Wildlands Conservation Inc

ONE OF THE MANY SPECIES KNOWN TO OCCUPY COASTAL WETLANDS IS THE FEDERALLY AND STATE THREATENED EASTERN BLACK RAIL (LATERALLUS JAMAICENSIS JAMAICENSIS). THERE IS CURRENTLY A GULF COAST-WIDE RECOVERY AND RESTORATION EFFORT TO IDENTIFY POPULATION LOCATIONS OF THE EASTERN BLACK RAIL, AND SUBSEQUENTLY DEVELOP HABITAT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO CONSERVE THEIR HIGH MARSH HABITATS. A MULTI-PHASE APPROACH IS PROPOSED TO HELP ACHIEVE THE OVERALL GOAL OF IDENTIFYING, IMPLEMENTING, AND ASSESSING RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITIES IN OCCUPIED EASTERN BLACK RAIL HABITAT IN AREAS THAT COINCIDE WITH MAPPED OPPORTUNITIES FOR WETLAND MIGRATION WITH SEA LEVEL RISE ALONG THE SOUTHERN NATURE COAST OF FLORIDA.THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO IS ESTABLISH A PLAN FOR CONSERVING THE SPECIES AS OUR COASTLINE CHANGES. THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH (1) UNDERSTANDING THE EASTERN BLACK RAILS LOCALIZED (SOUTHERN NATURE COAST) HABITAT AND MICROHABITAT, (2) CONSIDERING PROJECTED FUTURE HIGH MARSH HABITAT EXTENT LOCATION, AND (3) IDENTIFYING AND IMPLEMENTING RESTORATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES THAT CONSIDER THESE PROJECTIONS AS WELL AS THE RAILS LIFE HISTORY REQUIREMENTS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE SURVEYS FOR EASTERN BLACK RAILS IN IDENTIFIED HIGH MARSH AREAS OF THE SOUTHERN NATURE COAST OF FLORIDA USING CALL-BACK SURVEYS AND AUTONOMOUS RECORDING UNITS, VEGETATION SURVEYS, AND OTHER DATA COLLECTION SUCH AS WEATHER, BACKGROUND NOISE, MICROTOPOGRAPHY, HYDROLOGY INUNDATION LEVELS, AND FREQUENCY OF FLOODING. AFTER COMPLETING THE SURVEYS, SITE-SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE DEVELOPED TO BENEFIT RAIL HABITAT IN AREAS THAT CORRESPOND WITH OCCURRENCES OF RAILS THESE MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE CATEGORIZED UNDER ENHANCEMENT OR RESTORATION. LASTLY, ENHANCEMENT AND RESTORATION ACTIVITIES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AND SURVEYS WILL CONTINUE FOR MONITORING OF THE SPECIES.

THIS PROJECT FUNDS THE MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION OF A PRIVATE PROPERTY RANCH THAT SUPPORTS SEVERAL THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES OUR FUNDING REQUEST IS 1 TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE 10 YEAR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN OUR MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES, AND 2 THE INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES OUR OBJECTIVES ARE TO RESTORE THE PASTURES TO THE NATURAL HABITATS THAT OCCURRED HISTORICALLY, AND TO ENHANCE AND MANAGE EXISTING NATURAL HABITATS WITH CONSIDERATION TOWARDS THE MULTIPLE LISTED SPECIES THAT OCCUR POTENTIALLY OCCUR ON SITE THE PROPERTY IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT REMAINS THE FINAL MISSING PIECE OF LAND SURROUNDED BY LANDS ALREADY IN PERPETUAL CONSERVATION 404 ACRES ON THE RANCH ARE OF INTEREST DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF FLORIDA SCRUB JAYS APHELOCOMA COERULESCENS THE FLORIDA SCRUB JAYS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED UTILIZING THE POCKETS OF NATIVE BRUSH SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE SEMI NATIVE PASTURES BECAUSE OF THE RANCH S LOCATION, IT IS IMPORTANT AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN TWO LARGER PROPERTIES AND IS VERY IMPORTANT IN DISPERSAL AND POPULATION VIABILITY OTHER LISTED SPECIES OR SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN HAVE BEEN OBSERVED ON SITE INCLUDING EASTERN INDIGO SNAKE DRYMARCHON COUPERI , GOPHER TORTOISE GOPHERUS POLYPHEMUS , CRESTED CARACARA CARACARA CHERIWAY , FLORIDA BLACK BEAR URSUS AMERICANUS FLORIDANUS , AND FLORIDA PANTHER PUMA CONCOLOR CORYI THIS PROPERTY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO WILDLIFE DISPERSAL AND WILDLIFE HABITAT CONNECTIVITY ALL OF THESE SPECIES HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED ON SITE THE END GOAL OF RANCH MANAGEMENT IS TO RESTORE THE SITE BACK TO NATIVE LAND COVER, WITH SPECIAL REGARDS FOR THE FLORIDA SCRUB JAY THE SOILS AND NATIVE PLANT SPECIES ON THE PROPERTY INDICATE THAT THE PASTURES WERE ORIGINALLY A MOSAIC OF MESIC FLATWOODS TRANSITIONING TO SCRUBBY FLATWOODS CLOSER TO THE SCRUB TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, WILDLANDS PROPOSES SLOWLY PHASING OUT CATTLE GRAZING AS PORTIONS OF THE PASTURE ARE RESTORED, PRESCRIBED BURNING, INVASIVE SPECIES TREATMENT, SUPPLEMENTAL PLANTING SEEDING IF NECESSARY , AND SELECTIVE MECHANICAL THINNING PHASED RESTORATION PRACTICES WILL BE USED, STARTING FROM THE VERY SOUTHERN SIDE AND HEADING NORTH WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE SCRUB JAYS CAN BE FOUND THERE IS 249 3 ACRES OF PASTURE RESTORATION THAT WILL OCCUR ON THE RANCH PROPERTY THE REMAINING 155 6 ACRES OF NATURAL HABITAT WILL BE ENHANCED THROUGH ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF SELECTIVE THINNING, PRESCRIBED BURNING, AND INVASIVE SPECIES TREATMENT ALL MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION ACTIONS WILL OCCUR IN CONCERTED EFFORT WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CONSERVATION BANK THE GOAL IS TO GET THE SCRUB JAYS COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO UTILIZE AND MOVE INTO THE SCRUB WITHOUT COMPLETELY DISRUPTING THEM IN THE PASTURES ALL MANAGEMENT ACTIONS WILL BE PRECEDED AND FOLLOWED WITH SCRUB JAY SURVEYS THIS IS TO CONFIRM MANAGEMENT ACTIONS ARE NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECTING THE RESIDENT JAYS CURRENTLY, THE CATTLE ON SITE PAY FOR THE MANAGEMENT THE LANDOWNERS WANT THE SITE TO BE RESTORED TO ITS RESPECTIVE NATIVE LAND COVER TYPE NATIVE LAND COVER TYPES CANNOT SUPPORT LARGE CATTLE OPERATIONS WITHOUT THE LARGE CATTLE OPERATIONS, THE MANAGEMENT CAN T BE COMPLETED SO, WILDLANDS PROPOSES THIS PROPERTY TO BE FUNDED WITH HELP FROM THE PARTNER S PROGRAM WITH USFWS WITH THIS FUNDING, WE CAN DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PHASED MANAGEMENT STRATEGY MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT INCORPORATES RESTORATION, LISTED SPECIES MANAGEMENT, AND ENHANCEMENT IN A WAY THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING WILDLIFE INHABITANTS E G SCRUBJAYS INITIATE THE PHASED REMOVAL OF CATTLE AND THE RESTORATION OF NATIVE HABITATS FROM PASTURE