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

• Target pest(s); and
• Efficacy (% control).
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Comprehensive Conservation Plan
To determine whether treatments are efficacious (eradicating, controlling, or containing the target
pest) and achieving resource objectives, habitat and/or wildlife response would be monitored both
pre- and post-treatment, where possible. Considering available annual funding and staffing,
appropriate monitoring data regarding characteristics (attributes) of pest infestations (e.g., area,
perimeter, degree of infestation-density, % cover, density) as well as habitat and/or wildlife response
to treatments may be collected and stored in a relational database (e.g., Refuge Habitat Management
Database), preferably a geo-referenced data management system (e.g., Refuge Lands GIS (RLGIS))
to facilitate data analyses and subsequent reporting. In accordance with adaptive management, data
analysis and interpretation would allow treatments to be modified or changed over time, as
necessary, to achieve resource objectives considering site-specific conditions in conjunction with
habitat and/or wildlife responses. Monitoring could also identify short- and long-term impacts to
natural resources and environmental quality associated with IPM treatments in accordance with
adaptive management principles identified in 43 CFR 46.145.
7.0 Evaluating Pesticide Use Proposals
Pesticides would only be used on refuge lands for habitat management as well as facilities
maintenance after approval of a PUP. In general, proposed pesticide uses on refuge lands would only
be approved where there would likely be minor, temporary, or localized effects to fish and wildlife
species as well as minimal potential to degrade environmental quality. Potential effects to listed and
non-listed species would be evaluated with quantitative ecological risk assessments and other
screening measures. Potential effects to environmental quality would be based upon pesticide
characteristics of environmental fate (water solubility, soil mobility, soil persistence, and
volatilization) and other quantitative screening tools. Ecological risk assessments as well as
characteristics of environmental fate and potential to degrade environmental quality for pesticides
would be documented in Chemical Profiles (see Section 7.5). These profiles would include threshold
values for quantitative measures of ecological risk assessments and screening tools for environmental
fate that represent minimal potential effects to species and environmental quality. In general, only
pesticide uses with appropriate BMPs (see Section 4.0) for habitat management and
cropland/facilities maintenance on refuge lands that would potentially have minor, temporary, or
localized effects on refuge biological and environmental quality (threshold values not exceeded)
would be approved.
7.1 Overview of Ecological Risk Assessment
An ecological risk assessment process would be used to evaluate potential adverse effects to
biological resources as a result of a pesticide(s) proposed for use on refuge lands. It is an established
quantitative and qualitative methodology for comparing and prioritizing risks of pesticides and
conveying an estimate of the potential risk for an adverse effect. This quantitative methodology
provides an efficient mechanism to integrate best available scientific information regarding hazard,
patterns of use (exposure), and dose-response relationships in a manner that is useful for ecological
risk decision-making. It would provide an effective way to evaluate potential effects where there is
missing or unavailable scientific information (data gaps) to address reasonable, foreseeable adverse
effects in the field as required under 40 CFR Part 1502.22. Protocols for ecological risk assessment
Appendix G. Integrated Pest Management G-15