Chapter 2b: Conservation Planning for the Next Century
Our ability to conserve fish, wildlife and their habitats for future generations of Americans begins with our commitment to long- and short-range conservation planning and full implementation of management actions. Our management planning documents guide on-the- ground stewardship of threatened and endangered species, migratory birds, inter-jurisdictional fish and other species of special concern entrusted to us by the American people. We develop our plans using an interdisciplinary approach, to ensure management activities address the diversity of biological and socioeconomic issues we face.
During the past decade, more than 50 million acres of new marine national monuments in the Pacific have been added to the Refuge System. The Service now has the stewardship responsibilities for some of the most important coastal, marine and ocean ecosystems in the world. We must build capacity to do the science and management required to be good stewards of these marine national monuments, much like we have in Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Threats of coral bleaching and ocean acidification require us to study these sensitive areas closely. It will take time to develop the sea-going capacity to do the work that is needed. We must work closely with our partners at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other scientific institutions who share our interest in exploring and caring for these places. The responsible stewardship of the coastal, marine and ocean units of the Refuge System is one of the great challenges of the decade ahead.
The key strategic tool we use to guide our work on each refuge is the Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP). Congress mandated the completion of such plans in the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997. We’ve learned a great deal from the first round of preparing these plans. Some CCPs successfully created visions for dealing with complex issues such as sea-level rise caused by climate change, while others were caught in controversy and barely maintained the status quo.
We now have a great opportunity to improve upon our planning legacy by incorporating a new vision and set of conservation strategies in the next generation of CCPs. This new vision requires that we keep several principles in mind. First, the new plans must integrate the conservation needs of the larger landscape (including the communities they support) and ensure that we function well as a “System.” Second, they must be flexible enough to address new environmental challenges and contribute to the ecological resiliency of fish and wildlife populations and their habitats. Third, the plans must be written so those who read them will clearly understand what is expected and be inspired to take action to become a part of our conservation legacy. Fourth, they should explore ways to increase recreational opportunities, working closely with regional recreation, trails and transportation planners to leverage resources that make refuges more accessible to the public.
Secondary to the CCP, but still a key component for strategic management and planning on refuge lands, is the habitat management plan (HMP). The HMP “steps down” the direction provided in a CCP to provide specific guidance for managing the lands and waters under our stewardship. An HMP uses the best available scientific information and ecological principles; develops habitat goals, objectives and management strategies to conserve wildlife populations; considers areas with special designation status (such as wilderness, marine protected areas and public-use natural areas); considers a range of management strategies; uses adaptive management; and relies on peer review to provide credible assessment of our actions.
Each year about 3.5 million acres of refuge lands and waters are actively managed under these plans—but there are another 5.7 million acres in need of ongoing habitat management, and an additional 3.5 million acres in need of restoration. We must develop new habitat management plans that implement our policies on biological diversity, integrity and environmental health, along with our climate change strategic plan. We need to scrutinize our farming programs, looking to restore natural habitats where possible and reduce carbon emissions. We need to continue to push for fire policy that does not focus exclusively on hazardous fuels reduction in the wildlife-urban interface, while neglecting other important aspects of healthy landscapes and watersheds.
By following the adaptive management process, we will identify each refuge’s contribution to the larger conservation effort undertaken by a multitude of conservation stakeholders. We will describe the vision for the refuge’s future, determine appropriate management direction to achieve desired scientifically-based goals and objectives, and analyze the impacts of proposed actions on the wildlife we manage. We will proactively seek public input throughout our process. We will monitor the success of our management actions to ensure we are achieving our goals and objectives, and revise our management direction, as needed, to adapt to changing environmental conditions, new biological and social information and new objectives.
