NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. Historically, LCT occurred in what were considered networked populations or metapopulations (Ray et al. 2000; USFWS 1995), which refers to a collection of discrete local breeding populations. The potential for networked populations to persist despite local catastrophes has long been recognized (Xxxxxxxx 1958; Andrewartha and Birch 1954). Networked populations are those where individuals experience different environmental conditions at different locations but are capable of moving between these locations at sufficient rates to modulate population fluctuations that might otherwise lead to local extinction (Ray et al. 2000). The presence of several subpopulations increases the probability that at least one will survive through periods of disturbance and consequently protect the genetic variation available for adaptation to change. One of the recovery actions identified in the 1995 Recovery Plan and State Management Plan was securing at risk populations of LCT within the Northwest DPS. This objective was achieved by reintroducing LCT into several isolated streams within the DPS. These reintroductions accomplished several important recovery tasks: preserving unique LCT genetic material and decreasing risks to the original LCT populations from severe environmental perturbations (i.e. fire and drought). As LCT recovery continues, these isolated populations have become extremely important for providing source LCT to repopulate the networked populations. Research shows LCT population persistence is associated with the ability to maintain connectivity among populations, i.e., networked populations. A networked system is defined as an interconnected, stream and/or stream-lake system in which individuals can migrate from or disperse into areas from which fish have been extirpated (Ray et al. 2000). This ability to disperse and repopulate habitats allows populations to persist (Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxxxxx 2003; Xxxxxx and Xxxxxx 0000; Xxx et al. 2000; Xxxxxx et al. 1997). Periodic repopulation by upstream or downstream sources enabled LCT to survive extreme circumstances and provided for genetic exchange (Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxxxxx 2003). The conservation measures associated with this Agreement will contribute, directly and/or indirectly, to recovery of LCT. Private lands comprise only a small portion of the stream habitats within the recovery stream systems. However, LCT use private land areas to access many miles of publicly owned stream habitats for recovery activities that are curren...
NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. The Permittee agrees to voluntarily manage the enrolled lands in a manner designed to provide a net conservation benefit to the covered species, by implementing the conservation measures described in this Agreement aimed at increasing species populations while enhancing, restoring, and maintaining suitable habitat. It is anticipated that the net conservation benefit will be sufficient to contribute, directly or indirectly, to recovery of the covered species, after taking into account the length of the Agreement and any off-setting adverse effects of authorized take. Although the activities stipulated in this Agreement may not permanently conserve or recover covered species populations or their habitats, it does provide important benefits to the covered species including, but not limited to the following: maintenance, restoration, and enhancement of suitable habitat; maintenance and increase of population numbers or distributions; increase in habitat connectivity; reduction of habitat fragmentation; insurance against catastrophic events; establishment of buffers for other protected areas; creation of areas for testing and implementing new conservation strategies; and public education concerning threatened and endangered species and ways to preserve them. The Parties anticipate that this Agreement will result in an increased number and/or distribution of the covered species; and/or an increase in the total area of occupied suitable habitat; and/or an increase in the amount of habitat suitable for foraging, roosting, and/or breeding, within the enrolled lands. The Agreement will also provide an example of a mutually beneficial relationship between government agencies for the benefit of endangered and threatened species, and may provide evidence that such species can coexist with current land-use practices. The Tres Xxxx habitat restoration project involved creating approximately 221 and 61 acres of wetlands and associated habitats for the covered species within the FRW and OBW facilities, respectively, and approximately 175 acres of in-channel desert river vegetation. The restoration efforts included many different types of native plant species. The following associations have been made based upon the identified species within this Agreement. The rail requires habitat along stream sides or marshlands associated with heavy riparian and wetland vegetation, especially cattail and bulrush. The flycatcher uses dense riparian environments, open water, and marshes...
NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. In accordance with the Service’s Safe Harbor Policy (64 FR 32717), “net conservation benefit” means that management activities that are part of the Agreement are expected to provide an increase in the Covered Species’ population or distribution, and/or the enhancement, restoration, or maintenance of Covered Species habitat. The net conservation benefit will be sufficient to directly or indirectly contribute to recovery of the Covered Species. Implementation of activities to enhance and restore ponds and their associated aquatic, wetland, and adjacent upland habitats would be beneficial to California red-legged frogs and California tiger salamanders, and the creation of additional breeding ponds would be highly beneficial to these populations at the Park. Controlling non-native vegetation within the coastal terrace prairie grasslands and supporting an increase in number and distribution of native grasses and shrubs (i.e., seacliff buckwheat and coast buckwheat) would be beneficial to the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly. Maintaining and supporting the current population of Xxxxx’x piperia and its habitat at the Park, and increasing its numbers and distribution, would be beneficial to Xxxxx’x piperia. The District will carry out activities, as identified in Part 5 of this Agreement, to benefit the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia within the Enrolled Property. The California tiger salamander population at the Park is not known to be hybridized with non- native tiger salamanders (Xxxxxx Xxxxx and Associates, Inc. 2008); an increasingly rare occurrence along the Central Coast. Developing and implementing activities that would enable the increase in number of California tiger salamanders and the opportunity to increase its distribution at the Park would be highly beneficial to the California tiger salamander along the Central Coast. The District has developed a management plan for the grasslands at the Enrolled Property (McGraw 2007). Under this plan, the grasslands within the Enrolled Property will be managed in a manner to benefit the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, including the management of cattle grazing. Cattle grazing is an important component of grassland management to control non-native invasive vegetation, particularly non-native annual grasses. Reducing the threat of the reduction in suitable habitat for Xxxxx'x blue butterfly as a result of non-native invasive plants out- competing its host plants and other native grassland vegetation is beneficial to the Xxxxx'x ...
NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. Reintroduction efforts will increase the range and population above the baseline or existing condition and thus result in a clear conservation benefit to the covered species. Any adverse effects on these reintroduced populations from the effects of transporting covered species to reintroduction sites, land uses on the enrolled properties, and species and habitat monitoring are expected to be minor and short term, reducing the benefits provided by the reintroduction itself only slightly. This SHA/CCAA Agreement assumes that, in most instances, there will be a baseline population or existing population of zero for the covered species on each enrolled property; as a result, reintroduction will not result in an adverse effect on a local or regional population. All successful reintroduction efforts where there is no known existing population are reasonably expected to provide a net conservation benefit to the covered species. This SHA/CCAA Agreement also allows for the reintroduction of propagated individuals, or translocation of naturally born individuals, to a property with an existing small population (the purpose of translocations and reintroductions is to help restore or supplement populations where they have been lost or depleted). In these instances, there is potential for impacts on the native population as a result of genetic differences or intraspecies competition. As discussed in
NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. In accordance with the Service’s Safe Harbor Agreement Policy (64 FR 32717), “net conservation benefit” means that the Management Activities that are a part of the Agreement are expected to provide an increase in the Covered Species’ population or distribution, and/or the enhancement, restoration, or maintenance of the Covered Species’ habitat. The net conservation benefit will be sufficient to directly or indirectly contribute to recovery of the Covered Species. The re-establishment of Amargosa vole populations within their historical range is identified in the downlisting and delisting criteria in the recovery plan amendment for the Amargosa vole (Service 2019). Additional activities in the Agreement have been developed to support recovery actions for the Amargosa vole by restoring and protecting suitable habitat and by implementing habitat management plans. The Service anticipates that implementation of these activities will produce the following net conservation benefits to the Amargosa vole: ● Re-establish Amargosa vole populations at the northern extent of the subspecies’ range, in its historical type locality; ● Provide areas where suitable habitat for the Amargosa vole will be maintained, protected, and remain relatively undisturbed; ● Increase population redundancy within the subspecies’ range; and ● Reduce the potential for local extirpation and extinction due to stochastic events (e.g., wildfire, disease) within the subspecies’ limited existing occupied habitat. Therefore, Management Activities associated with this Agreement would benefit the Amargosa vole by contributing to the conservation and recovery of the subspecies. Restoration activities by the Landowner have and will continue to stabilize spring flows, water availability, and bulrush cover in the Core Area. Re-introduction of Amargosa voles to the Core Area will contribute toward recovery of the species by establishing a population in critical historical habitat. The net conservation benefit to the Amargosa vole from this Agreement, and thus contribution to recovery, will continue for at least 30 years, as identified here and in Section 9 of this Agreement. As described earlier, we anticipate that the Core Area will provide high quality habitat for the establishment and persistence of a self-sustaining population of Amargosa voles throughout the duration of this Agreement and possibly longer.
NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. Based on the results from similar releases on Kauai and in West Maui, the duration of this Agreement is considered sufficient to establish an additional nene population on Piiholo Ranch. After an initial release of 32 birds in 1995 in the Kalalau Valley on Kauai, that population grew to a population of 70 as of 2002, and following an initial release of 22 nene in Hanaula in 1995 and supplemented with further releases, the population has also grown to just over 70 birds (DOFAW, unpublished data, 2003), therefore it expected that the population on Piiholo Ranch should reach 75 birds over the 10-year Agreement period It is expected that some percentage of the nene released under the Agreement, and their progeny, will survive upon expiration or termination of the Agreement and that a percentage of nene will remain on the property for the permit term and beyond. Adult birds may be able to seek out suitable habitat on their own outside the release area, while young birds may be available for translocation to other locations on Maui, if needed. The Parties reasonably expect this Agreement will result in an increase in the number of nene on Maui and an increase in the total area of suitable habitat on private lands utilized by nene. Without this cooperative government/private landowner effort, these lands would not otherwise be utilized by nene in the foreseeable future. It will also provide an example of a mutually beneficial relationship between government agencies and a private landowner to the benefit of an endangered species, and evidence that nene can coexist with current land use practices. Therefore, the cumulative impact of this Agreement and the activities it covers, which are facilitated by the allowable incidental take, will provide a net benefit to the species. By extending the term of the Incidental Take License and Enhancement of Survival Permit beyond the terms of the Agreement, the Ranch may defer returning the property/species to baseline conditions when the Agreement expires. Nene will therefore, continue to benefit from any ongoing or residual conservation advantages for an additional 40 years. Furthermore, it offers flexibility to the Ranch who may be pleased with the results of managing for nene on their property, have no immediate need to return to baseline, and will be, therefore, interested in having nene on the Ranch premises for a longer period of time. The Ranch will notify DLNR and the Service in advance of conducting any activities wh...
NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. The net conservation benefit is achieved by the Permittee’s contributions to this species. Those contributions include providing staff, equipment, land, and captive propagation of an endangered species. Without the conservation actions of the Permittee, there would not be any conservation for the tortoise in the United States outside of zoos. Since this species is international, the majority of conservation work takes place in the Mapimí region of Mexico. If approved, the proposed SHA would contribute to increasing the survival of this species into the future by increasing the species population and habitat in the United States. This Agreement, through establishment of a tortoise population on non-Federal lands and providing regulatory assurances to the Permittee so that activities can be undertaken to release tortoises, is expected to result in the following conservation benefits to the covered species: o Release of more than 100 tortoises as the foundation for facilitating restoration of viable populations (greater than 250 individuals) at the Xxxxxxxxxx Ranch. o Improved understanding of the biology and ecology of the tortoise, including habitat use, movement patterns, mortality factors, and food habits. There is a conservation benefit by closely monitoring the movements of the animals as well as understanding reproduction patterns, intervals, and climatic triggers. Monitoring habitat outside of their current range will help us to understand dietary needs and requirements for their recovery. This information will add to the greater scientific community and other Gopherus species knowledge. o Improved potential for the species to be reintroduced to suitable habitat to restore populations beyond the boundaries of the enrolled property, possibly including Mexico. This would be accomplished by finding similar habitat conditions on and off the Property. The FWS has worked with the Permittee to develop conservation actions, as described in this Agreement, that are expected to provide a net conservation benefit to the tortoise as described above. The tortoise listing rule cites the species decline across its range, as well as loss of habitat, as factors threatening the species continued existence. The conservation actions above will increase the number of individuals on the landscape and hopefully reverse the negative trend of population declines. Given the probable species’ response time to the planned conservation actions, the FWS estimates it may take at ...
NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. In accordance with the Service’s Safe Harbor Policy (64 FR 32717), “net conservation benefit” means that management activities that are part of the Agreement are expected to provide an increase in the Covered Species’ population or distribution, and/or the enhancement, restoration, or maintenance of Covered Species habitat. The net conservation benefit will be sufficient to directly or indirectly contribute to recovery of the Covered Species. The management activities described in Part 5 of this Agreement have been developed to support the conservation and recovery of the Covered Species. These activities include recovery actions for the Covered Species, as identified in the recovery plan for the California red-legged frog (Service 2002), such as the removal of non-native species, the maintenance of suitable habitat, and the restoration and enhancement of habitat. Additionally, the Service recognizes that education and outreach activities promote the recovery and conservation of listed species. Furthermore, the Landowner will manage the pond and grazing in a manner that is beneficial to the California red-legged frog by incorporating elements of Appendix D of the recovery plan for the California red-legged frog (Service 2002). Therefore, management activities associated with this Agreement would benefit the Covered Species by contributing to Covered Species conservation and recovery. The Service anticipates that implementation of these management activities will produce a net conservation benefit to the Covered Species by: Providing areas where existing suitable habitat for the Covered Species will be maintained or increased in quantity. Providing areas where suitable habitat for the Covered Species will remain relatively undisturbed. Providing habitat for the Covered Species to increase in population numbers or distribution. These activities will result in habitat protection and insurance against the loss of the Covered Species on the Enrolled Property. The Landowner will manage the Enrolled Property in a manner that is beneficial to Covered Species while conducting ranching and other activities. The net conservation benefit to Covered Species from this Agreement, and thus contribution to recovery, will remain in place for at least 30 years.
NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. In accordance with the Service’s Safe Harbor Policy, “net conservation benefit” means that the management activities that are part of the safe harbor agreement are expected to provide an increase in the Covered Species’ population or distribution, and/or the enhancement, restoration, or maintenance of the Covered Species’ habitat. After analyzing the cumulative effects of the safe harbor agreement, by taking into account the length of the agreement (e.g., 10, 20, 30 years), any off-setting adverse effects, the potential return to Baseline conditions, and the anticipated beneficial effects, the implementation of the safe harbor agreement must be anticipated to provide a net conservation benefit to the Covered Species in order for the agreement to become finalized and for the enhancement of survival permit to be issued. Conservation benefits could include: • Reduced habitat fragmentation; • The maintenance, restoration, or enhancement of habitat; • Increases in habitat connectivity; • The stabilization or increase in listed species population numbers or distribution; • The creation of buffers for protected areas; and • Opportunities to test and develop new habitat management techniques.
NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. In nature, populations of Gila topminnow and desert pupfish expanded in size and geographical range during wetter periods. These populations subsequently contracted and often disappeared during times of drought (USFWS 1998, Minckley 1999). Due to high reproductive potential and an adaptation to environmental extremes, numbers of individuals of both species will likely fluctuate over time after being stocked into sites covered under this Agreement. The establishment of new populations, pursuant to this Agreement, of both species will provide a net conservation benefit and maintain or exceed the baseline condition. The items listed below are specific “tasks” in the recovery plans intended to lead to recovery and eventual downlisting of Gila topminnow and desert pupfish (XXXXX 0000, XXXXX 1998). Level 1 populations are natural populations occupying historical habitat “and which were not known to have been placed in those habitats by humans” (USFWS 1993). Level 2 and Level 3 populations have been re-established by humans into habitat within historical range. Level 2 populations occur in natural habitats and should receive a high degree of protection and only require minor management to persist. Level 2 populations are not considered “established” until they have persisted for a period of ten years. Level 3 populations occur in highly modified or man-made habitats, and may require extensive management to maintain them (XXXXX 0000, XXXXX 1998). How the reestablished populations under this agreement will be considered in the recovery of these species will be consistent with the recovery plans for these two species. A net conservation benefit is anticipated through the increase in total numbers of newly established populations of Gila topminnows and/or desert pupfish during the term of this Agreement.
