Chapters 1 - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Management Alternatives
of cultural resources within the Refuge. In accordance with its responsibilities, the Navy has
initiated cultural resource surveys for various projects on NWSSB. In addition, as part of the
CCP process, a Cultural Resources Review was conducted for the Refuge to provide the
Refuge Manager with pertinent information about the cultural resources on the Refuge, as
well as to provide guidance on how to ensure the long term protection of known and unknown
cultural resources within the Refuge boundary. As a result of these surveys and reviews, all of
the areas within the Refuge that are accessible have been surveyed for archaeological
resources. The Refuge’s inaccessible wetlands have not been surveyed.
Because there is the potential for undiscovered cultural resources to be present beneath the
surface within previously surveyed and yet to be surveyed areas within the Refuge, any ground
disturbing activities proposed within the Refuge boundary are reviewed by the Service’s
Cultural Resources Program for compliance with Section 106 of the Historic Preservation Act.
The review process involves the preparation of a Request for Cultural Resources Compliance
which is submitted to the Regional Cultural Resources Office for review. With information
about the project location and extent of the proposed ground-disturbing activity, the Cultural
Resources Office will determine the potential effect of the proposal on cultural resources.
Those projects that would result in only minor impacts to subsurface materials could fall under
the Service’s programmatic agreement with SHPO, while other projects requiring greater
ground disturbance would require SHPO review and concurrence.
Volunteers and Partners
The Friends of Seal Beach NWR are an essential part of the Refuge management team.
Consisting of local citizen volunteers, the Friends devote thousands of hours each year to
habitat restoration, endangered species monitoring, environmental education programs, public
outreach, and much more. Without assistance from the Friends, it would not be possible to
implement the monthly public tours of the Refuge or conduct special tours and other public
events that allow the public to enjoy the wildlife and habitats protected within the Refuge.
This group of dedicated individuals has been involved in the stewardship of the Refuge for
several decades. It is through their efforts that the Service is able to spread the word about
the Seal Beach NWR.
As described above, the Navy is also an important partner in the management of the Refuge,
providing oversight of some issues, providing funding to assist in various aspects of wildlife and
habitat management, and assisting in the Refuge’s visitor program. Other partners include
local universities, whose students conduct research on the Refuge; local agencies that assist in
mosquito control and storm water management; and state and federal agencies, such as the
California Department of Fish and Game and the National Marine Fisheries Service, that
coordinate with the Refuge Manager on issues affecting coastal southern California resources.
Mosquito Monitoring and Control
The Orange County Vector Control District (OCVCD) is responsible for monitoring and
controlling mosquitoes on the Refuge and adjacent Navy lands. On the Refuge, these activities
are conducted in accordance with a Special Use Permit (SUP) and approved Pesticide Use
Proposals (PUPs), both of which are prepared on an annual basis. The SUP permits OCVCD
to control populations of mosquitoes at selected locations on Refuge for the purpose of
protecting human and wildlife health and safety. Locations currently approved for mosquito
monitoring and control are indicated in Figure 3-3. The SUP states that mosquito control shall
rely on the use of physical and biological control as much as practicable prior to using chemical
Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan/Environmental Assessment 3-21