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Overview. Special Natural Areas and Wildlife and Fisheries resources are merged More emphasis on the land/water base -
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1. Plant and Animal Habitat
2. Overview Special Natural Areas and Wildlife and Fisheries resources are merged
More emphasis on the land/water base - habitat for plants or animals
Much new information on plant and animal habitat in Maine and the jurisdiction
Jurisdiction has very high quality habitat
Regional significance
3. What is unique about the jurisdiction? Large, unfragmented forested areas
Large peatland systems
Habitat for RTE plants and invertebrates
Significant alpine areas w/rare, uncommon species
Several endemic terrestrial and aquatic species
Eg. Furbishs Lousewort, Katahdin Arctic butterfly, Roaring Brook mayfly
Absence of invasive species
Healthy populations of furbearers and game species
4. What is unique about the jurisdiction? Most of the pine marten range in Maine
Only extensive, intact populations of wild brook trout in lakes and ponds in the 17-state Appalachian region
256 of 305 Heritage Ponds in Maine
Twice as many intact subwatersheds of documented brook trout populations as other Appalachian states combined
Many streams still unsurveyed
Wild Atlantic salmon (federally endangered) in 8 Downeast rivers
Nesting habitat for roseate terns (endangered in ME)
5. What is unique about the jurisdiction? Native Arctic charr, found only in ME and AK in U.S.
Fishless ponds - unique ecosystems
Richness in species requiring high quality aquatic habitat, incl. damselflies, mayflies, and freshwater mussels (threatened worldwide)
Only healthy lynx population in the Northeast (federally endangered)
281 bald eagle nest sites (of 521 statewide)
300,000+ acres of inland waterfowl and wading bird habitat
6. Habitat Terrestrial habitat
A range of specific habitats
Large, landscape-scale blocks (ideally, mix of forest, grassland, and wetland)
Habitat for animals not dependent on a specific community
Habitat for full suite of species, from invertebrates to wide-ranging predators
Habitat for area-sensitive species (some forest birds, large mammals, etc)
7. Habitat Terrestrial habitat (cond)
Riparian areas
Support a majority of vertebrates for living, feeding, breeding, or travel
Form core for specialized habitat such as deeryards
Contribute to high quality aquatic habitat when left relatively undisturbed
8. Habitat Aquatic habitat
Very high quality compared to Northeast
Last stronghold for brook trout (indicators of stream health)
Attributed in part to high forest cover, lack of dams, lack of development
Warmwater habitat
Vernal pools
Wetlands
9. Key points Much new information on nature and quality of habitat in the jurisdiction
More to learn, but evidence of richness in species diversity and abundance
Due in part to limited human footprint and associated disturbance
Habitat resource is regionally significant
Opportunity exists to preserve plant and animal diversity
10. Regulatory Framework Federal
Endangered Species Act (federal)
Listing
Atlantic Salmon
Canada Lynx
Identification of critical habitat
Recovery Plan
Protection from take
11. Regulatory Framework State
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Listing
Identification of essential habitat
IFW rules re: projects located within essential habitat
Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA)
Provisions for protection of significant wildlife habitat
LURC issues NRPA permits in the jurisdiction
12. LURC Regulatory Approach Zoning
Direct protection (purpose of zone is habitat protection)
P-FW (deeryards, coastal seabird islands)
Other (zone has multiple purposes)
Shoreland zones: P-GP, P-FP, P-AL, P-RR, P-RT, P-SL
Wetlands: P-WL
Mountains: P-MA
Other: P-UA, P-RP (St. John River Plan)
13. LURC Regulatory Approach Guiding location of development
Discourage growth which results in scattered and sprawling development
Concentrate development away from areas with important values, eg. high value plant and animal habitat
Project review
IFW and MNAP review of subdivisions and large development proposals
14. LURC Regulatory Approach Land use standards
Clearing and timber harvesting standards in shoreland areas and building setbacks
Limit disturbance of riparian areas
Cluster and open space provisions
Concentrate development in smaller areas, protect adjacent land
15. Issues Conflicting uses
Conflict between use of land and its value as habitat
Principal uses in the jurisdiction
Resource extraction (Forest management, etc.)
Development
16. Issues Conflicting uses (cond)
Forest management
Challenge to some specialized habitat
RTE species
Deeryards
Impacts on riparian and aquatic habitat (direct and cumulative)
Short-term vs. long-term impacts
Long-term = neutral
Goal: Ensure a continuum of habitat across the managed forest to maintain existing diversity of species
17. Issues Conflicting uses (cond)
Development
More lasting impacts than forest mgmt.
Alteration of habitat (vegetation change, moisture, light, disturbance)
Fragmentation of habitat by roads (scale, use level)
Measures to concentrate development in appropriate areas, away from valued habitat, are critically important
Scattered development undermines habitat values (one of the principal values)
18. Issues Conflicting uses (cond)
Site-specific conflicts, eg.
Development on a seabird nesting island
Development in a deeryard
Challenging for Commission and landowner
Considerations
Value of resource, rarity and sensitivity to disturbance, options available to landowner
Cooperative agreements w/IFW encouraged
19. Issues Adequacy of habitat protection
Much new information
Jurisdiction has a diversity and abundance of plant and animal life that is regionally significant
Appropriate to broaden habitat planning to landscape level
Well-suited given size of jurisdiction, quality of resources
Useful tool in work to direct development, preserve principal values, focus conservation efforts
20. Issues Adequacy of habitat protection (cond)
Beginning with Habitat (organized areas)
Overlays of known habitat (RTE, NRPA habitat), rare communities, high quality common communities, large blocks of undeveloped habitat
Variety of tools: resource protection, land use standards, land acquisition, etc.
Habitat planning in jurisdiction will require different assumptions
Opportunity to plan for protection of high quality habitat
21. Issues Adequacy of habitat protection (cond)
Other, more specific needs
NRPA-related rulemaking
Waterfowl and wading bird habitat
Vernal pools
Definition of coastal nesting island
22. Issues Fragmentation of habitat
Roads, utility corridors, development create breaks in the landscape
Barriers to plants and animals
Isolation of populations (genetic)
Area-sensitive species
Fragmentation not as significant as in southern ME
But jurisdiction has fragmenting features
Scarcity of roadless areas (AMC study)
24. Issues Fragmentation of habitat (cond)
Acknowledge the importance of unfragmented habitat
Careful consideration of land management road conversions to support more intensive uses and facilities
Discourage road conversions in high value habitat
25. Issues Changes in land ownership
New owners have different objectives
Weaker biodiversity practices, overall
Importance of proactively addressing habitat needs
26. Issues Lake management classes
Need to update fisheries and wildlife resource ratings
New information on brook trout resource, fishless ponds to consider
Consider expansion of remote ponds to include newly identified high value ponds
Need to review/update aspects of the lakes program
27. Issues Deer wintering areas (cond)
Two comprehensive reviews of deeryard protection program since its creation
Affirmed value of program, but made modifications following each review
Policy document attached as Appendix to 1997 CLUP
28. Issues Deer wintering areas (cond)
Program continues to challenge landowners and IFW
Long-range cooperative agreements have failed in some cases (changes of ownership)
IFW not meeting deer management goals in some regions
No formal protection for deeryards in some areas
Difficulty meeting documentation requirements
Mild winters, limited resources, landowner notification issues
29. Issues Deer wintering areas (cond)
Commission continues to work cooperatively with IFW
View deeryard program within larger context of habitat protection needs
30. Goals and Policies Old Goals
Protect and enhance identified features and areas of natural significance.
Conserve and protect the aesthetic, ecological, recreation, scientific, cultural, and economic values of wildlife and fisheries resources. New Goal
Maintain sufficient habitat to conserve all native plant and animal species currently breeding in the jurisdiction.
31. Goals and Policies Policy 1
Update list of named habitats (NRPA)
Policy 2
Existing policy (validates riparian land use restrictions)
Policy 3
Existing policy (little used, but important concept)
32. Goals and Policies Policy 4
Authorize landscape-scale habitat planning effort
Policy 5
Possible use for landscape scale habitat planning
Policy 6
Modified version of existing policy
Policy 7
Encourage coordinated conservation planning