildlife .......................................................................................................................................... 31 Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................................ 35 Socioeconomic Environment ........................................................................................................ 35 Refuge Administration and Management ....................................................................................36 Land Protection and Conservation ............................................................................................... 36 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................................. 36 Personnel, Operations, and Maintenance ....................................................................................38 III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................. 39 Summary of Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities .....................................................................39 Fish and Wildlife Population Management ...................................................................................39 Habitat Management .................................................................................................................... 40 Resource Protection ..................................................................................................................... 42 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................................. 43 Refuge Administration .................................................................................................................. 44 Wilderness Review ....................................................................................................................... 44 Table of Contents i IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ........................................................................................................ 45 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 45 Vision .............................................................................................................................................. 46 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies ................................................................................................ 46 Fish and Wildlife Population Management ................................................................................... 46 Habitat Management .................................................................................................................... 58 Resource Protection ..................................................................................................................... 67 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................................. 74 Refuge Administration .................................................................................................................. 79 V. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................................. 81 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 81 Proposed Projects ......................................................................................................................... 81 Fish and Wildlife Population Management ................................................................................... 82 Habitat Management .................................................................................................................... 83 Resource Protection ..................................................................................................................... 84 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................................. 85 Refuge Administration .................................................................................................................. 85 Funding and Personnel ................................................................................................................. 85 Partnership/Volunteer Opportunities ........................................................................................... 85 Step-Down Management Plans ..................................................................................................... 88 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ........................................................................................ 88 Plan Review and Revision ............................................................................................................. 89 APPENDICES APPENDIX A. GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................