**[COMPATIBILITY DETERMINATION]{.underline}**

**Use:** Haying

**Refuge Name:** Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)

**Establishing and Acquisition Authority:** Assabet River NWR was
established in 2000 under an Act Authorizing the Transfer of Certain
Real Property for Wildlife, or Other Purposes (16 U.S.C. 667b).

**Refuge Purpose:** Assabet River NWR's purpose is its "\...particular
value in carrying out the national migratory bird management program."
(16 U.S.C. 667b-d, as amended)

**National Wildlife Refuge System Mission:** To administer a national
network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where
appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and
their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and
future generations of Americans.

**Description of Use:**

*What is the use?*

Haying is a technique that can be effective at maintaining and managing
grasslands and open fields for a variety of nesting and migratory birds.
Haying is the mowing and baling of grass from refuge lands. The removal
of baled grass from the refuge for use by private citizens would have an
economic value and thus must be determined to be a compatible use and a
use that contributes to the purpose of the refuge. Mowing of refuge
lands by refuge staff is a management action and not subject to
compatibility.

*Is the use a priority public use?*

Haying is not identified in the National Wildlife Refuge System
Improvement Act of 1997 as a priority public use.

*Where would the use be conducted?*

Haying could occur within any of the refuge's fields that are actively
being managed to maintain grassland habitat for wildlife. Haying would
be allowed in fields at the discretion of the Refuge Manager, and would
be evaluated on an annual basis.

*When would the use be conducted?*

Haying could occur from early August through mid-November during years
when specific grasslands/fields are already scheduled for mowing anyway
by refuge staff.

*How would the use be conducted?*

Haying would be conducted via special use permit. Refuge grasslands and
open fields are currently mowed every 1-3 years depending on weather,
availability of personnel, and wildlife and habitat goals, including
suppression of non-native invasive plant species. Haying frequency and
intensity would be controlled to suppress broadleaf plant invasion and
develop a mosaic of grassland vegetation in fields where open grassland
is desired.

*Why is the use being proposed?*

Assabet River NWR was established to benefit migratory birds. One of the
goals identified in the January 2005 Comprehensive Conservation Plan is
the protection and enhancement of habitats that support self-sustaining
populations of Federal trust species and wildlife. One of the refuge's
objectives is to manage upland habitat to maintain habitat and species
diversity. Two strategies were identified to help achieve this
objective: 1) develop a long range Habitat Management Plan within 2
years and 2) continue the status quo of old field, grassland, upland and
wetland habitat management until management plans are finalized. As part
of the ongoing development of Habitat Management Plans, an analysis of
all lands on this refuge is being conducted to determine the best
complement of habitat types to provide maximum benefit to trust
resources of the refuges. Where possible, management on the refuge will
restore or mimic natural ecosystem processes or functions and thereby
maintain biological diversity, integrity, and environmental health.
However, given the continually changing environmental conditions and
landscape patterns of the past and present (e.g., rapid development,
climate change, sea level rise), relying on natural processes is not
always feasible nor always the best management strategy for conserving
wildlife resources. Uncertainty about the future requires that the
Refuge manage within a natural range of variability rather than
emulating an arbitrary point in time. This maintains mechanisms that
allow species, genetic strains, and natural communities to evolve with
changing conditions, rather than necessarily trying to maintain
stability.

While we may abandon some grassland management on the refuge in the
future (due to insufficient field size or practicality of maintenance),
there are a number of large grasslands that provide habitat for
grassland birds. Grassland birds have declined more consistently and
over a wider geographic area than any other group of North American
birds over the last 30 years (Robbins et al. 1986, Askins 1993, Knopf
1995, Askins 1997, Sauer et al. 1997). As a result, most grassland birds
appear on lists of rare and declining species (NYSDEC 1997, Pashley et
al. 2000, U.S. NABCI Committee 2000, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2002). Without active management, refuge grasslands would quickly become
dominated by non-native invasive species including purple loosestrife,
multiflora rose, winged euonymous, autumn olive, spotted knapweed and
Japanese knotweed.

Haying and mowing are useful grassland management techniques (U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service 1982). Mitchell et al. (2000) state that mowing is
an economical means of controlling invasion of grasslands by forbs and
woody plants. Further, mowing is generally a more convenient technique
to apply than prescribed fire or grazing. Herkert et al. (1993)
recommend rotational haying or mowing as a grassland management
alternative with subunits left idle. This strategy may provide a complex
of grassland successional stages to meet the respective nesting
requirements of a diversity grassland bird species. More specifically,
haying and mowing are recommended techniques for managing grasslands
used by nesting northern harrier (Berkey et al. 1993, Dechant et al.
2001a), upland sandpiper (Kirsch and Higgins 1976, Dechant et al.
2001b), horned lark (Dinkins et al. 2001), grasshopper sparrow (Dechant
et al. 2001c, Vickery 1996), savannah sparrow (Swanson 2001), bobolink
(Bollinger and Gavin 1992, Dechant et al. 2001d), and eastern meadowlark
(Lanyon 1995, Hull 2000).

**Availability of Resources:** A haying program will create minor costs
as biological staff administer and monitor haying activity. However
these costs will likely be offset because mowing and baling of grass by
volunteers will result in less mowing work to be conducted by
maintenance staff. No additional equipment, facilities, or improvements
will be required from the Service. Cooperators will be required to use
their own equipment.

**Anticipated Impacts of Proposed Actions:** A controlled haying program
would have positive impacts to the refuge's grassland habitat and
wildlife. Haying suppresses invasion of grasslands by perennial forbs
and shrubs. Consequently, grass-dominated plant communities are
maintained. Further, rotational haying will help to develop a mosaic of
grassland vegetation. Diverse grasslands provide habitat for a greater
diversity and abundance of grassland birds.

**Public Review and Comment:** This draft compatibility determination
will be made available for public review and comment for 14 days.

**Determination:**

**\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Use is Not Compatible**

**\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Use is Compatible With the Following Stipulations**

**Stipulations Necessary to Ensure Compatibility:**

Haying or mowing will be avoided during the early nesting season to
avoid destruction to the nests, eggs, and young of breeding grassland
birds, including potential northern harrier (Berkey et al. 1993, Dechant
et al. 2001a), upland sandpiper (Lokemoen and Beiser 1997, Dechant et
al. 2001b), grasshopper sparrow (Dechant et al. 2001c, Vickery 1996),
savannah sparrow (Dale et al. 1997, Swanson 2001), bobolink (Bollinger
and Gavin 1992, Dechant et al. 2001d), and eastern meadowlark (Granfors
et al. 1996, Hull 2000).

Haying of fields will be determined on an annual basis to ensure it
supports wildlife and habitat goals.

**Justification:** Allowing haying of some fields where habitat goals
include maintenance of grassland habitat will not materially interfere
with or detract from the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System
or the purposes of these refuges. Therefore, it is the determination of
the Service that haying, at the discretion of the Refuge Manager, is a
compatible use of the refuge and contributes to the purposes for which
the refuge was established.

**Signature: Refuge Manager:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

**(Signature and Date)**

**Concurrence: Regional Chief:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

**(Signature and Date)**

**Mandatory 10-year Re-evaluation Date:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

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