Guam National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan

Guam National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Chapter 2. Planning Purpose, Need, and Issues
2.1 Planning Process
The CCP development process follows applicable policies contained within the Service’s Fish and
Wildlife Manual (Part 602 FW2.1, November 1996; Part 601 FW1, Part 603 FW1, and Part 605
FW1, June 2006), and the Wilderness Act of 1964 with respect to wilderness study and review.
This CCP was completed in association with an EA and is intended to meet the dual requirements
of compliance with the NWRS Administration Act, as amended (Act), and NEPA. Both the Act
and NEPA require the Service to actively seek public involvement in the preparation and adoption
of environmental and conservation documents and policies. Furthermore, NEPA also requires
the Service to consider a reasonable range of alternatives including its Preferred Alternative and
the “No Action” alternative; the latter defined as continuation of current management practices.
2.2 Purpose and Need for the CCP
The purpose of the CCP is to provide the Refuge System, the Service, partners, and citizens with
a management plan for improving fish and wildlife habitat conditions and infrastructure for
wildlife, staff, and Refuge visitors for 15 years. An approved CCP will help ensure that the
Service manages Guam Refuge to achieve its purposes, vision, goals, and objectives, and to help
fulfill the System mission.
Another purpose of the CCP is to provide reasonable, scientifically grounded guidance for
improving the Refuge’s forest, subterranean, coastal, and marine habitats for the long-term
conservation of native plants, animals, and migratory birds. The CCP will identify appropriate
actions for protecting and sustaining the cultural and biological features of forest and coastal
communities; endangered species populations and habitats; migratory shorebirds; and threatened,
endangered, or rare species. A final purpose of the CCP is to provide guidance and evaluate
priority wildlife-dependent recreation programs on the Refuge which may include hunting,
fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, and interpretation.
The CCP is needed for a variety of reasons. Primary among these is the need to establish
improved habitat conditions in the Refuge’s forest, subterranean, coastal, and marine
environments that are being degraded by pest plants and animals, most notably BTS and feral
ungulates. There is a need to address Guam Refuge’s contributions to aid in the recovery of listed
species, and assess and possibly mitigate potential impacts of global climate change.
There is also
a need to effectively work with current partners such as the Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife
Resources (GDAWR), U.S. Geological Survey’s Biological Resources Division, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air
Force, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Park Service, other
divisions within the Service, and seek new partnerships to restore habitats, improve
environmental education and interpretive opportunities and volunteer program, and recover
endangered species populations.
There is a need to evaluate the existing visitor service program to determine which wildlifedependent
public uses are compatible and to what extent improvements or alterations should be
made to the program.
Chapter 2. Planning Purpose, Need, and Issues 2-1