Chapters 1 - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Chapter 6
6.2 Refuge Goals, Objectives and Strategies
The development of the Refuge vision and goals, which is defined in greater detail in Chapter 2, is
one of the most important components of the CCP process. It is through this process that we
establish the desired future conditions of the Refuge.
Our vision of the future conditions on the Seal Beach NWR is:
Tidal channels meandering through a sea of cordgrass deliver moisture and nourishment
to support a healthy marsh ecosystem. As the quiet calm of the morning is interrupted by
the clacking of a light-footed clapper rail, school children and other visitors, standing on
the elevated observation deck, point with excitement in the direction of the call hoping for
a glimpse of the rare bird. Shorebirds dart from one foraging area to another feasting on
what appears to be an endless supply of food hidden within the tidal flats. California least
terns fly above the tidal channels searching for small fish to carry back to their nests on
NASA Island. A diverse array of marine organisms, from tube worms and sea stars to
rays and sharks, and even an occasional green sea turtle, thrive within the tidal channels
and open water areas of the Refuge’s diverse marsh complex, while Nelson’s sharp-tailed
sparrows and other upland birds find food and shelter within the native upland
vegetation that borders the marsh.
Goals and objectives are the unifying element of Refuge management, intended to identify and
focus management priorities and provide a link between management actions, Refuge purposes,
and NWRS mission and goals. The objectives, which are concise statements of what will be
achieved to meet a particular goal, are derived from the goals and provide the basis for
determining strategies and monitoring Refuge accomplishments. Refuge strategies describe
specific actions, tools, and techniques that can be used to meet Refuge objectives. In some cases,
strategies describe specific projects in enough detail to assess funding and staffing needs. In other
cases, further site-specific detail is required to implement a strategy. This additional detail takes
the form of a step-down management plan, restoration plan, or site plan.
Although the goals are the same for each of the three alternatives described for the Seal Beach
NWR, there are a variety of ways in which to achieve these goals. Therefore, the objectives and
strategies for each goal vary among alternatives. The following discussion presents objective
statements and associated strategies for each Refuge goal. The objectives have been written to
address the proposed action (Alternative C). In addition, the various strategies that would
implement the objective in whole or in part are provided in a table format that allows the reader to
determine which strategies would be implemented under each alternative. Specific acreage
figures, time frames, and other measurable elements presented in the objectives may change
depending upon which alternative is ultimately selected for implementation.
The goals, objectives, and strategies for the proposed action are presented below.
Goal 1: Support recovery and protection efforts for the federally and state listed
threatened and endangered species and species of concern that occur within the
Seal Beach NWR.
6-2 Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge