Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan - U.S. Fish and Wildlife ...

Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Hakalau Forest NWR has developed a preliminary list of research needs that will be provided to
prospective researchers or organizations at the Refuge Manager’s discretion. Refuge support of
research directly related to Refuge objectives may take the form of funding, in-kind services such as
housing or use of other facilities, direct staff assistance with the project in the form of data collection,
provision of historical records, conducting of management treatments, or other assistance as
appropriate.
Availability of Resources:
The bulk of the cost for research is incurred in staff time to review research proposals, coordinate
with researchers, write SUPs, attend meetings, and review the research results. The amount of
resource required is highly variable depending on the nature of the work involved. In some cases, a
research project may only require 1 day of staff time to write a SUP. In other cases, a research project
may require a week or more of staff time.
The Refuge requires the permittee to offset any cost incurred by the Refuge by payment of a onetime
permit fee of $150.00.
Category and Itemization One-time ($) Annual ($/yr)
Administration and Management $150/permittee $13,500
The above annual cost reflects the cost to manage the program and prevent impacts to natural
resources. Estimated costs were calculated using 3 percent of the base cost of a GS-12 Deputy
Refuge Manager, 3 percent of the GS-13 Refuge Manager, 7 percent of the GS-12 Wildlife Biologist,
1 percent of the GS-9 Administrative, and 2 percent of the Maintenance Supervisor’s staff time,
based on the assumption that this activity would use that portion of the year to administer and
coordinate outside research.
Anticipated Impacts of the Use(s):
Use of Hakalau Forest NWR to conduct research, scientific collection, and surveys will generally
benefit plant populations, wildlife, and habitats. The impacts of research activities would be project-
and site-specific, and would vary depending on the scope and type of research conducted. Scientific
findings gained through these projects provide important information regarding life-history needs of
species and species groups as well as identify or refine management actions to achieve resource
management objectives in refuge management plans (especially CCPs). Reducing uncertainty
regarding wildlife and habitat responses to refuge management actions in order to achieve desired
outcomes reflected in resource management objectives is essential for adaptive management in
accordance with 522 DM 1.
If a project’s methods impact or conflict with Refuge resources, other public-uses, other high-priority
research, and Refuge management programs, then it must be clearly demonstrated that its scientific
findings will be essential to resource management and that the project cannot be conducted offrefuge
lands for the project to be compatible. The investigator(s) must identify methods/strategies in
advance required to minimize or eliminate the potential impact(s) and conflict(s). If unacceptable
impacts cannot be avoided, then the project will not be compatible and will not be approved. Projects
that represent public or private economic use of the natural resources of any national wildlife refuge
B-54 Appendix B: Appropriate Uses and Compatibility Determinations