1.1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
1.1.1.
How to use this Document
1.1.3. Guide to the 8-Elements
1.1.4.
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
1.2.1.
Land Ownership, Human Population, and Economics
1.2.4.
Habitats, Vegetation, and Natural Communities.
1.5.1.
Public Participation Prior to CWCS Planning Process
1.5.2. Public Participation During the CWCS
Planning Process
1.1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
This document is designed to meet the requirements of the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants (STWG) program. The legislation enacted by Congress that enables this program required each State and territory to develop a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) by October 1, 2005. There are 8 elements that must be addressed by the CWCS (See Section 1.1.3: Guide to the 8-Elements). In developing this Strategy we have strived to meet the explicit and implicit intentions of the STWG program. This Strategy is intended for all Kentucky’s fish and wildlife species. We have selected 251 ‘species of greatest conservation need’ (SGCN) to represent the wide diversity of animals and habitats found in the state.
1.1.1.
How to use this Document
We developed 4 volumes to address the 8 elements (Section 1.1.3). Volume I contains a “Guide to the 8-elements” section in order to make finding the mandated elements easier. Volume I also gives background information about Kentucky’s environment and addresses Element 7 (coordination) along with Element 8 (public participation).
Volume II contains background information about the wildlife of Kentucky, and details on the distribution of 251 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) organized into 7 taxonomic classes (fish, lamprey, mussels, amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles). All of Element 1 (distribution and abundance) and Element 2 (key habitats), along with portions of Element 3 (conservation issues) are addressed here. Volume II organizes the detailed information about population trends, habitat information, and occurrence into species accounts and species distribution maps.
Volume III examines conservation issues, conservation actions, and monitoring strategies for species and habitat guilds. All of Element 3 (conservation issues) and Element 4 (conservation actions) are addressed as well as significant portions of Element 5 (monitoring). A section on Adaptive Management explains how Kentucky will modify future versions of this Plan. Volume IV expands on Element 2 by identifying specific geographic areas that harbor many species of greatest conservation need (SGCN).
All tables, figures, and maps are located in an appendix. These components of the document were not inserted directly into the text. This approach reduced file size for delivery via the internet, and allowed the CD ROM, and hard copy versions to remain essentially the same.
The information is available
either from our web site (http://fw.ky.gov/kfwis/stwg/),
or on a CD-ROM (available from KDFWR, #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601), or in a paper copy.
· For the web site and CD-ROM, the opening page has links to the 4 volumes. Within the text of each volume there are links to tables and figures, which may be clicked on to view.
· For the paper copy, there are two vinyl binders. The first smaller binder starts with the table of contents, followed by an executive summary and the roadmap of where to find each element. The next tabbed section contains the text for the 4 volumes in a condensed plan. The reader should refer to the table of contents at the start of the first binder to find the tables, figures, and maps referred to in that condensed plan. Each volume’s appendices are contained in the first binder and separated by a colored tab. The second (and larger) vinyl binder contains the 251 species accounts and distribution maps. The table of contents in the second binder lists each species, with the page numbers for both the species account and species distribution map. The species accounts and distribution maps are divided and ordered by taxonomic class and separated by color tabs.
The overarching purpose of the Kentucky
Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) is to provide strategies
for sustaining Kentucky’s biodiversity and its contribution to national and
global biodiversity. The first step in
this process was identifying the 251 species of greatest conservation need
(SGCN) to represent this biodiversity (Appendix 1.1 and Section
2.1.1.
Species Selection Process). Our approach to addressing the remaining 7
elements builds upon this list.
Developing this CWCS provided Kentucky with the opportunity to expand
current stewardship practices to species and habitats not traditionally
addressed by the KDFWR.
Federal laws and policies have placed the chief
jurisdiction for wildlife conservation programs with the states. Historically, hunters and anglers were the
primary funding source for fish and wildlife conservation in Kentucky and in
the nation. That funding was mainly
through two sources: revenue from the sale of fishing and hunting licenses and
federal excise tax revenue from the sale of fishing and hunting equipment,
apportioned back to states through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This system has been very effective at
funding conservation of game species.
Under a separate funding mechanism, conservation of federally endangered
and threatened species has also been possible.
However, a reliable funding mechanism has not been established to
adequately address the approximate 80% of species that are not hunted, fished,
endangered or threatened.
Beginning with the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration
Act of 1937, Congress recognized the need for adequate funding for wildlife
conservation. This Act, popularly know
as the Pittman-Robertson Act, was approved by Congress on September 2, 1937. The purpose was to provide funding to the
states for the selection, restoration, rehabilitation and improvement of
wildlife habitat, wildlife management research, and the distribution of
information produced by the projects.
The Act was amended October 23, 1970, to include funding for hunter
training programs and the development, operation and maintenance of public
target ranges. Revenues collected from
an 11 percent Federal excise tax on sporting arms, ammunition, and archery
equipment, and a 10 percent tax on handguns fund the Wildlife Restoration
program. Funds for hunter education and
target ranges are derived from one-half of the tax on handguns and archery
equipment. Kentucky’s apportionment for
2005 was $4,629,054. This comprises 12%
of the Department’s total budget.
The Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act,
commonly referred to as the Dingell-Johnson act, passed on August 9, 1950, and
was modeled after the Pittman-Robertson Act to create a parallel program and
source of funding for management, conservation, and restoration of fishery
resources. Revenues collected from the
manufacturers of fishing rods, reels, creels, lures, flies and artificial baits
fund the Sport Fish Restoration program.
An amendment in 1984 (Wallop-Breaux Amendment) added new provisions by
extending the excise tax to previously untaxed items of sport fishing
equipment. Kentucky’s Federal Aid in
Sport Fish Restoration apportionment for 2005 was $4,312,000, or 11% of the
Department’s total budget. In FY 2005,
the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration accounts provided 23% of the
Department’s total budget, while hunting and fishing licenses sales provided
55%.
These funding mechanisms have allowed state wildlife
managers to implement successful management programs that recover or improve
populations of game and sport fish species.
Congress provided funding for threatened and endangered species through
the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (authorized under section
6 of the Endangered Species Act). These
funds are used for a wide array of conservation projects for candidate,
proposed and listed species.
Populations of many
species that are not hunted, fished, threatened or endangered are
declining. Efforts to recover endangered
species are extremely expensive.
Preventive actions that keep species from being listed under the ESA are
the most effective way to assure the future of our fish and wildlife.
As a result of the efforts of the Teaming with
Wildlife Coalition and others, Congress developed the State and Tribal Wildlife
Grant Program that has provided funding for the past several years. This Program provides funding to every state,
territory, and Indian Tribe to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered. It also continues the long history of
cooperation between the federal government and the states for managing and
conserving wildlife species.
1.1.3. Guide to the 8-Elements
In
order to receive future federal funds through the State and Tribal Wildlife
Grants program, Congress required each State and territory to develop a CWCS by
October 1, 2005. Congress also included
8 essential elements that each state must address in their Plan. The 8 elements and associated sub-elements
are listed in the following pages. We
used the format provided by the National Advisory Acceptance Team to present
this information. This section serves as
a “road map” to locating relevant portions of the Plan that address each
element and sub-element. Specific sections
and/or appendices are listed under each element. The Plan was designed to work most
efficiently in an electronic format (CD-ROM or Internet). In these versions hyperlinks are provided
that automatically open the appendices or sections referenced. In the paper document we have included page
numbers in place of hyperlinks. The
physical size of this document makes finding the appropriate page somewhat
cumbersome. We recommend readers use
either the CD-ROM or Internet version to review this section. If hardcopy review is preferred, then readers
should review Section 1.1 (How to Use this Document) in order to become
familiar with the layout of this Plan.
_______________________________________________________
Element Number 1.
Information on the distribution and abundance of species of wildlife,
including low and declining populations as the State fish and
wildlife agency deems
appropriate, that are indicative of the diversity and
health of the State's wildlife.
Information about distribution and abundance is found in
Volume II: Species Accounts.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1 - A The Strategy indicates sources of information (e.g.,
literature, data bases, agencies,
individuals) on wildlife abundance and distribution
consulted during the planning
process.
A
literature cited section is given for each taxonomic group within the species
accounts.
Data for mapping was from
the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources,
Fish and Wildlife
Information System and Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission
Heritage database.
Web link
1 Fish
and Lamprey literature cited
7 Section 2.1.2.
Sources of Information
8 Appendix
2.6 Count of observations (1984 or later) for Kentucky's Species
of
Greatest Conservation Need by data source.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1 - B The Strategy includes information about both abundance and
distribution for species in
all major groups to the extent that data are available.
There are plans for acquiring
information about species for which adequate abundance
and/or distribution
information is unavailable.
Information
about abundance for each species is given within the Species Accounts. The
G-Trend field indicates the
population trend throughout that species range and Comment
field gives additional
information about population abundance.
The S-Trend field indicates
the population trend in
Kentucky and the Comment field has notes about distribution.
Distribution maps are
provided for each species. Acquisition
of additional distribution and
abundance information was
addressed under research and survey needs in Volume III.
Web link
1 Volume
II- Species Accounts and Distribution Maps
2 Appendix
3.2 Kentucky's priority research and survey
needs by taxonomic
3 Appendix
3.9 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
priority
monitoring needs by taxonomic class.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1 - C The Strategy identifies low and declining populations to
the extent data are available.
Species
accounts describe global and statewide trend with the G-Trend, S-Trend, G-
Trend Comment, and S-trend
Comment fields.
Web link
1 Volume
II - Species Accounts
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1 - D All major groups of wildlife have been considered or an
explanation is provided as to
why they were not (e.g., including reference to implemented
marine fisheries
management plans). The State may indicate whether these
groups are to be included in a
future Strategy
revision.
Our
rationale for including and excluding groups of wildlife was explained within
the
Species Selection Process
section. We recognize that future
revisions of this CWCS will
need to include groups of
invertebrates not covered in this draft, especially crayfish, land
snails, and lepidopterans.
Web link
1 Section
2.1.1 Species Selection Process
2 Appendix
2.1 Count of Kentucky's species by
taxonomic class.
3 Appendix
1.1 Kentucky's Species of Greatest
Conservation Need and their
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1 - E The Strategy describes the process used to select the
species in greatest need of
conservation. The quantity of information in the strategy
is determined by the State with
input from its partners, based on what is available to the
State.
The
species selection process was described within the introduction to Volume
II. This
section also describes
input from outside agencies and species experts.
Web link
1 Section 2.1.1 Species
Selection Process
_______________________________________________________
Element Number 2.
Descriptions of locations and relative condition of key habitats and
community types essential to conservation of species
identified in the 1st element.
The species accounts in Binder 2 describe the location and
condition of species specific key
habitats. Maps of
priority conservation areas for each taxonomic class are included as
appendices to Volume IV.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 - A The Strategy provides a reasonable explanation for the
level of detail provided; if
insufficient, the Strategy identifies the types of future
actions that will be taken to
obtain the information.
Existing
habitat information is included in species accounts in the habitat, key habitat
and
life history fields. Key habitats are included with the guild
accounts.
Plans to acquire new
habitat information are described under priority monitoring needs.
Web link
1 Volume
II - Species Accounts
3 Appendix
3.9 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
priority
monitoring needs by taxonomic class.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 - B Key habitats and their relative conditions are described in
enough detail such that the
State can determine where (i.e., in which regions,
watersheds, or landscapes within the
State) and what conservation actions need to take place.
Detailed
site locations and conditions are described in the Species accounts. Landscape
level Priority Conservation
Areas are provided in Volume IV.
Conservation actions can be
derived from the species conservation issues.
Web link
2 Appendix
4.28 Species list by taxonomic class for
Tier I Conservation Areas.
3 Appendix
3.1 Kentucky's 79 conservation issues
and associated actions
4 Appendix
3.3 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy
5 Appendix
3.6 Kentucky's aquatic habitat guild
descriptions and prioritized
6 Appendix
3.8 Kentucky's terrestrial habitat guild
descriptions, prioritized
conservation
actions, objectives, and performance measures.
7 Appendix
4.4 Mussel Conservation Areas
8 Appendix
4.8 Fish & Lamprey Conservation
Areas
9 Appendix
4.13 Amphibian Conservation Areas
10 Appendix
4.17 Bird Conservation Areas
(Forestland)
11 Appendix
4.18 Bird Conservation Areas (Grassland)
12 Appendix
4.19 Bird Conservation Areas (Wetlands)
13 Appendix
4.22 Mammal Conservation Areas
14 Appendix
4.24 Reptile Conservation Areas
15 Section 4.5.
Combined Terrestrial and Aquatic Priority Conservation Areas
_______________________________________________________
Element Number 3. Descriptions
of problems which may adversely affect species identified
in the 1st element or their habitats, and priority research
and survey efforts needed to
identify factors which may assist in restoration and
improved conservation of these species
and habitats.
Conservation issues, conservation actions, and priority
research and survey efforts were
developed in Volume III.
Conservation issues for each species are given within the species
accounts.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 - A The Strategy indicates sources of information (e.g.,
literature, databases, agencies or
individuals) used to determine the problems or threats.
The sources
of information are cited within the text of each Species Account. These are
listed in the literature
cited section of each taxonomic class section in the Species
Accounts.
Web link
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 - B The threats/problems are described in sufficient detail to
develop focused conservation
actions (for example, "increased highway
mortalities" or "acid mine drainage" rather
than generic descriptions such as "development"
or "poor water quality"
Specific
conservation issues were organized within broader threat types.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.1 Kentucky's 79 conservation issues and associated actions.
2 Appendix
3.3 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 - C The Strategy considers threats/problems, regardless of
their origins (local, State,
regional, national and international), where relevant to
the State's species and habitats.
In
addition to the identified threats and problems in 3-B, actions were developed
that have
unique applications, and
included working with national and international partners.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.4 Kentucky's prioritized taxa-specific conservation actions
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 - D If available information is insufficient to describe
threats/problems, research and survey
efforts are
identified to obtain needed information.
Biologists
developed priority research and survey projects that will be required to more
fully understand the
conservation issues.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.2 Kentucky's priority research and
survey needs by taxonomic
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 - E The priority research and survey needs, and resulting
products, are described sufficiently
to allow for the
development of research and survey projects after the Strategy is
approved.
Priority
research and survey needs were specified for each taxonomic class and are
sufficiently detailed to
develop future projects.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.2 Kentucky's priority research and
survey needs by taxonomic
_______________________________________________________
Element Number 4.
Descriptions of conservation actions determined to be necessary to
conserve the identified species and habitats and priorities
for implementing such actions.
Prioritized conservation actions were developed for each
habitat guild.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 - A The Strategy identifies how conservation actions address
identified threats to species of
greatest conservation need and their habitats.
Conservation
issues (threats) were identified for each species and are listed in the species
accounts. Potential conservation actions were developed
to address each conservation
issue. Conservation actions were prioritized for
both aquatic and terrestrial habitat guilds.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.1 Kentucky's 79 conservation issues
and associated actions.
2 Appendix
3.3 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy
3 Appendix
3.6 Kentucky's aquatic habitat guild
descriptions and prioritized
4 Appendix
3.8 Kentucky's terrestrial habitat guild
descriptions, conservation
actions,
objectives, and performance measures.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 - B The Strategy describes conservation actions sufficiently to
guide implementation of those
actions through the
development and execution of specific projects and programs.
We
list research and survey needs. The list
of conservation actions identifies specific
projects and programs to
implement.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.2 Kentucky's priority research and
survey needs by taxonomic
2 Appendix
3.3 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 - C The Strategy links conservation actions to objectives and
indicators that will facilitate
monitoring and performance measurement of those
conservation actions (outlined in
Element #5).
Conservation
actions were organized under objectives within the framework of habitat
guilds. Performance measures were developed for each
major objective.
Web link
2 Appendix
3.7 Objectives, conservation actions,
and performance measures
for
Kentucky's aquatic Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
3 Appendix
3.8 Kentucky's terrestrial habitat guild
descriptions, prioritized
conservation
actions, objectives, and performance measures.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 - D The Strategy describes conservation actions (where relevant
to the State's species and
habitats) that could be addressed by Federal agencies or
regional, national or
international partners and shared with other States.
The
list of conservation actions includes programs addressed by other agencies (for
example, Conservation
Reserve Program) or where partnerships are appropriate.
Web link
1 Section 3.2.
CONSERVATION ISSUES AND ACTIONS
2 Appendix
3.3 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 - E If available information is insufficient to describe needed
conservation actions, the
Strategy identifies research or survey needs for obtaining
information to develop
specific conservation actions.
The
prioritized research and survey needs include many projects designed to
identify
future conservation
actions.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.2 Kentucky's priority research and
survey needs by taxonomic
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 - F The Strategy identifies the relative priority of
conservation actions.
Conservation
actions are ranked within a habitat guild.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.6 Kentucky's aquatic habitat guild descriptions
and prioritized
2 Appendix
3.8 Kentucky's terrestrial habitat guild
descriptions, conservation
actions,
objectives, and performance measures.
_______________________________________________________
Element Number 5.
Descriptions of the proposed plans for monitoring species identified in
the 1st element and their habitats, for monitoring the
effectiveness of the conservation
actions proposed in the 4th element, and for adapting these
conservation actions to respond
appropriately to new information or changing conditions.
Monitoring of SGCN, their habitats, and this CWCS are
covered in Volume III., Section 3.4
Monitoring and Adaptive Management.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5 - A The Strategy describes plans for monitoring species
identified in Element #1, and their
habitats.
The
listed monitoring projects are described as either population monitoring or
habitat
monitoring.
Web link
1 Section 3.4.
MONITORING AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT
2 Appendix
3.9 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
priority
monitoring needs by taxonomic class
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5 - B The Strategy describes how the outcomes of the conservation
actions will be monitored.
Conservation
actions may be monitored by performance measures. Performance measures
were organized under objectives within the
framework of habitat guilds. A Project
Tracking Database will be
implemented to evaluate CWCS effectiveness.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.7 Objectives, conservation actions,
and performance measures
for
Kentucky's aquatic Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
2 Appendix
3.8 Kentucky's terrestrial habitat guild
descriptions, prioritized
conservation
actions, objectives, and performance measures.
3 Appendix 3.10
Evaluating the effectiveness of Kentucky’s Comprehensive
Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5 - C If monitoring is not identified for a species or species
group, the Strategy explains why it
is not appropriate,
necessary or possible.
Monitoring
plans were developed for all taxonomic groups.
Web link
1 Section 3.4.
MONITORING AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5 - D Monitoring is to be accomplished at one of several levels
including individual species,
guilds, or natural communities.
Monitoring
projects were developed to address a wide range of targets; including species,
populations, and habitats.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.9 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
priority
monitoring needs by taxonomic class
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5 - E The monitoring utilizes or builds on existing monitoring
and survey systems or explains
how information will be obtained to determine the
effectiveness of conservation actions.
Monitoring
projects were identified as either established or new.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.9 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
priority
monitoring needs by taxonomic class
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5 - F The monitoring considers the appropriate geographic scale
to evaluate the status of
species or species groups and the effectiveness of
conservation actions.
Monitoring
projects were developed for watersheds, ecoregions,
and microhabitats.
Web link
1 Appendix
3.9 Kentucky's Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
priority
monitoring needs by taxonomic class
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5 - G The Strategy is adaptive in that it allows for evaluating
conservation actions and
implementing new actions accordingly.
A
Project Tracking Database will be implemented to evaluate CWCS conservation
actions
and to adapt those actions
accordingly.
Web link
1 Section 3.4.
MONITORING AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT
2 Appendix 3.10
Evaluating the effectiveness of Kentucky’s Comprehensive
Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
_______________________________________________________
Element Number 6.
Descriptions of procedures to review the Strategy/Plan at intervals not
to exceed ten years.
Volume I describes plans for reviewing the strategy,
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 - A The State describes the process that will be used to review
the Strategy within the next
ten years.
We
will complete comprehensive reviews at intervals of not more than 5 years. Section
3.4 discusses the adaptive
management of the monitoring projects.
Appendix 3.10 lists the
plans to update the conservation actions annually.
Web link
1 Section 3.4
Monitoring and adaptive management
2 Appendix 3.10 Evaluating
the effectiveness of Kentucky’s Comprehensive
Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
_______________________________________________________
Element Number 7.
Descriptions of the plans for coordinating, to the extent feasible, the
development, implementation, review, and revision of the
Plan-Strategy with Federal, State,
and local agencies
and Indian tribes that manage significant land and water areas within
the State or administer programs that significantly affect
the conservation of identified
species and habitats.
Partners were involved throughout the planning process.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 - A The State describes the extent of its coordination with and
efforts to involve Federal,
State and local agencies, and Indian Tribes in the
development of its Strategy.
Significant
input from external agencies and species experts was used to develop the
CWCS species list, review
species occurrence maps, and review of the complete strategy
via the internet. There are currently no federally recognized Native
American tribes or
tribal areas in Kentucky.
Web link
2 Section 2.1.1. Species
Selection Process
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 - B The State describes its continued coordination with these
agencies and tribes in the
implementation, review and revision of its Strategy.
Partners
will be asked to biennially review conservation actions, and to review CWCS
goals and objectives at the
end of 5 years.
Web link
3 Appendix 3.10
Evaluating the effectiveness of Kentucky’s Comprehensive
Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
_______________________________________________________
Element Number 8.
Descriptions of the necessary public participation in the development,
revision, and implementation of the Plan.
Public participation is described in Volume I.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
8 - A The State describes the extent of its efforts to involve the
public in the development of
its Strategy.
The
complete plan was made available on the web and comments were solicited. The plan
was described on Kentucky Afield
Radio and Kentucky Afield Television and through
press releases.
Web link
1 Section 1.5
Public participation
2 Appendix 3.10
Evaluating the effectiveness of Kentucky’s Comprehensive
Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
__________________________________________________________________________________________
8 - B The State describes its continued public involvement in the
implementation and revision
of its Strategy.
Public
opinion surveys are conducted every decade.
Updates to the CWCS plan will be
made available on a public
web site.
Web link
1 Appendix 3.10
Evaluating the effectiveness of Kentucky’s Comprehensive
Wildlife
Conservation Strategy
2 Section 1.5
Public participation
1.1.4.
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Regulations of the KDFWR are
established by a 9-member commission. Vacancies
to the Commission are filled by appointment by the Governor from a list of 5
names from each the 9 wildlife districts, recommended and submitted by the
sportsmen of each respective district.
The Commission is largely bi-partisan, as no more that 5 members can be
from the same political party. All
regulations proposed by the Commission must be published and available for
public review. Also, Kentucky Revised
Statute 61.820 requires that all meetings of all public agencies of this state,
and any committees or subcommittees thereof, shall be held at specified times
and places which are convenient to the public, and all public agencies shall
provide for a schedule of regular meetings by ordinance, order, resolution,
bylaws, or by whatever other means may be required for the conduct of business
of that public agency. The schedule of
regular meetings shall be made available to the public. The commission and each of the subcommittees
of the Commission meet at least 4 times per year. This provides another avenue of public input
to the CWCS.
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Mission Statement
We are stewards of Kentucky's fish and wildlife
resources and their habitats. We manage
for the perpetuation of these resources and their use by present and future
generations. Through partnerships, we
will enhance wildlife diversity and promote sustainable use, including hunting,
fishing, boating and other nature-related recreation.
Kentucky
Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Strategic Goals
Goal 1. Enhance wildlife diversity.
Goal 2. Promote
sustainable use.
Goal 3. Increase
scientific knowledge
Goal 4. Instill within
citizens a sense of stewardship
Goal 5. Ensure organizations effectiveness (effective, efficient, responsive, and representative)
Chapter 150 of Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) establishes the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) as the State agency responsible for the conservation of the State’s wildlife resources. KRS 150.010 (http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/150-00/010.PDF) defines wildlife as "any normally undomesticated animal, alive or dead, including without limitations any wild mammal, bird, fish, reptile, amphibian, or other terrestrial or aquatic life”. These statutes have been liberally interpreted to include wildlife conservation and protection, wildlife research, conservation education, and wildlife-associated recreation programs.
The Department's wildlife conservation, conservation education, and recreation programs utilize the collective knowledge and expertise of staff throughout the agency working in collaboration with state, federal, local, university and private partners. We believe that wise decision-making is dependent on an effective interface between biologists, the public, and policy makers. Staff are continuously kept current with the latest theories and techniques in ecological science, monitoring and research, and human dimensions.
The Department recognizes that limited funding has left a broad array of wildlife species and associated habitats with unmet needs. Two task forces also identified these funding needs. In 1995, the Kentucky Biodiversity Task Force issued a report, after extensive studies involving a broad array of state, federal, university and private interest and extensive public involvement, on the status of biodiversity in Kentucky and strategies to sustain this natural heritage. The task force identified the need for expanded programs to conserve and enhance conditions for wildlife, especially for those species not hunted or fished. They also found that while there were programs that addressed threatened and endangered species there were few programs that addressed endangered ecosystems and that by sustaining endangered ecosystems a large number of species would be prevented from becoming threatened or endangered. In 1997 a legislative task force, The Task Force on Funding Wildlife Conservation (Legislative Research Commission 1997), emphasized the ecological, aesthetic, cultural, and recreational values of wildlife to Kentucky and the need for additional funding for wildlife conservation. State and Tribal Wildlife Conservation Grants will make it possible to meet some of these unmet needs.
The Department uses a wide array of tools to conserve, enhance and protect wildlife habitat. These include but are not limited to land acquisition, landowner incentives, landowner recognition, cooperative agreements, partnering with other state and federal agencies, partnering with individual landowners and businesses, and informational and educational programs.
The Department recognizes the success of our programs is contingent on the understanding and support of people. Therefore, we use collaborative planning and learning to provide opportunities for people to work together and to build stewardship capacity for sustainability.
Priority for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants will be given to development, revision, and implementation of wildlife conservation and restoration programs and projects that address the unmet needs of a diverse array of wildlife and associated habitats. The future desired condition expected to result from these programs is sustaining Kentucky’s biological diversity.
Kentucky is a diverse state in many ways. The state’s diversity is exhibited in it physical landscape, its plant and animal species, and its cultural characteristics. It was admitted to the Union in 1792, and its current boundaries were established in 1818 with the acquisition of the Jackson Purchase from the Chickasaws. Its location in the central part of North America has much to do with the variety found within its borders. It is bounded by the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers on the west; the Ohio River on the north; the Big Sandy River, Pine Mountain, and Cumberland Mountain on the east; and the state of Tennessee to the south.
Kentucky’s vegetation as witnessed by the first European settlers was in part a reflection of the practices of Native Americans. The ecological assemblages of vegetation that formed after glaciers retreated evolved in the presence of Native Americans from temperate vegetation that survived to the south. There is much debate among ecologists as to the extent of the influence by Native Americans. Prehistoric cultures are known to have existed in the area about 12,000 years ago. Their way of life evolved during that time from a hunter/gatherer society to one based on agriculture.
According to Delcourt (2002) the vegetation encountered by early Europeans was not a stable “virgin” forest untouched by humans but a “dynamic mosaic” of species, still adapting to postglacial changes and the effects of human disturbance. Native Americans burned parts of the ecosystems in which they lived to promote a diversity of habitats, especially increasing the “edge effect,” which gave them greater security and stability to their lives. Their use of fire was different from European settlers who burned to create greater uniformity in ecosystems. In general, during the pre-settlement period, fires were often interpreted as either purposeful or accidental. Fires were purposefully set for hunting, improving growth and yields, creating fireproof areas, collecting honey, pest management, warfare, and signaling. These purposeful fires differ from natural fires by the seasonality of burning, frequency of burning, and the intensity of the fire. Further study is needed to more fully understand the extent of fire use by Native Americans and the effect on landscape composition, structure and function. At the time of European settlement the vegetation of Kentucky was likely a patch-work of community types in some areas, but the matrix across most of the state was old growth forest.
European settlers coming to Kentucky in the middle
1700s found and exploited a wealth of natural resources, including abundant
wildlife populations. By the early 1900s
they had decimated populations of wildlife such as the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo),
American bison (Bos bision), and
white-tailed deer (Odocoileus
virginianus). Others, such as the
passenger pigeon (Ectopistes
migratorius) and eastern elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis) were lost to extinction.
1.2.1.
Land Ownership, Human Population, and Economics
The total surface area of Kentucky is 25,863,412 acres. It is divided into 120 different counties (Appendix 1.2). Very little of Kentucky’s land area is in public ownership (approximately 8%). Public land holdings tend to be small and isolated with little connectivity between parcels (Appendix 1.3). Only 9 of the 223 public land parcels mapped by the Kentucky Gap Analysis Project (Wethington et al. 2003) were larger than 25,000 acres. Conversely, 110 of the 223 were smaller than 625 acres. Overall, Federal ownership (1,707,000 acres) is much greater than state ownership (243,541 acres; Appendix 1.4). The U.S. Forest Service is the largest holder of public lands with 811,042 acres or 3.1% of the total surface area. At just over 700,000 acres, the Daniel Boone National Forest is the largest single property although there are substantial private in-holdings within the proclamation boundary.
Approximately 92% of the land area in Kentucky is in private ownership; consequently, any conservation efforts must involve private landowners. Many existing state and Federal programs exist to promote good wildlife stewardship practices on private land. For example, as of July 2005, Kentucky landowners had 344,747 acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program and 3,105 acres in the Wetland Reserve Program. Landowners with more than a million acres of land are participating in KDFWR Habitat Improvement Programs.
Historically, Kentucky has been a rural state. This is quickly changing. The Census Bureau reports the 2004 estimated population for Kentucky to be 4,145,922, up nearly 1 million from the 3,230,894 reported in 1970 (http://www.census.gov/). Using the current estimated growth rate of 0.86% per year, another 1 million (5,235,685) will be added by 2030. Based on 2000 census data, the most densely populated areas in Kentucky include Jefferson County, Fayette County, northern Kentucky near Cincinnati (Boone, Kenton, and Campbell Counties), Boyle County, Davies County, and McCracken County (Appendix 1.5). These same counties tend to have experienced the greatest increase in population density. Warren and Laurel counties are exceptions to this trend. Both these counties have experienced relatively high population increases over the past decade and are located within Priority Conservation Areas identified in Section 4.5.
Kentucky’s estimated population density in July 2005 was 106.9 persons per square mile. Over the next 25 years the density is expected to increase to 131.8 persons per square mile. In 2004 there were an estimated 1,647,464 households in Kentucky with the average household size being 2.5 people. The number of households is estimated to grow to more than 2,000,000 over the next 25 years. The population is currently 48% rural and 52% urban resulting in relatively high level of development per capita. The 1997 Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) showed 1,737,500 acres of developed land in Kentucky (Natural Resources Conservation Service, 1997). That is 0.45 acre per person. The NRI also showed that Kentucky developed 237,100 acres from 1992 to 1997 or approximately 130 acres per day. Habitat loss and fragmentation are among the most serious threats to Kentucky’s wildlife. As levels of habitat drop below critical threshold levels, a wide range of factors can influence both the reduction in species diversity and decline of populations. These are sometimes called cascading fragmentation effects (Lindenmayer and Franklin 2002). They include changes in population and genetic structure, and environmental variability.
Historically, Kentucky’s economy has been land based. Agriculture, forestry, and mineral extraction were the primary industries. These industries are still important, but in recent decades Kentucky’s economy has steadily diversified. The Gross State Product (GSP) in 2003 was $128.98 billion. The largest sector of the economy was manufacturing at $25.5 billion. Farms accounted for $1.5 billion, mineral extraction for $2.3 billion, and forestry slightly less than a half billion dollars (US Department of Commerce, 2005).
Kentucky is the 3rd largest coal producer in the United States behind Wyoming and West Virginia. In 2004 Kentucky’s total coal production was 113.5 million tons of which 61% was by underground mining and 39% was by surface mining (Office of Surface Mining 2004a). In 2004, 86 new permits were issued for 32,815 acres bringing the total permitted acres since 1977 to 1,705,900 acres (Office of Surface Mining 2004b). The total acreage disturbed is 245,577. The National Mining Association (NMA) estimates the annual production value of all mining in Kentucky to be $3.74 billion with a total economic impact of $14.89 billion (not including oil).
Kentucky ranks 4th in total number of farms, tied with Tennessee and following Texas, Missouri and Iowa (US Department of Agriculture, 2005). In 2003, Kentucky had 87,000 farms, averaging 159 acres and totaling of 13,800,000 acres statewide (row crop and pasture) or approximately 54% of the total acreage in the state (US Department of Agriculture, 2005). The National Agricultural Statistics Service lists total farm sales at $3.47 billion (Kentucky Agricultural Statistic Service, 2004).
Kentucky ranks 3rd nationally in hardwood production with more than $4.5 billion of revenue generated annually from the primary and secondary wood industries (Kentucky Division of Forestry 2005). The 2003 Forest Inventory revealed that forest land covers nearly 12 million acres or slightly under half of Kentucky’s land area, showing a decrease of 769,000 acres since the 1988 inventory (U.S. Forest Service, 2005). The vast majority (89%) of this land is in private ownership. Timber removals averaged 311.8 million cubic feet annually (U.S. Forest Service, 2005).
In comparison, the total economic impact of fishing, hunting and wildlife watching in 2001 in Kentucky was $3.2 billion (American Sportfishing Association 2002, and Caudhill 2001).
While the economic rank of these traditional industries has lessened to some degree they are very evident upon the landscape. The historic and current importance of these 3 industries to the people of Kentucky cannot be overstated. We recognize this importance and seek to cooperate with private and commercial stake holders to find ways to preserve these industries, but make them friendlier to fish and wildlife. Many existing programs seek to improve guidelines given in Best Management Practices and other education efforts. There are many opportunities through this strategy to improve habitats by working cooperatively with these industries.
Kentucky’s landscapes are among the most varied in the eastern United States, ranging from striking mountains to gently rolling lowlands to flat plains, interspersed with knobs and caves (Appendix 1.6, Appendix 1.7). Beyond its aesthetic appeal, this variety holds a great wealth of biodiversity. An excellent discussion of the relationship between Kentucky’s physical setting and its natural communities is provided by Jones (2005).
Kentucky’s location in the southeast interior U.S. produces a moderate climate. Bailey (1995) classified Kentucky’s climate as in the Humid Temperate Domain. The state’s weather systems are associated with cyclic movement of the jet stream. Winter and spring weather are dominated by low pressure, including both cold and warm fronts, bringing cloudy, cool, and sometimes wet days. In winter, an occasional high pressure system dips southward from Canada bringing cold, clear and dry conditions to the state and region. The jet stream moves northward in summer and fall and the state is dominated by high-pressure. Clockwise airflow around this high-pressure system results in warm, humid summers as air flows up the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys from the south. The prevalent wind direction is from the south-southwest with typically light surface winds.
Temperatures
in Kentucky are normally at the lowest in January and highest in July. Latitude and elevation influence mean annual
temperatures in the state. The highest
temperatures usually occur in extreme western Kentucky at the lower elevations. The lowest temperatures occur along the
upland Ohio and West Virginia borders.
Thirty-year averages of mean annual temperatures throughout Kentucky
vary with a maximum of 60°F for Gilbertsville in the west and a minimum of 53°F
for Ashland in the east. Extremely cold
or hot temperatures are rare. The
growing season follows a similar pattern to temperature patterns
geographically, extending from 155-170 days in eastern and northern regions to
more than 200 days in western and southern portions of the state.
Kentucky
receives about 46 inches of precipitation annually. Although precipitation is distributed fairly
evenly throughout the year, most of the state experiences a spring maximum and
fall minimum. The annual distribution of
precipitation is typically in phase with the temperature fluctuations during
the summer months. The precipitation
maximum normally occurs in the same month as the temperature maximum, often in
July. Western Kentucky, however,
exhibits a March precipitation maximum.
Eastern Kentucky shows a July precipitation maximum with a strong
secondary peak in March. October is
usually the driest month in the state.
Kentucky receives about twelve inches of snowfall annually, but most
winter precipitation falls as rain, drizzle, or sleet. Ice storms occasionally cause major
ecological disturbance in Kentucky.
1.2.4.
Habitats, Vegetation, and Natural Communities
Effective management of natural resources requires the combination of high-quality science and the availability of data-rich information. A key information need for fish and wildlife resource managers, scientists, and educators is the current state of knowledge about species and their habitats.
Wildlife habitat is a concept related to a particular wildlife species. More specifically, habitat is an area with the combination of the necessary resources (e.g., food, cover, water) and environmental conditions (temperature, precipitation, presence or absence of predators and competitors) that promotes occupancy by individuals of a given species (or population), and allows those individuals to survive and reproduce. The arrangement of these habitat resources and features to meet the biological needs of a species identifies the habitat niche a species occupies. From a systems perspective this provides a framework for the ecological role or function that individual species play within the environment.
In general, terrestrial habitats in Kentucky are either directly or closely linked to forests. The Kentucky Biodiversity Task Force (1995) estimated that forests covered 90-95 percent of Kentucky at the time of settlement and that barrens and other open communities covered 5-10 percent (Appendix 1.8). Today Kentucky is about 47 percent forested, and the original barrens exist only in a few small remnants. Several classification systems exist for organizing the forests, but recognizing all of the different forest classifications is beyond the scope of this strategy. Jones (2005) recently published a guide to the vascular flora of Kentucky. This work was used extensively by terrestrial taxonomic group leaders to develop the habitat guilds (Section 3.3.2). Readers desiring a more thorough discussion of forests and other vegetative communities are referred to Jones (2005).
Wetland habitats form the transition between terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Even though wetlands occur throughout the state, the major wetlands of Kentucky are the bottomland hardwood forests concentrated on the broad floodplains and poorly drained areas in western Kentucky in the Coastal Plain (Mississippi Embayment) and Shawnee Hills regions. Forests along all of the major rivers and streams are the remnants of forests that occupied the associated floodplain. Some of the most productive natural areas in Kentucky are wetlands. They once covered an estimated 1.6 million acres, but have been reduced to about 320,000 acres, an 80 percent loss (Dahl, 1990). Many of the remaining wetlands have also been degraded.
Aquatic habitats in Kentucky include streams, oxbow lakes, sloughs, springs, and cave streams. These habitats range from small headwater streams to the Mississippi River and also include 23 major reservoirs, 147 public lakes, and well over 200,000 farm ponds. There are 89,431 miles of streams and 40,409 acres of surface water in Kentucky (Kentucky Division of Water, 2005). Stream habitat conditions differ according to gradient, volume and constancy of flow, current velocity, water clarity, development of riffles and pools, and nature of the bottom materials (Pflieger, 1975). Taxonomic group leaders used the habitat classification system presented by Burr and Warren, 1986 (Section 3.3.1).
1.2.5. Kentucky’s Ecoregions
Level III (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2002) and level IV (Woods et al. 2002) ecoregions formed the basis for our spatial assessment of terrestrial SGCN and their habitats (Appendix 1.9 and Appendix 1.10). There are 7 level III ecoregions in Kentucky. The Interior Low Plateaus (ILP) comprises the largest single ecoregion and occupies a central location within the state. This ecoregion includes the Bluegrass area around Lexington, the karst region including a portion of Mammoth Cave National Park, and all of the Land Between the Lakes National Forest. Mammoth Cave National Park lies in both the ILP and the Interior River Valleys and Hills ecoregion (IRVH). This ecoregion is made up of nearly level lowlands that are dominated by agriculture and forested hills (Woods et al. 2002). Forested bottomland wetlands were once common here but these have largely been replaced and/or degraded by extensive agriculture and coal mining. The Mississippi Alluvial Plain and Mississippi Valley Loess Plains ecoregions occupy the far western portions of Kentucky. Here is found the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and the overall topography flattens forming numerous swamps, sloughs. Eastern Kentucky contains 3 ecoregions, the Southwest Appalachians, Central Appalachians, and Western Allegheny Plateau. All these are associated with steep relief, head water streams, and large blocks of deciduous forest cover.
The level III ecoregions were subdivided into 25 level IV ecoregions by Woods et al. 2002. All but 4 of the 25 continue into similar parts of adjacent states (Griffith et al. 1998; Woods et al. 1998). The digital boundary data along with highly descriptive text (Appendix 1.11) was developed through a collaborative effort between many federal and state agencies along with non-governmental organizations such as The Nature Conservancy. These finer scale ecoregion boundaries are ideal for coordinating efforts across political and administrative boundaries. They form a good representative of the ecologic and biologic diversity in Kentucky. Biological information about these ecoregions is easily shared with adjoining states. As described in Section 4.4 Level IV ecoregions formed the basis for identifying conservation areas for terrestrial SGCN.
Watersheds (hydrologic units) were used to examine the distribution of aquatic SGCN (U.S. Geological Survey, 2001a; U.S. Geological Survey, 2001b). We employed a 2-tiered approach by using both large (8-digit hydrologic units) and smaller watersheds (14 digit hydrologic units). There are 42 distinct 8-digit watersheds ranging in size from approximately 9,000 acres (Obion Creek) to 2,075,247 acres (Kentucky River) with an average area of 615,772 acres (Appendix 1.12). All drain into either the Ohio or Mississippi Rivers. Kentucky shares many of these 8-digit watershed basins with Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia providing further opportunity for coordination with neighboring states. We used the 8-digit watershed boundaries to delineate conservation areas for fishes, lampreys, and mussels (Section 4.3). There are 9,096 14-digit hydrologic units that vary in size from under 1 acre up to 138,977 acres and averaging 2,844 acres. These smaller watersheds were used to identify ‘hot spots’ for aquatic species (Section 4.3.3).
The Division of Water, under the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet, is the lead state agency for monitoring and assessing Kentucky’s watersheds. They have initiated a multi-year project, the Watershed Management Initiative (http://www.watersheds.ky.gov/framework/). The KDFWR has participated in this collaborative effort since its inception. Continued cooperation and expansion of these existing programs are key components for successful implementation of this CWCS for aquatic organisms.
1.3. PLANNING
This section provides a general overview of the CWCS planning process. More detailed methodologies for making decisions are included in other sections of this document, especially in Section 3.4.
The simple objective of any planning process is to promote decisions that are informed, understood, accepted, and able to be implemented. An additional objective is to promote ongoing learning through the planning process so that future decisions can be better informed. With an acknowledgment of these objectives and an acceptance of the KDFWR goals and the State and Tribal Wildlife Conservation Grants Legislation, our planning process for the CWCS is structured with several fundamental elements at its core:
· It is built upon assessments
· It is grounded in current scientific understanding
· It is collaborative in nature
· It is focused on desired future conditions
· It is enhanced by independent review
· It is structured to build stewardship capacity
· It has monitoring, evaluation and adaptation as integral components.
Appropriate priority is placed on those species with the greatest conservation need. The CWCS planning process is a dynamic process and the CWCS is a living document; consequently, the process will continue long after the first iteration of the Strategy is completed.
Informed decisions are those well grounded in an understanding of current conditions and future trends, all at spatial and temporal scales appropriate to the issues that define the planning process. Informed decisions build upon current ecological and human systems of the planning area and current knowledge of those systems. Hence, the CWCS planning process is outward-looking to capture the full scope of the issues involved, is built upon comprehensive assessments that describe the ecological as well as the social elements of the planning area, and is grounded in science. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and relational databases were used throughout the planning process. The 5 “species/technical committees” reviewed existing literature, including other plans; consulted with other experts; and used best professional judgment to identify issues facing “species with greatest conservation needs” and their habitats and to develop and prioritize conservation actions to abate those issues.
The planning committees reviewed numerous plans developed by other agencies. These included but were not limited to: North American Waterfowl Plan (2004), Partner-in-Flight North American Landbird Conservation Plan (Rich et al. 2004), United States Shorebird Conservation Plan (Brown et al. 2001), North American Waterbird Conservation Plan (Kushlan et al. 2002), Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture Migratory Bird Science Team (2002), Kentucky Biodiversity Task Force (1995), TNC Ecoregional Plans (TNC, Unpublished data) , Kentucky Watershed Management Initiative (Kentucky Division of Water 2004, 5 plans), Daniel Boone National Forest Plan (U.S. Forest Service 2004), Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Plan (2004), Jefferson National Forest Plan (U.S. Forest Service 2004), Federally listed species recovery plans (9 plans), National Invasive Species Plan (National Invasive Species Council 2001), National Strategy and Implementation Plan for Invasive Species Management (U.S. Forest Service 2004), Habitat management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest (Kingsbury and Gibson 2002, Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation), and An Assessment and Strategy for the Conservation of Aquatic Resources on the Daniel Boone National Forest (Aquatic Resource Assessment Team 2001).
The CWCS planning process is collaborative in nature, fostering communication, coordination and problem solving across a diverse spectrum of individuals, organizations, agencies, and governments whose concurrence, involvement, and action are essential to the success of the CWCS planning process. Early in the planning process we organized a steering committee, a core committee, a partner committee, and 5 technical/species specialists committees. The partners committee included representatives from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, Kentucky Division of Water, The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition to the partners committee, we communicated with other state and federal natural resources management agencies throughout the planning process.
The CWCS planning process is designed to illuminate the desired future conditions of not just the Department but also other affected interests. Prior to initiating this process, KDFWR and its partners conducted more than 40 regional and statewide public meetings (9 Strategic Plan, 11 Biodiversity Task Force, 15 Smart Growth, and at least one in each of the 7 river basins during the Division of Water’s watershed planning initiative). These meetings framed issues relating to sustaining Kentucky’s Biological Diversity. Participants repeatedly told us that sustaining Kentucky’s diverse wildlife was important, but an equal number told us that maintaining private landowner rights was important. They encouraged us to provide private landowners with technical, financial, and educational assistance to enhance their stewardship capacity. The incorporation of independent review ensures that the decisions are sound and credible beyond KDFWR. Throughout the CWCS planning process draft documents were provided to technical experts across Kentucky for their comments.
Decisions that are able to be implemented are those made in a manner that recognizes institutional, political, budgetary, and behavior realities and incentives and that builds the capacity for stewardship. Since 92% of the land in Kentucky is in private ownership, successful conservation depends on the commitment of the people living with wildlife. Habitats on these lands will only be preserved if compatible with long-term economic and social benefits.
Planning should be structured to promote continuous learning. Hence, the CWCS planning process incorporates monitoring, evaluation, and adaptation mechanisms that promote feedback, learning, and change as knowledge expands, events occur, and public policies evolve. The planning teams also developed performance measures that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation actions and to adapt actions. Performance based monitoring and the use of adaptive management will result in continuous improvement of the CWCS. This approach is essential to adapting to change and unexpected outcomes (ecological uncertainty).
Sustainability of ecological systems is not and cannot be the sole responsibility of any single agency, organization or landowner. Ecological systems transcend pubic and private land ownerships; they do not recognize or conform to geopolitical boundaries. What happens ecologically on one parcel of land will invariably affect what is possible on adjacent lands. Since much of Kentucky’s total land area is in private ownership, efforts to sustain Kentucky’s biodiversity must involve, gain acceptance of, and increase the stewardship capacity of private landowners. Federal agencies are the largest land holders in Kentucky. Coordination with other federal and state landowners is essential to developing integrated strategies and for adapting these strategies to changed conditions over time.
Much of the data analyzed in this plan was provided by other state agencies, such as the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission and Kentucky Division of Water; federal agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service; non-governmental organizations, such as the Nature Conservancy; a myriad of university scientists; and interested individuals. It enables policies, strategies, and management decisions to be informed in a scientifically credible manner. The planning process seeks to identify knowledge gaps and research needs to inform management decisions. It fosters understanding and concurrence on the conditions of the land and resources. The desired future includes sustaining Kentucky’s wildlife diversity and the habitats on which it depends.
1.4. COORDINATION
Coordination with other
state and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations is essential to
conservation of SGCN. KDFWR has
recognized this in its conservation efforts prior to the CWCS planning
process. Examples of collaborative
conservation efforts include the Green River Conservation Reserve Enhancement
Program, the Copperbelly Watersnake
Conservation Agreement, and cooperative agreements with the Daniel Boone National
Forest, the Land Between the Lakes National Forest and Recreation Area, the
Nature Conservancy, Kentucky Division of Forestry, Kentucky State Nature
Preserves Commission, and the Army Corp of Engineers. KDFWR is a major participant in the Watershed
Management Initiative coordinated by the Kentucky Division of Water. These prior and continuing efforts have
provided a good foundation for collaboration and coordination in the CWCS
planning process.
Early in the planning process a “partner team” that
included the Nature Conservancy, Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission,
Kentucky Division of Water, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the KDFWR was
developed. We have also provided other
state and federal natural resource management agency representatives,
university personnel, non-affiliated individuals, and NGOs with copies of draft
documents and encouraged them to comment (Appendix 1.13). Employees of the KDFWR not serving
specifically on the CWCS team were also informed of the planning efforts and
encouraged to provide input.
Through the implementation of the CWCS we will
engage those who have the information, knowledge, and expertise to contribute;
those who have sole control or authority over lands important to wildlife;
those who have the skills, energy, time, and resources to carry out stewardship
activities; and those who can independently validate the credibility of
stewardship decisions and the reality of achievements.
The involvement of all Kentuckians is vital to the conservation of biological diversity. Initiatives already being taken at multiple levels can be catalyzed by a variety of integrated measures that increase awareness and involvement. Public participation relevant to the CWCS includes involvement prior to initiation of the CWCS planning process and during the planning process.
1.5.1. Public
Participation Prior to CWCS Planning Process
From 1993 to the present KDFWR has included questions on wildlife conservation in the biannual Kentucky Poll conducted by the University of Kentucky Survey Research Center. These polls have helped frame conservation issues by providing information on public attitudes and trends. We also contracted the University of Kentucky Survey Research Center to conduct polls relating to specific issues. These include but are not limited to: Biodiversity Poll (focused on knowledge, attitudes, and values), Landowner Survey, and Smart Growth Survey.
In 1993 and 1994 strategic planning public meetings were conducted in each of the 9 Commission districts. The focus of these meetings was to gain input from the public on the agencies proposal to move from focusing mostly on game species to focusing on all species. More than 1,200 people participated in these meetings. Prior to each public meeting a similar meeting was held with all agency staff in each district.
In 1995 a Biodiversity Task Force was appointed to analyze the current status of biodiversity, identify the human and natural factors affecting it, and make recommendations for sustaining it. It was co-chaired by the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources. It included members from state and federal natural resource agencies, conservation organizations, ecological consultants, colleges and universities, industry, the Kentucky Farm Bureau, coal companies, timber companies, and legislators. A major component of the Task Force’s work focused on finding out what Kentuckians think should and should not be done in the effort to conserve biodiversity. The Task Force held 11 public meetings statewide, attracting more than 700 participants and conducted a statewide poll through the University of Kentucky Survey Research Center.
In 1997, KDFWR worked with private landowners and other state and federal agencies to develop the Kentucky Private Lands Council to assist private landowners with conservation projects. Part of this effort included a series of meetings with private landowners to get their input on how state and federal agencies could assist with their conservation efforts. Landowners wanted KDFWR to continue its very successful Habitat Incentive Program and to provide them with more stewardship incentives.
In 2001 a Smart Growth Task Force was appointed by the governor. KDFWR facilitated the work of the Smart Growth Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and Wildlife. Fifteen public meetings were held across the state with more than 2,000 participants. In anticipation of CWCS planning we solicited input on wildlife conservation issues. The University of Kentucky Survey Research Center conducted a statewide poll on attitudes toward Smart Growth.
Even though public input from these efforts were spread over a period of 8 years, the findings of the majority’s opinion was similar:
Surveys of non-industrial landowners showed the most important reasons for owning land were: to pass on to their children and grand children, wildlife conservation, and recreation. Results from our participation in the biannual Kentucky Polls were essentially the same.
1.5.2. Public Participation During the CWCS
Planning Process
Throughout the CWCS planning process KDFWR continued to participate in the biannual Kentucky Poll. Over the 12-year period we have participated in the Kentucky Poll there has been very little shift in attitudes and values toward wildlife. Kentuckians place a high priority on sustaining wildlife populations and two-thirds reported that they participated in some form of wildlife-associated recreation. The 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife Associated Recreation had similar results with 40% of Kentuckians watching wildlife and 58% participating in some type of wildlife-associated recreation.
In the 2004 Spring Kentucky Poll, 92.1% of the respondents reported they had Internet access at home, at work, or both and 81.7% said they frequently accessed the Internet. Therefore, we made the draft CWCS available on the KDFWR Website and encouraged readers to comment. We received 339 hits to the site but very few comments. The Kentucky Afield TV Program did a segment on the CWCS and directed interested individuals to the KDFWR website to review and comment on the strategy. Kentucky Afield Magazine also did an article on the CWCS.
1.6. IMPLEMENTATION
This version of Kentucky’s CWCS plan was intended to address each of the 8 elements required by the STWG legislation. Our work consisted largely of gathering existing baseline data and communicating our efforts with others. We viewed implementation as a separate process that will build upon the Plan. Continued development of the Plan is a dynamic process with new information continuously leading to adaptation of the Plan. Important components of this process include continued coordination with partners and adaptive management with periodic review of the document.
We recognize that effective implementation will require full involvement of our conservation partners, taxonomic experts, and the public. We are committed to establishing a multi-agency committee that will guide implementation of the Plan. There will be many tasks for this group that includes the following:
We will complete comprehensive reviews at intervals of not more than 5 years. These reviews will be guided by the following fundamental principles with appropriate priority placed on those species with the greatest conservation need:
· Built upon assessments
· Grounded in current scientific understanding
· Collaborative in nature
· Focused on desired future conditions
· Enhanced by independent review
· Structured to build stewardship capacity
· Monitoring, evaluation and adaptation as integral components.
We will use three types of reviews: internal review, partners review, and public review. Internal review will be a continuous process. We will use performance based monitoring identified in the strategy and new information from research and monitoring to adapt the strategy. Partners and public review will also be a continuous process but will be more intense during the comprehensive 5-year review.
Implementation of this strategy is not a precise process; there are many unknowns that are not under the control of resource managers. We will acknowledge the dynamic nature of ecological systems. Consequently, some strategies that were developed using the best available scientific information in 2005 will need to be adapted. These systems are also subject to anthropogenic disturbances that are beyond the control of resource managers. These changes will also require adaptations to the Plan.
We will acknowledge the significance of natural ecological processes. Kentucky’s landscapes will continuously change as a result of anthropogenic activity, natural succession, disturbance, climate change, loss of site productivity, establishment and spread of nonnative species, habitat fragmentation, loss of landscape connectivity and the loss of native species diversity. For example, we recently lost most of the Pine Ecosystem in Kentucky due to the Southern Pine Beetle outbreak. Natural processes will be considered in defining desired future conditions as well as in developing strategies for conservation.
We will acknowledge the uncertainty and inherent variability of ecological systems. Uncertainty arises from an incomplete understanding of how ecological systems work; from insufficient information; and from demographic, environmental, and genetic stochasticity. We will use results of new research and monitoring to adapt the strategy.
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American Sportfishing Association. Sportfishing in
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