Oxbow NWR Final CCP - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Beaver activity: Photo by Marijke
Holtrop
Chapter 1: Introduction and Background
In 1997, the National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act (Refuge
Improvement Act) established a unifying mission for the Refuge System, a
new process for determining compatible public uses, and the requirement
to prepare a CCP for each refuge. The new law states that the Refuge
System must focus on wildlife conservation. It further states that the
National mission, coupled with the purpose(s) for which each refuge was
established, will provide the principal management direction for each
refuge.
Laws
While the Refuge System mission and each refuge’s purpose provide the
foundation for management, NWRs are also governed by other federal
laws, executive orders, treaties, interstate compacts, and regulations
pertaining to the conservation and protection of natural and cultural
resources (see appendix A for a more complete list of guiding laws).
A primary law affecting refuge management is the National Wildlife
Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (Administration Act) which
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to permit any uses of a refuge
“...whenever it is determined that such uses are compatible with the major
purposes for which such areas were established.” The Administration Act
was amended by the Refuge Improvement Act. It is also the key legislation
on managing public uses, and protecting the Refuge System from
incompatible or harmful human activities to insure that Americans can
enjoy Refuge System lands and waters.
Additionally, it is Service policy to address how each refuge, with an
approved CCP, can help achieve the goals of the National Wilderness
Preservation system. Thus, concurrent with the CCP process, we
have incorporated a summary of a wilderness assessment into this
document (see Wilderness Assessment section).
The Refuge Recreation Act of 1962 requires that any recreational use
of refuge lands be compatible with the primary purposes for which a
refuge was established and not inconsistent with other previously
authorized operations.
The National Historic Preservation act of 1966 provides for the
management of historic and archaeological resources that occur on any
refuge. Other legislation, such as the Endangered Species Act, the North
American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), the Wilderness Act of
1964 and particularly the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) all
provide guidance for the conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats.
Comprehensive Conservation Plan
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