Page:Land Protection Plan - Wyoming Toad Conservation Area.pdf/3

Contents

Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		V
Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		VII
Chapter 1—Introduction and Project Description ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		1
Project Description ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		1
Purpose of the Wyoming Toad Conservation Area ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		4
Vision for the WTCA ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		4
Purpose of the Existing National Wildlife Refuges ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		4
Issues Identified and Selected for Analysis ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		4
Public Review of and Comments on the Draft Environmental Assessment and Land Protection Plan ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		5
National Wildlife Refuge System and Authorities ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		5
Related Actions and Activities ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		6
Habitat Protection and the Acquisition Process ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		6
Conservation Easements ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		6
Fee-title Acquisition ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		6
Chapter 2—Area Description and Resources ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		7
Physical Environment ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		7
Climate ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		7
Geology ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		8
Minerals ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		8
Water and Hydrology ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		8
Biological Environment ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		8
Plant Communities ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		8
Wildlife ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		13
Species of Special Concern ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		19
Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		21
Socioeconomic Environment ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		23
Landownership ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		23
Property Texas ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		23
Public Use and Wildlife-dependent Recreational Activities ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		24
Chapter 3—Threats to and Status of Resources ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		25
Threats to Resources ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		25
Development ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		25
Fragmentation ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		26
Invasive Species ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		26
Water Use ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		26
Climate Change ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		27
Effects of the Wyoming Toad Conservation Area on the Natural and Human Environment ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		28
Chapter 4—Project Implementation ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		29
Land Protection Options ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		29
No-action Alternative ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		29
Conservation Easements and Limited Fee-title Acquisition ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................		30