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Plant and Animal Habitat

Overview. Special Natural Areas and Wildlife and Fisheries resources are merged More emphasis on the land/water base -

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Plant and Animal Habitat

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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. Furbish’s 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 (con’d) 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 (con’d) 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 (con’d) 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 (con’d) 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 (con’d) 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 (con’d) 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 (con’d) 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 (con’d) 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 (con’d) 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 (con’d) 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

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