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Annual Report Of Lands Under Control Of The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service As Of September 30, 2006, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Annual Report of Lands Under Control Of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service As of September 30, 2006

Message from the Director

Key to Real Property Numbers

Map of National Fish and Wildlife Management Areas

Map of Waterfowl Productions Areas

Significant Land Acquisition Accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2006

Tables
1 Summary by Categories
2 Summary by States, Associated Governments and Possessions
2A FY 2006 Summary by States, Associated Governments and Possessions
3 National Wildlife Refuges
4 Waterfowl Production Areas
5 Coordination Areas
6 Administrative Sites
7 National Fish Hatcheries
8 Wilderness Areas in National Wildlife Refuges and National Fish Hatcheries …

Long-Term Abundance Of Breeding Songbirds During Restoration Of Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie, Robert Murphy, Karen Smith

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

There are no published, long-term accounts of responses of grassland passerine birds to the restoration of northern mixed-grass prairie through combined use of fire and grazing. During 1979-2001, we assessed abundance of passerine birds (9 grassland species and 1 shrub-associate species) on 2 brush-invaded, mixed-grass prairie tracts at Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern North Dakota. Each tract encompassed 90 ha (220 ac) that were being restored through 4 prescribed fires then 3 consecutive years of grazing by cattle. Fires were separated by 2-4 years of rest (i.e., nondisturbance) and grazing was initiated 2 years after the last fire. Among …

Predicted Responses Of Small Mammals To Reintroduction Of Fire Along A Northern Prairie River Valley, Aren Eddingsaas, Robert Murphy, Patrick Isakson, Keith Behrend

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Fire is being reintroduced to restore native mixed-grass prairie that has been invaded by woody vegetation and introduced species of grasses at 8000-ha (20,000-ac) Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in northwestern North Dakota. Implications of this management for much of the local fauna are merely speculative without basic inventory data. We measured the occurrence and habitat relationships of small mammals (< 450 g [< 1 lb]) in prairie and woodland on the refuge. Using snaptraps, we captured 7 mammal species on 42 75-m (245-ft) radius plots in prairie during summer 1998 (n = 193 individuals in 5,208 trap-nights) and 5 species on 32 11-m (36-ft) radius plots in woodland during summer 2000 (n = 289 individuals in 2,560 trap-nights). We found 13-lined ground squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus) and western jumping mouse (Zapus princeps) almost exclusively in open prairie and southern red-backed vole (Clethrionomys gapperi) almost exclusively in woodland. Based on logistic regression analysis, occurrence of 13-lined ground squirrel …

White-Tailed Deer Spotlight Survey Trends On Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, 1989-2005, Donald Althoff, Philip Gibson, Gary Meggers, David Hilley, Jim Sellers

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Legal harvest of deer has never been allowed on Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (QNWR) in south central Kansas; however, it is permitted on lands adjacent to the refuge. We assessed whether the rifle season for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) caused increased use of QNWR between 1989 and 2005. Deer spotlight surveys were conducted pre-rifle, rifle, and post-rifle seasons from 1989-2005. Total count, buck count, buck:doe ratio, fawns per doe, and percentage of does with twins were computed for each survey conducted. The average of the last 4 years (2002-2005) of the pre-rifle season surveys was 4.5 times greater …

A Preliminary Biological Assessment Of Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex, North Dakota, Murray K. Laubhan, Robert A. Gleason, Gregory A. Knutsen, Rachel A. Laubhan, N. H. Euliss Jr.

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

This report represents an initial biological assessment of wetland conditions on Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Slade NWR, and Florence Lake NWR that was conducted as part of the pre-planning phase for development of a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP). According to the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act (NWRSIA), decisions guiding NWR management should be based on the best available scientific information. Therefore, this report attempts to integrate relevant information from many different scientific disciplines (e.g., geology, hydrology, biology) to assist the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in identifying ecological constraints and opportunities imposed by the land …

Lists Of Potential Hydrophytes For The United States: A Regional Review And Their Use In Wetland Identification, Ralph W. Tiner

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

The U.S. federal government has developed lists of plant species that occur in wetlands. The initial purpose of these lists was to enumerate plants that grow in wetlands and that could be used to identify wetlands according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s wetland classification system. The first list was generated in 1976 by the Service, and since that time, the list has undergone several iterations as more information was reviewed or became available through field investigations and scientific research. Two lists are currently published and available for use: a 1988 list and a 1996 draft list. The latter …

Alaska Reflections, Volume 18, Number 1 – Spring 2006

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Table of Contents:

Reflecting
Outreach News
“Chinese” Dunlin in Barrow!
Life’s Work
Out Foxed
Jack Paniyak
Submerged Salmon Surveilance
Awards
Fish Schticks

Coordinated Spring Survey Of Mid-Continent Sandhill Cranes

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

The aerial transect portion of the coordinated spring survey of mid-continent sandhill cranes was conducted on 23 March in Nebraska’s Platte and North Platte River valleys. The 2005 photo corrected aerial estimate was 491,900 birds. Outside the traditional aerial transect portion, observers utilized both ground and air coverage during the period 5 – 25 March. From this region, observers in the Official Survey Area (OSA) of Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas reported an additional 38,700 cranes. The 2005 total estimate (530,600) increased 18% since 2004 and is the fourth highest in twenty-four years of comparable figures. The current three-year average (2003 …

Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge Established 1924 Compatibility Determination

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Establishing and Acquisition Authority(ies):

The Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge was established by Public Law No. 268, 6gth Congress on June 7, 1924. This act authorized acquisition of lands for Refuge purposes. Additional lands acquired in fee title by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are managed as part of the Refuge under a 1963 Cooperative Agreement between the Department of the Army and the Department of the Interior.

Refuge Purpose(s):

"The Refuge shall be established and maintained (a) as a refuge and breeding place for migratory birds included in the terms of the convention between the United …

Status And Harvests Of Sandhill Cranes: Mid-Continent And Rocky Mountain Populations 2006, David E. Sharp, Kammie L. Kruse, James A. Dubovsky

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Compared to the increases that were recorded in the 1970s, annual indices to abundance of the Mid-Continent Population (MCP) of Sandhill Cranes has been relatively stable since the early 1980s. The Central Platte River Valley, Nebraska spring index for 2006, uncorrected for visibility bias, was 183,000. The photo-corrected 3-year average for 2003-05 was 422,133, which is within the established population-objective range of 349,000-472,000 cranes. All Central Flyway states, except Nebraska, allowed crane hunting in portions of their respective states during 2005-06. About 9,950 hunters participated in these seasons, which was 8% higher than the number that participated in the 2004- …

Poststocking Movements And Habitat Use Of Hatchery-Reared Juvenile Pallid Sturgeon In The Missouri River Below Fort Randall Dam, South Dakota And Nebraska, George R. Jordan, Robert A. Klumb, Greg A. Wanner, Wayne J. Stancill

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Telemetry was used to evaluate seasonal and diel movement patterns, general habitat use, survival, and spatial distributions of hatchery-reared juvenile pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus stocked in the Missouri River below Fort Randall Dam, South Dakota and Nebraska. Sampling occurred at about 2-week intervals during spring through fall. Of 22 ultrasonically tagged fish, 13 were intensively followed to assess hourly diel movement rates. A total of 258 relocations were made for the 22 tagged fish; 19 fish were relocated at least once, and 16 were relocated multiple times. At least 68% of tagged fish survived for 2.5 years. In 2000, fish …

A Health Risk Evaluation For Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus Albus) In The Lower Platte River Using Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus Platorynchus) As A Surrogate, Matthew S. Schwarz, Christina D. Lydick, Donald E. Tillit, Diana M. Papoulias, Timothy S. Gross

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Most sturgeon species worldwide have been in steep decline since the 1900s. This research evaluated shovelnose sturgeon health, reproduction, and exposure to environmental contamination in the lower Platte River. Shovelnose sturgeon served as a surrogate species for the endangered pallid sturgeon and their health was assessed by incorporating measurements of general health with hepatic, immune, and reproductive system biomarkers. Environmental contaminants were measured in water, potential pallid sturgeon food items (cyprinid minnows), and shovelnose sturgeon digesta, liver, and blood plasma. Contaminants detected in shovelnose sturgeon at concentrations of concern included PCBs, selenium, and atrazine. Total PCBs in carcasses (n = …

2005 Annual Report: Migratory Bird Conservation Commission

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Report of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for the Fiscal Year 2005:
Approvals During Fiscal Year 2005
Migratory Bird Conservation Fund
Summary of Fiscal Year 2005 MBCF Land Acquisitions
New National Wildlife Refuge Boundary Approvals
Membership of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission
Map Showing National Migratory Bird Refuge Areas
Map Showing Waterfowl Production Areas by State and County
Notes on Tables One and Two
Table One––National Migratory Bird Refuge Areas
Table Two––Waterfowl Production Areas by State and County
North American Wetlands Conservation Fund
Table Three––U.S. Wetland Conservation Proposals Approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for FY 2005
Table Four––Canadian …

Fisheries Monitoring At Mel Price Lock & Dam: May 2005 – June 2006, Nathan Caswell

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Upper Mississippi River-Illinois Waterway System (UMR-IWW) Navigation Study was completed in September 2004 after more than 14 years of intensive study and evaluation of the navigation improvement and ecological restoration needs for the UMR-IWW system for the years 2000-2050. The final recommendation included a program of incremental implementation and comprehensive adaptive management to achieve the dual purposes of ensuring a sustainable natural ecosystem and navigation system. The program was initiated in 2005 as the working title of Upper Mississippi River (UMR) System Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) (USACE 2006).

A series of …

Native Salt Marsh Plants And Animals: Flora And Fauna Respond To Restoration Projects, John Portnoy

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Cape Cod National Seashore has an active program of estuarine restoration for the nearly 2500 acres of Outer Cape coastal marshes altered profoundly since the construction of tide-restricting dikes and causeways during the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Tides were restricted by roads and railways built across coastal wetlands, and by dikes intended to limit floodwater mosquito breeding and to promote lowland agriculture. With tide restoration under way since 1999 at 90-acre Hatches Harbor in Provincetown, and just beginning in 700-acre East Harbor (also referred to as Pilgrim Lake) in Truro, both native and introduced plants and animals are responding.