## Making the Most of the Refuge System Improvement Act (12/29/93)

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  Broad               Managing Wildlife and Habitat in a Landscape
  Program/Activity:   Context

  Key Subcomponent:   Invasive Species Management
  ------------------- ---------------------------------------------------

+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
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| Q | Question                     | Explanation                      |
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+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 1 | Briefly describe the         | An "invasive species" is a 1)    |
| . | specific nature and function | non-native (alien or exotic) to  |
| 1 | of this activity.            | the ecosystem under              |
|   |                              | consideration and 2) whose       |
|   |                              | introduction causes or is likely |
|   |                              | to cause economic or             |
|   |                              | environmental harm or harm to    |
|   |                              | human health. Invasive species   |
|   |                              | are, collectively, the single    |
|   |                              | greatest threat to native        |
|   |                              | plants, fish, and wildlife of    |
|   |                              | the National Wildlife Refuge     |
|   |                              | System with the potential to     |
|   |                              | disrupt entire ecosystems.       |
|   |                              | Management entails diverse       |
|   |                              | approaches, depending on the     |
|   |                              | species involved, extent of      |
|   |                              | infestation, native resources    |
|   |                              | threatened, and economic and/or  |
|   |                              | public health threat posed. It   |
|   |                              | may mean prevention, eradicating |
|   |                              | a species, controlling its       |
|   |                              | distribution, and/or restoration |
|   |                              | of native habitats degraded by   |
|   |                              | it. Depending on threat and      |
|   |                              | course of action, management may |
|   |                              | entail coordination among        |
|   |                              | multiple publics, governments,   |
|   |                              | agencies, and programs to use    |
|   |                              | resources more effectively and   |
|   |                              | promote public awareness.        |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 1 | Which specific component(s)  | 1.- NWRS Mission: Section 4      |
| . | of the Refuge System         |                                  |
| 2 | Improvement Act does this    | 2\. (A) provide for conservation |
|   | activity contribute to?      | of fish, wildlife, plants and    |
|   |                              | habitats                         |
|   |                              |                                  |
|   |                              | 3\. (B) ensure integrity,        |
|   |                              | diversity, and environmental     |
|   |                              | health are maintained            |
|   |                              |                                  |
|   |                              | 4\. (D) ensure purposes of each  |
|   |                              | refuge are carried out           |
|   |                              |                                  |
|   |                              | 5\. (E) ensure effective         |
|   |                              | interaction with neighbors       |
|   |                              |                                  |
|   |                              | 6\. (F) assist in maintenance of |
|   |                              | water quantity and quality       |
|   |                              |                                  |
|   |                              | 7\. (N) monitor status and       |
|   |                              | trends                           |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 1 | Specifically how does this   | Invasives can overwhelm an       |
| . | activity fulfill those       | ecosystem by transforming        |
| 3 | components?                  | ecosystem processes (e.g. water  |
|   |                              | consumption by tamarisk spp.,    |
|   |                              | conversion of mudflats to        |
|   |                              | emergent vegetation by spartina, |
|   |                              | spp., floristic alteration by    |
|   |                              | melaleuca). Invasive species     |
|   |                              | threaten listed species with     |
|   |                              | extinction (e.g. west nile       |
|   |                              | virus), and alter entire food    |
|   |                              | webs (e.g. European green crab). |
|   |                              | They can damage refuge           |
|   |                              | infrastructure (e.g. zebra       |
|   |                              | mussels, and nutria), or affect  |
|   |                              | relationships with landowners    |
|   |                              | who see refuges as sources of    |
|   |                              | infestation. Successful          |
|   |                              | management furthers long-term    |
|   |                              | preservation of intact           |
|   |                              | ecosystems, better landowner     |
|   |                              | relations, and a more secure     |
|   |                              | foundation for achieving         |
|   |                              | individual refuge purposes.      |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 1 | What strengths does this     | Invasive species significantly   |
| . | activity bring to            | threaten the indigenous          |
| 4 | achievement of the NWRS      | ecosystems of the U.S. The       |
|   | mission?                     | habitat alterations they cause   |
|   |                              | can decrease biodiversity and    |
|   |                              | the integrity of ecosystem       |
|   |                              | processes. Pesticides and other  |
|   |                              | anti-invasives tools detract     |
|   |                              | from environmental health.       |
|   |                              | Halting or slowing the spread of |
|   |                              | invasives on refuges and         |
|   |                              | surrounding lands directly       |
|   |                              | contributes to the conservation, |
|   |                              | management and restoration of    |
|   |                              | wildlife and habitats, as well   |
|   |                              | as achievement of individual     |
|   |                              | refuge purposes.                 |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 1 | What weaknesses does this    | The rate of invasive species     |
| . | activity bring to            | introduction and expansion       |
| 5 | achievement of the NWRS      | exceeds the Service's capacity   |
|   | mission?                     | for management. Fighting         |
|   |                              | invasives is an expensive        |
|   |                              | activity requiring extensive     |
|   |                              | manpower, equipment, outreach,   |
|   |                              | and coordination at all levels.  |
|   |                              | Implemented properly, it would   |
|   |                              | divert resources away from other |
|   |                              | programs. As it is fundamental   |
|   |                              | to all other programs, this      |
|   |                              | should not be an issue, but it   |
|   |                              | would surely cause internal      |
|   |                              | conflict. Invasives needs a full |
|   |                              | branch of at least 3 people at   |
|   |                              | the Washington level, with a     |
|   |                              | dedicated refuges FTE in each    |
|   |                              | Region. Coordination and         |
|   |                              | implementation across Regions    |
|   |                              | must be consistent and           |
|   |                              | cooperative, including strong    |
|   |                              | interrelated links among         |
|   |                              | regional and national GIS        |
|   |                              | capabilities, areas which the    |
|   |                              | Refuge System is still working   |
|   |                              | to improve.                      |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 1 | What opportunities does this | The invasives issue on refuges   |
| . | activity bring to            | is only a microcosm of the       |
| 6 | achievement of the NWRS      | threat to native wildlife and    |
|   | mission?                     | habitats globally. While refuges |
|   |                              | could fight alone against the    |
|   |                              | loss of their own resources, the |
|   |                              | greatest opportunity arising     |
|   |                              | from this threat is that of      |
|   |                              | building cooperative ties to     |
|   |                              | other Federal agencies, State    |
|   |                              | and local government agencies,   |
|   |                              | NGOs, industry, private          |
|   |                              | landowners, and other Nations.   |
|   |                              | The partnerships necessary to    |
|   |                              | battle this threat of national   |
|   |                              | and global proportions can only  |
|   |                              | lead to better relationships     |
|   |                              | among all parties, as well as to |
|   |                              | cooperative efforts on other     |
|   |                              | fronts to benefit our nation's   |
|   |                              | wildlife and habitats, for which |
|   |                              | we are all responsible.          |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 1 | What threats occur to        | The ability of the System to     |
| . | achievement of the NWRS      | conserve, manage, and restore    |
| 7 | mission if this activity is  | its wildlife and habitat         |
|   | not carried out correctly?   | resources is severely crippled   |
|   |                              | in the face of existing          |
|   |                              | invasives infestations. Species  |
|   |                              | like tamarisk deplete precious   |
|   |                              | water resources needed by listed |
|   |                              | fish species; nutria and         |
|   |                              | loosestrife degrade or destroy   |
|   |                              | wetlands; spartina disrupts      |
|   |                              | western estuaries, leafy spurge  |
|   |                              | and star thistle take over       |
|   |                              | uplands; west nile virus kills   |
|   |                              | migratory birds and threatens    |
|   |                              | listed species with extinction.  |
|   |                              | Yet, more invaders arrive into   |
|   |                              | the U.S. yearly, and others      |
|   |                              | present encroach on refuges. The |
|   |                              | System has over \$150M in        |
|   |                              | invasives-related needs, and     |
|   |                              | these may increase two or three  |
|   |                              | times for each year they go      |
|   |                              | unaddressed.                     |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 1 | How does this effort fit     | Invasive species are recognized  |
| . | within the larger nationwide | as a national economic and       |
| 8 | context of conserving our    | environmental emergency at all   |
|   | Nation's natural heritage of | levels of government and in all  |
|   | fish, wildlife, and plants   | but the most remote lands, both  |
|   | for future generations?      | public and private. One role     |
|   |                              | that refuges can play is to be   |
|   |                              | preserves of biodiversity and    |
|   |                              | intact ecological systems,       |
|   |                              | possibly even serving as sources |
|   |                              | of genetic material for          |
|   |                              | ecosystem restoration elsewhere. |
|   |                              | This role is greatly diminished  |
|   |                              | as refuge habitats are degraded  |
|   |                              | by invasives. Refuges can also   |
|   |                              | serve as leaders in stewardship  |
|   |                              | and invasive species management, |
|   |                              | study areas (e.g. land           |
|   |                              | management research              |
|   |                              | demonstration areas), and        |
|   |                              | exemplary partners to further    |
|   |                              | the effort against invasives.    |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 1 | What is the relative         | Achieving successful prevention, |
| . | priority of the outcome of   | eradication, control, and/or     |
| 9 | this activity within the     | management of invasives within   |
|   | context of other outcomes to | the Refuge System should be the  |
|   | be achieved as directed in   | highest current priority in the  |
|   | the Refuge System            | System's overall administration. |
|   | Improvement Act?             | The ubiquitous nature of the     |
|   |                              | issue affects every aspect of    |
|   |                              | refuge management, and failure   |
|   |                              | to deal with it threatens the    |
|   |                              | System's very foundation, making |
|   |                              | it impossible to achieve our     |
|   |                              | mission and, in many cases,      |
|   |                              | individual refuge purposes.      |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+

+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
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+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| Q | Question                     | Explanation                      |
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+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 2 | Provide a one-sentence       | Reversal of the rate of          |
| . | statement of the outcome or  | introduction and spread of       |
| 1 | condition that would occur   | invasive species to enable the   |
|   | if this activity is          | Service and National Wildlife    |
|   | successfully carried out.    | Refuge System to meet their      |
|   |                              | missions and purposes in cost    |
|   |                              | effective ways.                  |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 2 | What single factor (or if    | The rate of introduction and     |
| . | necessary a combination of   | spread of invasive species, both |
| 2 | factors) should be measured  | individually (e.g. single        |
|   | over the next 15 years to    | species) and collectively. This  |
|   | gauge whether the desired    | would require a comprehensive    |
|   | outcome or condition is      | inventory and periodic           |
|   | being achieved?              | monitoring. A comprehensive      |
|   |                              | economic analysis would be       |
|   |                              | needed to determine cost         |
|   |                              | effectiveness. Economic analysis |
|   |                              | would entail tracking            |
|   |                              | expenditures for management      |
|   |                              | actions and connecting those     |
|   |                              | expenditures to the efficacy of  |
|   |                              | prevention and control actions   |
|   |                              | (e.g. cost/unit area or          |
|   |                              | cost/unit time).                 |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 2 | Describe criteria for the    | 1\. Optimal -- Negligible or no  |
| . | standard 5 categories that   | adverse impacts due to invasive  |
| 3 | will be used to conduct      | species and associated           |
|   | condition assessments.       | management actions. Sufficient   |
|   |                              | procedures and infrastructure    |
|   |                              | for prevention, early detection  |
|   |                              | and rapid response in place to   |
|   |                              | preclude new                     |
|   |                              | infestations.Existing            |
|   |                              | infestations inventoried and     |
|   |                              | mapped. Habitat restoration      |
|   |                              | being implemented. Little to no  |
|   |                              | expenditures for invasive        |
|   |                              | species management.              |
|   |                              |                                  |
|   |                              | 2\. Adequate -- Fewer than       |
|   |                              | twenty-five percent of refuge or |
|   |                              | key resource affected by         |
|   |                              | invasive species. Treatment      |
|   |                              | activities are underway.         |
|   |                              | Seventy-five percent of refuges  |
|   |                              | mapped for invasives. Sufficient |
|   |                              | monitoring conducted and         |
|   |                              | response capabilities available  |
|   |                              | to detect and respond within a   |
|   |                              | reasonable time to new           |
|   |                              | invasions. Restoration plans in  |
|   |                              | place. Acceptable or maintenance |
|   |                              | level expenditures for invasive  |
|   |                              | species management.              |
|   |                              |                                  |
|   |                              | 3\. Inadequate -- Fifty percent  |
|   |                              | or more of refuge or key         |
|   |                              | resource affected by invasive    |
|   |                              | species. Fifty to seventy-five   |
|   |                              | percent of refuges mapped for    |
|   |                              | invasives. No rapid response and |
|   |                              | prevention mechanisms in place.  |
|   |                              | Negative impact to resources and |
|   |                              | rate of spread not clearly       |
|   |                              | understood. No restoration       |
|   |                              | plans. Significant diversion of  |
|   |                              | economic resources allocated for |
|   |                              | invasive species management.     |
|   |                              |                                  |
|   |                              | 4\. Critical -- Fifty percent or |
|   |                              | more of refuge or key resource   |
|   |                              | affected by invasive species.    |
|   |                              | Fewer than half of all refuges   |
|   |                              | mapped for invasives. No rapid   |
|   |                              | response and prevention          |
|   |                              | mechanisms in place. Negative    |
|   |                              | impact to resources is severe    |
|   |                              | and increasing. Total diversion  |
|   |                              | of economic resources allocated  |
|   |                              | for invasive species management. |
|   |                              |                                  |
|   |                              | 5\. Hopeless -- 100% of key      |
|   |                              | resources affected and no        |
|   |                              | economic resources available.    |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 2 | Provide any additional       | Significant information gaps     |
| . | clarification or guidance    | exist for condition assessment.  |
| 4 | that will contribute to more | Specifically, protocols for      |
|   | effective condition          | ecological risk assessment for   |
|   | assessments.                 | invasive species are limiting or |
|   |                              | nonexistent. Ecosystem health is |
|   |                              | often assessed indirectly by     |
|   |                              | indicators. The Service is       |
|   |                              | deficient in staff resources     |
|   |                              | with the expertise needed to     |
|   |                              | identify ecosystem health        |
|   |                              | indicators associated with       |
|   |                              | invasive species impacts.        |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 2 | What is the sense for how    | Currently over 80% of refuges    |
| . | well the Refuge System is    | are reporting known problems     |
| 5 | currently achieving this     | with invasive organisms.         |
|   | outcome?                     | Battling invasives is the        |
|   |                              | fastest growing component of the |
|   |                              | RONS database, however           |
|   |                              | management and funding for       |
|   |                              | invasives continues to be        |
|   |                              | prioritized within the context   |
|   |                              | of other refuge operations needs |
|   |                              | and legal mandates. At present   |
|   |                              | the Refuge System is replete     |
|   |                              | with established invasive        |
|   |                              | species populations, so little   |
|   |                              | to no effort goes into           |
|   |                              | prevention or early detection of |
|   |                              | new infestations. The problem    |
|   |                              | appears to be growing faster     |
|   |                              | than the time and money we have  |
|   |                              | available to confront it.        |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 2 | What is the sense for what   | Implement standards operating    |
| . | is a realistic but ambitious | procedures to prevent invasive   |
| 6 | and achievable goal over the | species introductions on         |
|   | next 15 years?               | National wildlife Refuges;       |
|   |                              | implement an early               |
|   |                              | detection/rapid response program |
|   |                              | to prevent the establishment of  |
|   |                              | new invasives; reduce new        |
|   |                              | invasives introductions;         |
|   |                              | identify, inventory, and map     |
|   |                              | existing invasives infestations. |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 2 | What is needed to improve    | Enact the executive order on     |
| . | the likelihood of success    | invasive species into federal    |
| 7 | (i.e. new legislation,       | law and appropriations to        |
|   | policies, priorities, action | implement comprehensive          |
|   | items - identify all the     | management programs. Better      |
|   | limiting factors or          | links between science and        |
|   | obstacles and suggest how to | management. Better inter-agency  |
|   | resolve them)?               | communication. Better            |
|   |                              | collaboration with the           |
|   |                              | non-governmental and academic    |
|   |                              | sectors. Better awareness among  |
|   |                              | the general public.              |
|   |                              | Establishment of an              |
|   |                              | international center for         |
|   |                              | invasive species similar to the  |
|   |                              | Center for Disease Control       |
|   |                              | (CDC).                           |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+

+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
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+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| Q | Question                     | Explanation                      |
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|   |                              |                                  |
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| . |                              |                                  |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 3 | What types of partnerships   | A wide variety of NGOs and       |
| . | can effectively be employed  | Friends Groups can provide an    |
| 1 | to achieve common goals?     | active volunteer workforce to    |
|   |                              | provide on-the-ground assistance |
|   |                              | to refuge managers. Efforts to   |
|   |                              | use federal programs under the   |
|   |                              | Farm Bill such as the Wetland    |
|   |                              | Reserve Program and Grassland    |
|   |                              | Reserve Program to provide       |
|   |                              | funding for invasive species     |
|   |                              | control could be supported       |
|   |                              | through cooperative efforts with |
|   |                              | adjacent landowners. Information |
|   |                              | on funding needs for invasive    |
|   |                              | species control should be        |
|   |                              | effectively communicated to the  |
|   |                              | CARE group. NGOs with strong     |
|   |                              | science programs can help target |
|   |                              | resources toward areas where     |
|   |                              | wildlife and habitat are most    |
|   |                              | threatened. Joint Ventures are   |
|   |                              | underutilized as a cooperative   |
|   |                              | framework for addressing         |
|   |                              | invasive species problems.       |
|   |                              | Partnerships with States and     |
|   |                              | local governmental agencies;     |
|   |                              | international partnerships;      |
|   |                              | academic partnerships.           |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 3 | Who are the likely Refuge    | Likely partners include adjacent |
| . | System partners for this     | landowners who face a common     |
| 2 | specific activity?           | challenge with refuges in        |
|   |                              | invasive species control;        |
|   |                              | federal agencies administering   |
|   |                              | the more than \$2 billion in     |
|   |                              | congressional appropriations     |
|   |                              | that are targeted to invasive    |
|   |                              | species control each year;       |
|   |                              | federal agencies sharing common  |
|   |                              | invasives species challenges     |
|   |                              | with refuges; State and local    |
|   |                              | governmental agencies; land      |
|   |                              | grant universities and other     |
|   |                              | institutions with natural        |
|   |                              | resource programs; Friends       |
|   |                              | Groups with active volunteer     |
|   |                              | programs on refuges; NGOs that   |
|   |                              | have reported on the risk to     |
|   |                              | refuges and are educating the    |
|   |                              | public and the Congress on the   |
|   |                              | issue; NGOs that regularly work  |
|   |                              | on farm bill programs such as    |
|   |                              | WRP and GRP that may help to     |
|   |                              | direct funding to private        |
|   |                              | landowners adjacent to refuges;  |
|   |                              | NGOs whose memberships have been |
|   |                              | facing economic threats from     |
|   |                              | invasive species including       |
|   |                              | ranching, farming, and tourism   |
|   |                              | interests.                       |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 3 | How are the needs and        | Develop and implement a          |
| . | benefits of the Refuge       | comprehensive invasive species   |
| 3 | System for this particular   | information management system    |
|   | activity going to be         | that shares information with     |
|   | communicated?                | existing systems and has         |
|   |                              | variable access from database    |
|   |                              | managers to the general public.  |
|   |                              | Distribute invasive species      |
|   |                              | information through Refuge       |
|   |                              | Visitor Centers. Refuge managers |
|   |                              | must build relationships with    |
|   |                              | adjacent landowners, interested  |
|   |                              | local NGOs, state government,    |
|   |                              | and constituencies facing        |
|   |                              | economic threats from invasive   |
|   |                              | species. Headquarters staff must |
|   |                              | provide the CARE group with      |
|   |                              | compelling examples of invasive  |
|   |                              | species problems as well as      |
|   |                              | accurate cost estimates for      |
|   |                              | control as well as clear         |
|   |                              | priorities regarding areas where |
|   |                              | funding would be most            |
|   |                              | appropriately used, as well as   |
|   |                              | educate federal agencies such as |
|   |                              | NRCS regarding programs directed |
|   |                              | to lands adjacent to refuges,    |
|   |                              | and reach out to interested      |
|   |                              | national NGOs. Regional offices  |
|   |                              | should coordinate with state     |
|   |                              | government, state and local NGOs |
|   |                              | and state and local affiliates   |
|   |                              | of national NGOs, and state      |
|   |                              | offices of federal agencies      |
|   |                              | regarding the needs of refuges   |
|   |                              | and shared problems that can be  |
|   |                              | more effectively addressed       |
|   |                              | through coordinated action.      |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 3 | What options are available   | The most readily available       |
| . | to build additional support? | opportunities include:           |
| 4 |                              | partnerships with NGOs with a    |
|   |                              | demonstrated interest and        |
|   |                              | involvement in invasive species  |
|   |                              | issues; partnerships with state  |
|   |                              | governments attacking invasive   |
|   |                              | species problems shared by       |
|   |                              | wildlife refuges in the state;   |
|   |                              | partnership with the Department  |
|   |                              | of Agriculture to build support  |
|   |                              | for tackling problems shared by  |
|   |                              | private landowners and adjacent  |
|   |                              | wildlife refuges; partnership    |
|   |                              | with Friends groups and NGOs     |
|   |                              | with large memberships and       |
|   |                              | organized field structures to    |
|   |                              | gain access to volunteers; and   |
|   |                              | increased use of Joint Ventures  |
|   |                              | to coordinate effort to control  |
|   |                              | invasive species threatening     |
|   |                              | habitat for migratory birds.     |
+---+------------------------------+----------------------------------+