Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 1

U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Flint Hills

National Wildlife Refuge

Comprehensive

Conservation Plan
2 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 3

Flint Hills

National Wildlife Refuge

Comprehensive Conservation Plan

September 2000

Prepared For:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

134 Union Blvd., Suite 350

Lakewood, Colorado 80228

Prepared by:

Research Management Consultants, Inc.

1746 Cole Blvd., Suite 300

Golden, Colorado 80401
4 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge

Comprehensive Conservation Plan Approval

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 6
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 5

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ...................................................................................... 7

Vision .............................................................................................................. 10

Introduction

Regional Setting ........................................................................................ 11

Refuge Purpose Statements .................................................................... 12

Planning Perspectives and Considerations

Purpose of and Need for the Plan ........................................................... 15

Planning Process ....................................................................................... 16

Planning Perspectives ............................................................................... 17

Expected Planning Outcomes .................................................................. 17

The Ecosystem Approach to Management ............................................ 18

The Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem .................................................... 18

Refuge and Ecosystem Planning Issues and Opportunities ............... 21

Ecosystem and Refuge Resource Description

Area of Ecological Concern ..................................................................... 24

Vegetation ................................................................................................... 27

Wildlife ........................................................................................................ 28

Threatened and Endangered Species ............................................. 28

Exotic Species ............................................................................................ 29

Climate ........................................................................................................ 29

Geology ....................................................................................................... 29

Soils ............................................................................................................. 29

Water Management ................................................................................... 30

Cultural and Historic Resources Features ............................................ 35

Socio-economic Features .......................................................................... 35

Public Use ................................................................................................... 36

Refuge Staffing .......................................................................................... 36

Flint Hills NWR Management Program

Biological Diversity, Land Protection, Wildlife,

and Habitat Protection ...................................................................... 44

Hydrological Restoration and Water Quality ........................................ 47

Public Use, Recreation, Wildlife Interpretation, and Education ....... 53

Cultural Resources .................................................................................... 55

Interagency Coordination and Relations ............................................... 55

Improvement of Staffing, Funding, and Facilities ................................ 56

Legal, Policy, Administrative Guidelines, and Other Special Considerations

Legal Mandates ......................................................................................... 57

Agency-Wide Policy Directions ............................................................... 58

National Wildlife Refuge System: Mission and Goals................... 59

Refuge Purpose Statements .................................................................... 61

Plan Implementation

Resource Projects ..................................................................................... 62

Proposed Funding and Personnel ............................................................ 64

Partnership Opportunities ....................................................................... 65

Step-Down Management Planning ......................................................... 66

Completed Plans and Other Documents ......................................... 66

Plans and Documents to be Developed in the Future ................... 66

Wilderness Review ............................................................................. 67

Refuge Program Monitoring and Evaluation ........................................ 67

Monitoring and Evaluation of the CCP .................................................. 67
6 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

References....................................................................................................... 68

List of Preparers............................................................................................. 69

Glossary ............................................................................................................ 70

Abbreviations and Acronyms .................................................................... 73

Appendices

A. Plant List .................................................................................................... 74

B. Fish List ...................................................................................................... 82

C. Amphibian and Reptile List ..................................................................... 83

D. Wild Bird Species List .............................................................................. 84

E. Mammal List .............................................................................................. 87

F. Threatened and Endangered Species List ............................................ 87

G. Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem Plan ................................................... 88

H. Key Legislation and Policies .................................................................... 97

I. Cooperative Agreements .......................................................................... 98

J. Contaminant Assessment Process ......................................................... 113

K. Compatibility Determinations ................................................................ 115

L. Finding of No Significant Impact and

Environmental Action Memorandum ............................................. 119

M. Mailing List ............................................................................................... 121

N. Public Involvement................................................................................... 122

O. Intra-Service Section 7 Biological Evaluation ..................................... 123
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 7

Executive Summary

The Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the Flint Hills National

Wildlife Refuge (NWR) would serve as a management tool to be used by

the Refuge staff and its partners in the preservation and restoration of the

ecosystem’s natural resources. In that regard, the Plan will guide management

decisions over the next 15 years and set forth strategies for achieving

Refuge goals and objectives within that time frame. The management

actions presented within this document reflect the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service’s) efforts to meet the goals of the Refuge Improvement

Act of 1997.

The goals listed below will guide Refuge management:

Goal 1: To restore, enhance, and protect the natural diversity on the Flint

Hills NWR including threatened and endangered species by

appropriate management of habitat and wildlife resources on

Refuge lands and by strengthening existing and establishing new

cooperative efforts with public and private stakeholders.

Goal 2: To restore and maintain a hydrological system for the Neosho River

drainage by managing for wetlands (Map #8), control of exotic

species, and management of trust responsibilities for the maintenance of

plant and animal communities.

Goal 3: Provide opportunities for wildlife-dependent public access and

recreational opportunities to include compatible forms of hunting,

fishing, wildlife observation, photography, interpretation, and

educational activities.

Goal 4: To protect, manage, and interpret cultural resources on the Flint

Hills NWR for the benefit of present and future generations.

Goal 5: To strengthen interagency and jurisdictional relationships in order

to coordinate efforts with respect to the Refuge and surrounding

area issues resulting in decisions benefitting fish and wildlife

resources while at the same time avoiding duplication of effort.

Goal 6: Improve staffing, funding, and facilities that would result in longterm enhancement of habitat and wildlife resources in the area of

ecological concern and support the achievement of the goals of this

Plan and the goals of the National Wildlife Refuge System (System).
8 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Objectives with measurable outcomes would guide the Refuge staff in a

consistent direction toward the accomplishment of each goal beginning

with short-term activities or strategies to occur within five years followed

by implementation of long-term activities within 5 to 15 years. Completion

of the following objectives depends upon funding and staffing from year-toyear:

1. Document existing flora and fauna of wetland, grassland, riparian,

savanna, and wooded habitats through baseline surveys and monitor

habitats affected by management activities.

2. Continue to protect populations of endangered and threatened species

and maintain or improve their habitats on Refuge lands.

3. Manage waterfowl in accordance with the North American Waterfowl

Management Plan focusing on target species including the mallard,

pintail, wood duck, and gadwall.

4. Monitor population status of priority species of neotropical migratory

birds, shorebirds, and other nongame migratory birds.

5. Determine population objectives of key resident wildlife species and

monitor the status of these species.

6. Restore and maintain native species on Refuge lands to reestablish

native habitat communities through appropriate land management

techniques and monitor reestablishment of native species as a result of

restoration efforts.

7. Reestablish native plants along the riparian areas of the Neosho River

and its tributaries to benefit native aquatic and riparian communities

of the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem and monitor reestablishment

of native species as a result of restoration efforts.

8. Encourage research with universities and other institutions that would

improve the biological database of the Refuge or contribute to habitat

restoration and management activities that are compatible with Refuge

goals and requirements of the Refuge Act. These activities would be

reviewed periodically by the Service and other representatives to

evaluate the effectiveness for Refuge needs.

9. Improve water management to maintain and enhance 4,500 acres of

current wetlands and restore another 600 acres of wetlands. Monitor

and document habitat components through annual biological surveys

of two to three key components (birds, vegetation, water quality,

invertebrates, and fish).

10. Develop and improve wildlife compatible recreational opportunities on

Refuge lands that further the public’s involvement and appreciation of

the System. Through the completion and implementation of the Public

Use Plan in tasks outlined in short-term and long-term phases, public use

would increase 15 percent over the next five years and by 50 percent by

the year 2015.

11. Develop and implement educational and interpretive programs to

increase the public’s understanding of the natural resources of the

Refuge and issues within the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem. Develop

educational or interpretive programs specific to the Flint Hills NWR

and initiate Refuge participation in national educational programs. Host

various special events to offer the public an opportunity to participate

in Refuge activities.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 9

12. Initiate a variety of innovative outreach strategies to strengthen the

existing Refuge constituency and develop a broader base of public

support in east-central Kansas. Create and develop one outreach

product and/or publication to generate interest in the Refuge over the

next five years. Increase community presentations, community involved

habitat restoration projects, and Refuge staff representation at public

events.

13. Work with the community to develop an organization or avenue for

receipt of private funding to subsidize environmental education

programs, habitat restoration projects, or other community based

efforts benefitting wildlife habitats on Refuge lands by the year 2010.

14. Document, map, and monitor archaeological sites on current Refuge

lands and future acquisitions through a baseline archaeological survey

and monitor known sites for disturbance or deterioration. Incorporate

information about the archaeology of the area into one Refuge educational or

interpretive product or program by the year 2005.

15. Strengthen partnerships with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)

and other private stakeholders within the community, Kansas Department of

Wildlife and Parks, and other public agencies that are mutually

beneficial and would ultimately benefit the fish and wildlife resources

of the Refuge and surrounding lands.

16. Provide the personnel needed to accomplish the goals of this Plan through the

addition of specific staff specialists and programs that encourage

community volunteers.

17. Provide a safe, efficient, and productive work environment for Refuge

employees and a safe infrastructure for Refuge visitors.

The goals and objectives of this Plan are the management framework

providing direction and continuity in the Refuge programs over a shortterm period (five years) and long-term period (5 to 15 years.) Strategies

and management activities are suggested to progressively work toward

achieving the specific objectives and can, over time, be modified to reflect a

broader understanding or knowledge of an issue through research or

experience, staff management styles, or resource specialties and regional

funding priorities.
10 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Vision

Flint Hills NWR contains biologically significant habitats in the Neosho

watershed within Kansas. This unique unit of the System plays a crucial

role in the conservation of biodiversity and protects a significant number of

species which depend on these habitats. The Refuge straddles the Neosho

River and is important for terrestrial and aquatic species. During the past

decade, many research efforts have focused on the unique habitats of the

Refuge. Yet much remains to be learned at Flint Hills NWR and management

of the biological resources protected by the Refuge. The area is dominated by

complex resource management issues revolving around the flood control

function of John Redmond Reservoir. Activities associated with agriculture,

flood control, and public recreation have placed increasing demands on the

landscape and identified the need for more responsible utilization of land

and water resources that support the remaining native ecosystem

components.

Flint Hills NWR must continue to protect habitat for the diverse array of

native plants and animals that rely upon the resources of the Refuge for

survival. The foreseeable future is one of protection and enhancement of

the existing landscape and active research and management for a diversity

of native species at every trophic level within all environments on the

Refuge. With continually improving data gathering and analysis, better

decisions can be made regarding natural resource conservation thus

leading to the secure abundance and population recovery of rare and/or

state and federally listed endangered species.

The Service envisions cooperative working relationships with other Federal

and State agencies along with nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and

the interested public to accomplish its complex mission. These progressive

working relationships would result in the Refuge’s improving role in

protecting resources from negative impacts while still providing a wide

range of wildlife-dependent opportunities and activities. Flint Hills NWR

continues to contribute to the economic development and enhancement of

the quality of human life in the Neosho River Valley. As local communities

become more and more aware of this, the Refuge would increasingly be

promoted as a regional tourist destination. Such attention must be channeled

to focus on the mission and benefit of the System and the promotion of an

increased understanding and support for the Service’s efforts to protect

native plants and animals and their associated habitats.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 11

Introduction

This CCP provides a description of the desired future conditions and longrange guidance for achieving the primary purpose for which Flint Hills NWR

was established: to provide habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. The

Flint Hills NWR is one Refuge in a system that now encompasses over 92

million acres of public land and water and is the world’s largest collection

of land providing habitats for more than 5,000 species of birds, mammals,

fish, amphibians, reptiles, and insects.

The mission of the System is 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

(National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act of 1997). Established in 1903 by

President Theodore Roosevelt, the System now includes 516 refuges and

38 wetland management districts in all 50 states and the U.S. territories.

National wildlife refuges host a tremendous variety of plants and animals

supported by a variety of habitats from arctic tundra and prairie grasslands

to subtropical estuaries. Most national wildlife refuges are strategically

located along major bird migration corridors. This ensures that waterfowl,

raptors, and other migratory birds have publicly owned resting and feeding

stops on their annual migrations.

The Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving,

protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife and their habitats. The agency

has specific trustee responsibilities for migratory birds, threatened and

endangered species, anadromous fish, and certain marine mammals as well

as the land and waters administered by the Service for the protection of

these resources.

The following sections discuss the purpose of and need for the Flint Hills

NWR CCP, the planning process used, and the general background of the

Refuge. It also describes the geographic ecosystem the Refuge is located

within and the legal context of the planning project.

Regional Setting

The Flint Hills NWR lies in the broad, flat Neosho River Valley, historically a

native tallgrass prairie region of natural scenic beauty. The Refuge is

named for the gently rolling Flint Hills 30 miles to the west. These fossil

studded limestone hills were formed when seas washed across the region

250 million years ago (Oblinger-Smith Corp., 1982).

The Refuge is readily accessible by turnpike and interstate highways, lying

just eight miles south of I-35 in eastern Kansas. Large cities such as Wichita,

Kansas City, and Topeka are within 100 miles of the Refuge. Nearly 1.5

million people live within a 100 mile radius (Map #1). Other refuges within

the immediate area include the Marais des Cygnes NWR (approximately

90 miles to the east on the Kansas-Missouri border) and Quivira NWR

(approximately 150 miles to the west in south-central Kansas).
12 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Refuge Purpose Statements

Each national wildlife refuge was established for a particular purpose.

Formal establishment is usually based upon a statute or executive order

specifically enumerating the purpose of the particular unit. However,

refuges can also be established by the Service under the authorization

offered in such laws as the Endangered Species Act of 1973 or the Fish and

Wildlife Act of 1956. In these cases, lands are identified by the Service that

have the right elements to contribute to the recovery of a species or the

maintenance of habitat types. Oftentimes, the Service works in cooperation

with private nonprofit organizations in efforts to acquire suitable lands.

Flint Hills NWR was established in 1966 and “. . .shall be administered by

him (Secretary of the Interior) directly or in accordance with cooperative

agreements . . . and in accordance with such rules and regulations for the

conservation, maintenance, and management of wildlife, resources thereof,

and its habitat thereon, . . .” 16 U.S.C. § 644 (Fish and Wildlife Coordination

Act, 1958).

The Refuge Recreation Act (16 U.S.C. § 460-1) states that each refuge is:

“suitable for incidental fish and wildlife oriented recreational

development, the protection of natural resources, and the conservation

of endangered or threatened species.”
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 13
14 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 15

Planning Perspectives

and Considerations

Purpose of and Need for the Plan

The purpose of the CCP is to “provide long range guidance for the management of

national wildlife refuges.” As such, all lands of the System are to be managed

in accordance with an approved CCP that will guide management decisions

and set forth strategies for achieving refuge purposes. The Refuge

Improvement Act of 1997 requires all refuges to have a CCP and provides

the following legislative mandates to guide the development of the CCP:

• Wildlife has first priority in the management of refuges.

• Recreation or other uses are allowed if they are compatible with wildlife

conservation.

• Wildlife-dependent recreation activities such as hunting, fishing,

wildlife observation, wildlife photography, environmental education,

and interpretation will be emphasized.

This CCP provides management direction to present and future Refuge

Managers for the next 15 years. It describes all management activities that

occur on the Refuge and provides management goals, measurable objectives,

and management actions or strategies designed to enhance and protect

existing habitats and restore degraded habitats for the benefit of wildlife

including endangered species. The goals and objectives shall guide

management toward the Refuge vision or the ecologically desirable

outcome for Flint Hills NWR.
16 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Planning Process

This CCP establishes the goals, objectives, and management strategies for

Flint Hills NWR. A CCP is guided by the established purposes of each refuge, the

goals of the System, Service compatibility standards, and other Service

policies, legal mandates, and laws directly related to refuge management. The

Plan is in compliance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy

Act (NEPA). It addresses the National Wetlands Priority Conservation

Plan, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, conservation

initiatives such as the Partners-in-Flight (PIF) Plan and private land

initiatives, and the Service’s ecosystem management plans.

The Plan is developed with specific activities to be implemented during a

short time frame. Activities proposed for implementation over a longer

term, 5 to 15 years, are sometimes stated broadly with the intent that a

detailed step-down plan be developed. Step-down plans for a particular

management program such as farming, public use, and prescribed fire

include budgets, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation criteria.

This CCP will direct the preparation or revision of step-down management

plans, affect performance standards for Refuge personnel, and justify

budget approval for specific programs over the next 15 years.

The CCP and step-down plans provide the Refuge Manager a rationale and

justification to guide management decisions affecting the Refuge’s natural

resources. The plans will be most useful if the Manager provides a detailed

record of management actions and outcomes. It is the intent of the planning

process that management actions developed in both the CCP and stepdown plans be documented, reviewed, and evaluated within a reasonable

time frame. To optimize the effectiveness of the plans, amendments need to

be incorporated based on management outcomes and current Service

policy.

Following the publication of a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on

October 2, 1998, a fact sheet was prepared and sent to a mailing list of

citizens, interest groups, and agencies that have expressed interest in Refuge

programs and issues. An open house was held at the Flint Hills NWR

headquarters in Hartford, Kansas on November 5, 1998. In an ongoing

effort to involve the local community and officials in the CCP process, the

availability of the Draft CCP would be announced in the Federal Register

by the Service. The Draft CCP would be sent to a current mailing list of

citizens and interest groups and agencies previously expressing an interest

in Refuge programs and issues.

As part of the process of developing a Final CCP, public meetings would be

provided, if necessary, based on public response to this Draft CCP document.

Any comments received from the public will be reviewed and considered

throughout the CCP process. RMCI continually updates the mailing list

based on responses from interested parties. The public comments can be

found in Appendix N.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 17

Planning Perspectives

This comprehensive planning effort would integrate three perspectives so

that the management direction over the next 15 years would produce

holistic management approaches for the Flint Hills NWR. The Plan

includes:

1. A broad perspective for overall environmental contextual issues

including endangered species, biological diversity, water issues,

inter-jurisdictional cooperation, socio-economic considerations, etc.

2. A focused perspective for the System related policy issues which

affect the Flint Hills NWR programs (compatibility, endangered

species management, water rights, etc.).

3. A local perspective for Refuge related activities and strategies

affecting management units (grasslands, endangered species,

research, etc.).

An understanding of these three perspectives and the relationship between

them lead to the formulation of an integral set of Refuge goals and

objectives for the next 15 years.

Expected Planning Outcomes

The planning effort should bring about the following outcomes which are

all objectives of comprehensive conservation planning:

1. Ensure that management of Flint Hills NWR lands reflect the

policies and goals of the System and the purposes for which the

Refuge was established.

2. Ensure that Flint Hills NWR contributes to the conservation of

biological diversity and to the structure and function of the

ecosystem in which it is located.

3. Provide a clear statement of desired future conditions for Flint

Hills NWR as it should be when the System and individual unit

purposes are accomplished.

4. Provide a systematic process to aid decision making by identifying

opportunities, issues, and concerns; collecting, organizing, and

analyzing information; and developing and considering a range of

management alternatives.

5. Provide a forum for determining the compatibility of uses on Flint

Hills NWR.

6. Ensure Service programs, other agencies, and the public have

opportunities to participate in management decision making for

Flint Hills NWR.

7. Provide a uniform basis for budget requests for operational,

maintenance, and capital development programs that accomplish

Flint Hills NWR and system purposes.

8. Provide a basis for monitoring progress and evaluating Plan

implementation on Flint Hills NWR.

9. Identify objectives and management strategies for Flint Hills

NWR leading to their achievement.

10. Provide long-term continuity in the management of Flint Hills

NWR.
18 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

The Ecosystem Approach to Management

The Service has adopted an ecosystem approach to more effectively

achieve its mission of fish and wildlife conservation for future generations.

The ecosystem approach is defined as protecting or restoring the natural

function, structure, and species composition of an ecosystem while

recognizing that all components are interrelated.

Ecosystem management includes preservation of the natural biological

diversity, ecosystem health, and sustainable levels of economic and recreational

activity. This approach emphasizes the identification of goals that represent

resource priorities on which all parts of the Service will collectively focus their

efforts. These cross program partnerships within the Service and partnerships

with outside entities assist in the identification of common resource goals and

contribute to the accomplishment of those goals in an effective and timely manner.

The Service has defined 52 ecosystems within the United States, based primarily

on watershed designations. In order to implement the ecosystem approach, the

Service has established ecosystem teams consisting of members representing the

various field stations and programs within the Service in any given area. The

Refuge plays an integral role in the coordination of, and is an active participant

in, projects identified by the ecosystem team as priority projects in order to

accomplish the overall goals of the team. Management decisions incorporate

pertinent biological and socio-economic parameters within the ecosystem

(Map #2).

The Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem

Flint Hills NWR is part of the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem. This ecosystem

contains approximately 245,000 square miles and extends from the Rocky

Mountains to the bayous of Louisiana and contains all of Oklahoma and

parts of seven other states. Flint Hills NWR is located in the north-central

portion of this ecoregion. Threats to important fish and wildlife resources

in this system include construction and operation of stream impoundments,

improperly conducted livestock grazing, and further fragmentation of the

prairie ecosystem. Opportunities exist to improve grazing regimes and

work with Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as private organizations, to

gain information and to better manage the declining resources in the Flint

Hills NWR ecoregion. The Refuge plays an integral role in the participation and

coordination of various projects identified by the ecosystem team as priority

projects in order to accomplish the overall goal of the team.

Based upon a broad set of issues identifiable throughout the entire defined

Ecosystem, the Service has developed a management goal and a set of sub-goals.

The Ecosystem goal is “To protect, restore, and maintain viable levels of biotic

diversity within the Arkansas Red/Rivers Ecosystem.” Sub-goals of the plan

include: ■ Recovering federal and state listed threatened and endangered species and

their habitats and ensuring that species not currently listed are managed to

avoid a future need to list them under the Endangered Species Act.

■ Maintaining migratory bird populations at healthy levels. ■ Reversing declining trends in quality and quantity of riparian/wetland

habitats.

■ Restoring, maintaining, and enhancing the species composition, aerial

extent, and spatial distribution or riparian/wetland habitats.

■ Protecting, restoring, and maintaining native fish and aquatic communities

and to promote sport fisheries management where native fish and other

aquatic organisms are not adversely affected.

■ Protecting, maintaining, and restoring upland terrestrial communities

at the landscape level.

■ Interpreting the link between healthy, stable ecosystems and human/

community health.

■ Protecting and enhancing water quality and quantity for aquatic,

wetland, and riparian habitat.

To view the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem Plan, please refer to Appendix G.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 19
20 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 21

Refuge and Ecosystem Planning Issues and Opportunities

The following is a list of the major issues that confront the Flint Hills NWR

programs. An issue is an area of concern or an opportunity identified

through the planning process that requires more intensive management

efforts or decisions to change the Services’s approach to future management

planning. Examples include Service initiatives, opportunities, management

problems, threats to the resources, conflicts in uses, public concerns, and

undesirable resource conditions. Issues are identified by input and

feedback from sources within the Service, a variety of other government

agencies, NGO’s, and the public.

The issues identified in the planning process present various challenges for

the Service and the Refuge staff. However, the process of resolving these

issues provides several opportunities that further the mission of the Refuge

and benefit the natural resources of the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem.

The issues with associated challenges and opportunities are identified

below:

Issue 1. Habitat Management

The restoration and maintenance of native habitats on the Refuge is essential

for effective wildlife management. Historic records, databases, and other

information can be utilized to determine the natural conditions and processes

that should be restored on the Refuge. This baseline assessment is essential

for determining what habitat restoration actions should be conducted and

as a method for gauging the success of habitat restoration and maintenance

activities. Restoration may involve strategies such as prescribed burning,

exotic species control, or hydrological restoration and maintenance. The

intermittent flood hydrology of the Neosho River Basin above the John

Redmond Reservoir poses serious problems for all management activities

on the Refuge. At high pool level, 95 percent of the Refuge may be flooded

for extended periods of time. These flood events can result in damage to

facilities, nature trails, roads, embankments, and water control structures.

Flood events can also result in the extermination of desired vegetation

types and add to the introduction of exotic species.

Challenge: Restoration and management efforts must take into account

and prepare for the effects of flooding on the Refuge. Many conventional

management and restoration techniques are not tolerant of the flooding

conditions likely to be encountered. Techniques used in habitat management

for the Refuge must be flood tolerant. Management efforts would rely

more on the harnessing of natural processes and may therefore take longer

to accomplish. Implementation of various land management practices

include assisting area landowners to modify farming practices to reduce

erosion and sedimentation and improve water quality.

Opportunity: Due to the seasonal abundance of water, increased ability

exists to restore wetlands and conduct moist soils management for the

benefit of wildlife.
22 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Issue 2. Public Use, Environmental Education, and Public

Outreach

The Refuge has had a history of recreational public use and access for

wildlife-dependent recreational activities such as fishing, hunting, and

wildlife viewing. Increasing the quality of wildlife-dependent activities, as

well as allowing for increased public use, is a major challenge, especially

when considering the damage and disruptions caused by periodic flooding.

Challenge: Construction and maintenance of flood tolerant nature trails,

viewing blinds, and other essential structures would require long-term

commitment, effort, and a flexible approach.

Opportunity: Increasing environmental education, as well as public outreach,

would be possible by utilizing the expanded visitor center and increased

educational activities on and off the Refuge. Activities such as hiking,

environmental interpretation, wildlife photography, and wildlife viewing

could occur at increased levels on the Refuge. Compatibility determinations

and documentation to determine appropriate locations and levels of public

use activities would need to be continued.

The acquisition of an Outdoor Recreation Planner (ORP) position for the

Refuge is seen as vital to the success of the environmental education and

public outreach program.

Issue 3. Cultural Resources Management

Flint Hills NWR has been inventoried systematically for archaeological

sites. One of the sites identified is of national significance. Continued

coordination with the appropriate State agencies is needed to ensure the

protection of significant sites. Educational outreach and appropriate law

enforcement are two possible strategies to improve cultural resources

protection.

Challenge: Develop additional strategies and methods for protecting and

preserving identified sites.

Opportunity: Provide interpretive information regarding cultural resources

for the public in the form of pamphlets or the incorporation of interpretive

information kiosks into current and future public access trails and areas.

Issue 4. Interagency Coordination

Coordination with other agencies and institutions is essential for accomplishing

Refuge goals and to ensure success of the management program. Proposed

permanent increases in the John Redmond Reservoir pool elevations would

cause inundation of some current public use facilities. Close coordination

and negotiation with the Corps and other agencies would be needed to

mitigate these impacts.

Challenge: To coordinate reservoir level manipulation in times of drought

or increased rain events to benefit fish and wildlife resources. Proposed

permanent increases in John Redmond Reservoir pool elevations may need

to be mitigated.

Opportunity: Continued close cooperation with the Corps would allow for

the continued manipulation of reservoir levels for the benefit of wildlife.

Examples are the drawdown of the reservoir to allow for shorebird habitat

and vegetation growth that would provide waterfowl forage when the

reservoir is full.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 23

Issue 5. Staffing and Funding

Currently, the Refuge staff consists of eight permanent full-time employees.

Additional staff is needed to ensure the accomplishment of the management

plan goals. Acquisition of funding for proposed actions is one limiting factor

in the accomplishment of Refuge goals.

Challenge: Acquiring funds to support proposed staffing increases.

Opportunity: The hiring of an ORP, biologist, biological science technician,

and maintenance worker are seen as needs to accomplish the goals of this

Plan.

Issue 6. Threatened and Endangered Species

Four threatened or endangered species are known to occur on the Refuge

or within the Neosho River drainage. These species are the bald eagle,

peregrine falcon, Neosho madtom fish, and the flat-floater mussel.

Challenge: Maintaining Refuge habitat, particularly in and along the

Neosho River, free from disturbance or impact that allows the continued

presence of healthy populations of these species.

Issue 7. Farming

Farming practices on national wildlife refuges is a controversial practice.

When the Refuge was established, approximately 14,000 acres were farmed.

Since that time, the acreage has been reduced to approximately 4,000

acres. Currently, farming on the Refuge is used as a management tool for

wildlife and to further accomplish Refuge objectives. Farmed acres will

continue to be reduced as needed to accomplish management objectives.

Challenge: Farmed acres would be continually reduced as croplands are

retired. These acres would be managed as wildlife habitat, i.e., wetlands,

buffer strips, moist soil units, etc.

Opportunity: Farming would be used as a management tool to produce

forage for wildlife and reduce depredation on neighboring lands.
24 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Ecosystem and Refuge

Resource Description

The Flint Hills NWR lies in the broad, flat Neosho River Valley in eastcentral Kansas neighboring the native tallgrass prairie region of natural

scenic beauty (Map #3). The Refuge is named for the gently rolling Flint

Hills 30 miles to the west.

Flint Hills NWR, established in 1966, currently consists of 18,463 acres located at

the upstream end of the John Redmond Reservoir. The land is owned by the

Corps and is managed under a cooperative agreement. Refuge habitat

consists of 4,572 acres of wetlands, 1,400 acres of open water, 599 acres of

riparian wetlands on the Neosho River and associated creeks, 3,917 acres of

croplands, 3,200 acres of grasslands, 2,400 acres of woodlands, 2,255 acres of

brushlands, and 120 acres of administrative and recreational roadways.

The Refuge is managed primarily to benefit migrating and wintering

waterfowl in the Central Flyway. Thousands of ducks and geese utilize the

area during the spring and fall migrations and many winter on the Refuge.

A variety of management practices are utilized on the Refuge to meet the

needs of all wildlife, such as neotropical migrants, shorebirds, and native

plant communities. Feeding and resting areas for migratory birds are

provided through aggressive moist soil and cropland management programs.

In addition, farming practices and prescribed burning are used to provide

food and cover for waterfowl and resident species as well. Along with large

numbers of migrating birds, the Refuge is also a haven for white-tailed

deer, wild turkey, bobwhite quail, and an assortment of other mammals,

birds, reptiles, and insects.

In addition to the lands managed by Flint Hills NWR, the Corps has

licensed the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to manage 1,472

acres adjacent to the Refuge. This land is known as the Otter Creek Game

Management Area and is managed primarily for bobwhite quail, mourning

dove, wild turkey, cottontail rabbit, squirrel, and white-tailed deer.

The 3.05 billion dollar Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant, located eight miles

east of the Refuge, was commissioned for operation on September 3, 1985.

The nuclear power plant has a cooling reservoir of 5,500 acres (Coffey

County Lake) which has open water all year long. Wolf Creek has contracted

with the Kansas Water Office for the majority of the storage capacity of

John Redmond Reservoir. To transfer this water from John Redmond to

Wolf Creek, two 36 inch pumps and pipelines are located below the base of

the John Redmond Dam. Coffey County Lake is open to fishing but closed

to hunting and is used extensively by waterfowl (USFWS, 1997).

Area of Ecological Concern

Flint Hills NWR encompasses more than 18,000 acres in the floodplain of

the Neosho River near the town of Hartford, Kansas (Map #3). With an

average elevation of 1,050 feet above MSL, the Refuge straddles the Neosho

River at the upper end of the John Redmond Reservoir in Lyon and Coffey

Counties and the majority of the Refuge is in the flood pool of the Reservoir.

Most of the surrounding land is characterized by gently rolling prairies

now primarily agricultural land. The hydrology of the Neosho River and

the John Redmond Reservoir profoundly effects management practices

and most of the Refuge land uses. In addition, the land management

practices conducted by the Refuge have an effect on the hydrology and

natural resources within the Neosho River watershed. The broader area of

ecological concern is the Neosho River basin. The Refuge was established

under a cooperative management agreement with the Corps to provide

habitat for migratory waterfowl in the Central Flyway. The major management

objective for Flint Hills NWR focuses on protecting the unique Refuge

habitats essential for the survival of the diverse species that utilize the

Refuge.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 25
26 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 27

Vegetation

Refuge habitat consists of approximately 4,572 acres of wetlands, 1,400

acres of open water, 599 acres of riparian wetlands on the Neosho River

and associated creeks, 3,917 acres of croplands, 3,200 acres of grasslands,

2,400 acres of woodlands, 2,255 acres of brushlands, and 120 acres of

administrative and recreational roadways.

The Refuge provides habitat for a myriad of plant species. A summary of

the more common species is contained in the table below:

(Oblinger-Smith Corp., 1982, USFWS, 1997)

For a complete list of plants found on the Refuge, please refer to Appendix A.

Traditionally, retired farm fields were targeted for native grass restoration.

Several restoration sites were destroyed due to flood events since 1993.

Only a few protected areas located on higher elevated sites would now be

considered for native prairie restoration. Johnson grass and Sericea

lespedeza, both considered noxious weeds, have been difficult to control.

Chemical application within a floodplain is a concern and, therefore, other

methods of control are being explored, i.e., mechanical and biological

control.

Vegetation of Flint Hills NWR

A e cres H s abitat Typ Common Specie

4 s ,572 W , etland smartweed, common millet/barnyard grass

buttonbush, willow, sedge, cocklebur, and

foxtail grass

5 n 99 R , iparia cottonwood, ash, sycamore, hackberry, locust

walnut, elm, and silver maple as well as

bittersweet, greenbrier, dogwood, American

plum, gooseberry, buckbrush, moonseed,

dock, ragweed, nettle, and violets

3 s ,200 G , rassland big bluestem, little bluestem, Indian grass

switch grass, prairie cord grass, rice cutgrass,

dropseed, and foxtail

2 s ,255 B n rushland buckbrush, greenbrier, dogwood, America

plum, and wild grape

2 s ,400 W r oodland cottonwood, willow, ash, pecan, red oak, bu

oak, silver maple, redbud, Osage orange,

mulberry, American elm, Chinese elm, walnut,

hackberry, and sycamore

3 s ,917 C d ropland corn, milo, soybean, winter wheat, alfalfa, an

sunflowers
28 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Waterfowl Counts 1993-1997

Y a ear Canad

Geese

Snow

Geese

White-fronted

Geese

Ducks

1 0 997 1 5 ,40 2 0 1,30 2 5 ,80 33,53

1 1 996 2 0 ,56 2 5 0,00 1 0 ,21 39,57

1 0 995 3 0 ,00 9 0 ,10 4 0 ,00 48,75

1 0 994 3 0 ,10 2 0 0,00 1 0 ,90 44,55

1 0 993 2 0 ,50 3 0 1,00 6 0 5 16,40

Wildlife

Flint Hills NWR offers a diverse assortment of wildlife species. The various

habitats present on the Refuge support a variety of species of mammals,

birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Mammals common to the Refuge are

white-tailed deer, coyote, beaver, opossum, raccoon, bobcat, cottontail

rabbit, fox squirrel, and other small mammals. River otters have also been

reported on the Refuge since their reintroduction several years ago on the

Cottonwood River upstream of the Neosho River (reference used to verify

mammal scientific names, Burt and Grossenheider 1976).

Bird species commonly seen on the Refuge include an abundance of waterfowl

such as Canada goose, snow goose, white-fronted goose, mallard, northern pintail,

and blue-winged teal. Marsh and water birds on the Refuge include American

white pelican, great (common) egret, snowy egret, great blue heron, little blue

heron, green-backed heron, American bittern, least bittern, double-crested

cormorant, and pied-billed grebe. Shorebirds, gulls, and terns seen on the Refuge

include greater yellowlegs, dowitchers, ring-billed gull, Franklin’s gull, and

Forester’s tern. Raptors include red-tailed hawk, northern harrier, Swainson’s

hawk, Cooper’s hawk, great horned owl and sharp-shinned hawk. Other common

birds are bobwhite quail, wild turkey, and eastern bluebird (references used to

verify bird scientific names included DeGraaf, and Rappole 1995; Ehrlich et al.

1988; National Geographic Society, 1987; and Peterson, 1961).

Fish found on the Refuge include carp, channel catfish, white bass, crappie,

and flathead catfish. It should be noted that the collection of wildlife

inventory data is still ongoing and new species are found periodically. For

an inventory of wildlife species, see Appendices B through E.

Waterfowl management has been the primary focus of many management

strategies over the years. While the wildlife management perspective has

broadened, waterfowl continues to be a major focus and the numbers of

waterfowl give an indication of the intrinsic value of the Refuge. The table

below includes the waterfowl counts from 1993 to 1997 and gives an

indication of the vast numbers of birds that utilize the Refuge.

(USFWS, 1997).

Threatened and Endangered Species

Two federally listed threatened birds are known to occur on the Refuge,

the bald eagle and the peregrine falcon. Peregrine falcons are observed

passing through the area during spring and fall migrations. Bald eagles generally

arrive in the late fall and spend the winter around the John Redmond Reservoir

and surrounding areas. Eagle use on the Refuge is monitored from October

through March and nesting attempts have been documented (USFWS, 1997).

In addition to the above mentioned species, the Neosho madtom is federally

listed threatened and the flat-floater mussel is listed as state endangered

and are known to occur within the Neosho River drainage and within the

Refuge boundary. For a complete listing of threatened and endangered

species, please refer to Appendix F.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 29

Exotic Species

The most prevalent problems on the Refuge are the State and county listed

noxious weeds, Johnson grass and Sericea lespedeza. The Refuge is mandated by

State and county law to control the two species. Control efforts usually

consist of mowing and farming. Because the Refuge lies in a floodplain, the

use of pesticides and herbicides is restricted. An integrated pest management

approach is taken utilizing farm management practices, prescribed

burning, and chemical application. Biological controls are being investigated.

Another exotic species invasion which may become a problem in the future

is the zebra mussel which causes numerous filter clogging problems as well

as out-competing native species for food and habitat.

Climate

The climate of Flint Hills NWR and the surrounding region is typical of the

temperate continental climate. The average annual precipitation is 36.01

inches and temperatures range from below zero to above 100o

 F. The frost

free season averages 188 days a year.

Precipitation is usually heaviest in late spring and early summer. Normally

75 percent of the precipitation occurs during the growing season. Annual

snowfall averages about 14 inches with an average of 30 days with more

than a trace of snowfall. Winds in the area are predominately from the

south (USFWS, 1997).

Geology

The Refuge lies in a physiographic region known as the Osage Cuestas

(Oblinger-Smith Corp., 1982). The land forms in this area are of Pennsylvanian

age shales, limestone, sandstone, chert, and conglomerates that were

deposited in this area approximately 300 million years ago when Kansas

was covered by swamps and shallow seas. The Shawnee group of the

Virgilian series is the specific formation that the majority of the Refuge lies

on. To the west of the Refuge in the Flint Hills region, the formations are

of the Permian period, deposited approximately 250 million years ago.

Portions of the sediments deposited in the alluvium along the Neosho River

are eroded from this Permian formation (Oblinger-Smith Corp., 1982).

Soils

Soils on the Refuge are predominately productive Class I, II, III, and IV

soils of silty loam and silty clay loam (Map #4). While 27 different soil types

exist on the Refuge, the majority of the soils fall into the Class II rating

and are suited for cultivation, pasture, woodlands, or wildlife (OblingerSmith Corp., 1982).
30 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Water Management

Flint Hills NWR is located within

the Neosho River and Eagle Creek

flood pool of the John Redmond

Reservoir which was constructed by

the Corps as a flood control project.

When the reservoir is at normal

conservation pool, very little

Refuge land is inundated. Water

management on the Refuge is

dependent on the relative abundance

of water available. During abundant

water periods, as much as 95

percent of the Refuge may be

inundated by flooding from the

rising pool level of John Redmond

Reservoir. Floods of this severity

are not uncommon (1973, 1985,

1986, 1993, 1995, and 1998). Most

precipitation is received during the

spring and some degree of flooding

can be expected, while fall flooding

of the Reservoir is less common.

During drought periods, or other

periods of low precipitation,

pumping may be necessary to

sustain wetlands and maintain

wildlife habitat (USFWS, 1997).

Flint Hills NWR has two types of

water rights. The Certificates of

Appropriation allow for either

pumping or natural flow diversion

for recreational purposes which

includes fish and wildlife. Eighteen

Certificates are approved for the

diversion of water from the natural

flows of the Neosho River and its

tributaries by low profile dikes.

Ten additional Certificates cover

the pumping of water from the

Neosho River and its tributaries

into constructed and natural

wetlands (Map #5). One approved

Permit remains for natural flows

that has not yet been certified.

Approved Certificates of

Appropriation, their type, and

acre-feet authorized are listed in

the table to the right.

Water Rights - Flint Hills NWR -

All Recreational Use (to include

fish and wildlife.)

W e ater Unit Certificat

No.

Diversion

Type

Acrefeet

Bench Marsh Unit

Bench

Lower Bench

West Bench

38,287

39,580

Permit 42,848

Natural Flow

Natural Flow

Natural Flow

500

125

156

Beschka Marsh 38,280

38,282

Pump

Natural Flow

73

150

Boes Marsh 2 w 1,939 N 0 atural Flo 6

Burgess Marsh 38,278

38,279

Pump

Natural Flow

206

300

Coon HammanIndian Hills Unit

Coon Hamman --

7 Pools Combined

Indian Hills --

17,606

38,274

17,601

38,275

Pump

Natural Flow

Pump

Natural Flow

19

80

205

330

Goose Bend Marsh 17,609

38,276

Pump

Natural Flow

172

200

Hammerton Marsh 38,286

38,285

Pump

Natural Flow

90

180

Hartford Unit

Hartford/Maxwell (Pools 2&3)

Hartford (Pools 1&2)

Maxwell MSU (Pool 3)

39,581

38,283

39,115

Pump

Natural Flow

Natural Flow

476

300

270

Lairds Pond 1 w 3,712 N 0 atural Flo 7

Monypeny Pond 5 w ,336 N 6 atural Flo

Palin Slough 38,273

38,271

Pump

Natural Flow

25

25

Pintail Marsh 2 w 1,938 N 0 atural Flo 11

Rummel Marsh 38,284

38,277

Pump

Natural Flow

100

100

Strawn Flats 3 w 8,281 N 0 atural Flo 11

Troublesome Unit

Troublesome East

Troublesome

39,582

5,339

Pump

Natural Flow

106

30
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 31
32 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
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34 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 35

Cultural and Historic Resources Features

Archaeological survey investigations conducted on the Flint Hills NWR have

identified numerous archaeological sites. The majority of these sites

represent Middle Ceramic occupation presumed to date from 1,000 to

1,500 A.D. According to Thies (1981), the archaeological sites thus far

discovered represent occupations ranging from the Paleo-Indian era up to

and including the Historic era, or from approximately 12,000 B.C. to the

earliest days of Euro-American settlement. Thies goes on to say it is probable

that more sites exist in the areas which could not be adequately investigated

during the 1979 and earlier surveys. One archaeological site of note, the

Williamson Site, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Human remains have been discovered at that site. A number of the identified

sites have been recommended for preservation and further study (Thies

1981). Coordination with the appropriate authorities would be required should

any construction activities take place in the vicinity of the identified sites.

Socio-economic Features

The Refuge is located in Lyon and Coffey Counties. The combined population

of these counties, according to 1997 estimates, is 42,826. The population of

Hartford is approximately 550. The socio-economic impacts of the Refuge

on Lyon and Coffey Counties consists primarily of permitted public use,

contributions of the staff, and supplies purchased within the counties for

the Refuge.

In 1997, 53,565 visits were recorded at the Refuge. While many of the visits

may be local or repeat visitors, the visitation rate represents considerable

economic benefit to Lyon and Coffey Counties.

Lyon and Coffey Counties have significant agricultural resources. The

percentage of land in farms for both counties average about 88 percent in

1992 and the combined farm acres for both counties was 839,027. In 1996 in

both counties, an estimated 1,829 people were employed on farms as well

as 285 agricultural service employees out of a combined total civilian labor

force of 23,065. Approximately 9 percent of the labor force for the combined

counties is involved in agriculture or agricultural services (IPPBR 1999).

Cooperative farming agreements have resulted in the annual cultivation of

almost 4,000 acres of Refuge land (Map #6).
36 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Public Use

Public use activities currently permitted at the Refuge include wildlife

observation, hiking, photography, sight-seeing, boating, picnicking,

camping, fishing, wild food gathering, and hunting (Map #7 and 8). Fish

bait collecting is allowed for personal use only and firewood cutting is also

allowed with a special permit from the Refuge Manger. All State and

Federal regulations are in effect on the Refuge (USFWS, 1997).

Refuge Staffing

Current Refuge staff consists of the following 12 positions, 10 of which are

full-time positions:

Refuge Manager GS-14

Supervisor Refuge Operations Specialist GS-12/13

Fish and Wildlife Biologist (Private Lands) GS-7/9/11

Wildlife Biologist GS-9/11

Administrative Support Assistant GS-7

Bio-Science Tech GS-8

Biological Aid GS-3

Maintenance Mechanic WG-9

Engineering Equipment Operator WG-10

Fire Management Officer GS-7/9

Range Technician GS-4

Range Technician GS-5

For a proposed full level staffing chart, please refer to Proposed Funding

and Personnel section.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 37
38 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 39
40 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 41
42 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 43

Flint Hills NWR

Management Program

Flint Hills NWR was established to provide habitat for migratory birds, and in so

doing, serves as an inviolate sanctuary providing habitats for many other species

of wildlife and plants. This purpose is fundamental in determining the

Refuge mission. Both the purpose and mission are the foundation of

Refuge management, the direction of which is guided by general goals with

specific objectives. The protection of natural resources and the conservation of

endangered or threatened species is the first priority in Refuge management;

public uses are secondary as long as the activities are compatible with

wildlife conservation. As appropriate, opportunities for the development of

wildlife-oriented recreational development are considered. Specific projects

or strategies within each objective are identified as a means of attaining the

Refuge vision.

Guide for present and future management direction

The objectives and strategies presented are the Service’s response to the

issues and concerns expressed by the planning team and the public. These

objectives and strategies reflect the Service’s commitment to achieve the

mandates of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997,

the mission of the System, The Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem Plan, the

North American Waterfowl Management Plan, and the purpose, vision, and

goals for Flint Hills NWR.

Objectives with measurable outcomes will guide the Refuge staff in a consistent

direction toward the accomplishment of each goal beginning with short-term

objectives and strategies to occur within five years followed by implementation of

long-term strategies within 5 to 15 years. The time frame for implementing

objectives may vary depending on funding, staff support, and Service

directives. Due to the fact that the Flint Hills NWR CCP is a working

document, modifications to the following objectives and strategies are

anticipated. Where applicable, the Refuge Operating Needs System

(RONS) project has been included with the associated strategy.

Special Note of Management Constraints

The Army Corps of Engineers retains control and authority over all operations at

the John Redmond Reservoir, including pool level, which can change

drastically year-to-year. The periodic flooding of the Neosho River Basin

above the reservoir poses serious problems for all management activities

on the Refuge. At high pool level, 95 percent of the Refuge may be flooded

for extended periods of time. These flood events can result in damage to

facilities, nature trails, roads, embankments, and water control structures.

They can also exterminate desired vegetation types and add to the introduction of

exotic species.

This unnatural and uncontrollable flood pattern calls for continual adaptive

management and, at times, unusual management strategies. For instance,

many native plant communities cannot withstand extensive and prolonged

floods. Therefore, carefully selected more flood-resistant nonnative plant

species that also benefit wildlife (cover, forage) may be the best way to achieve

some Refuge goals. Similarly, setting specific acreage treatment objectives

is not always practical because the Refuge staff does not know how much land

will be flooded year-to-year, making project planning difficult. As an additional

consideration, it would be a poor use of limited funds and resources to

invest in costly and extensive projects that are not likely to withstand

major flood events.

For these reasons, some strategies normally available for Refuge management

may not be utilized here. Specific measurable objectives have been set

where feasible. Elsewhere, objectives and strategies establish a framework

in which work will proceed, with progress being the measurable factor, not

specific numerical targets.
44 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Biological Diversity, Land Protection, Wildlife,

and Habitat Protection

Goal 1: To restore, enhance, and protect the natural diversity on the Flint

Hills NWR including threatened and endangered species by

appropriate management of habitat and wildlife resources on

Refuge lands and by strengthening existing and establishing new

cooperative efforts with public and private stakeholders.

Objective 1: Restore and maintain native grassland and riparian

communities within the Refuge to meet the needs of native flora and fauna.

Rationale for Objective: Native tallgrass prairies have been reduced to

less than 5 percent of the historic amount in North America. Riparian

communities support diversity and have high wildlife values.

Strategies

✓ Within two years following funding approval, develop a biological

monitoring program managed by a Wildlife Biologist. The program

would include conducting biological inventory studies and habitat

surveys to gather baseline information to evaluate impacts of

management decisions on the Refuge. Hire a GS-9/11 Wildlife Biologist

in 2000 (RONS Projects).

✓ Strengthen existing and develop new cooperative efforts with Federal

and State agencies, and private landowners regarding interrelationships

between wildlife, livestock, hydrology, public use, and the ecosystem.

Throughout the term of this Plan, the Refuge would provide technical

assistance to landowners on land management issues.

✓ Maintain approximately a 200-foot wide buffer strip on each side of the

Neosho River to preserve riparian habitat. Assess the need to increase

the width of the buffer zone where terrain conditions and habitat needs

require additional protection.

✓ Gradually reduce farmed acres to allow for the development of riparian

zones, field buffer strips, wetlands, and prairie grassland and bottomland

hardwood restoration. Approximately 75 acres of habitat would be

restored annually.

✓ Utilize available management tools to control noxious weeds on the

Refuge. These tools include but are not limited to biological, chemical,

mechanical (farming, mowing), prescribed fire, and timber management.

✓ Within 10 years, restore 400 acres of native prairie sites that have been

invaded by noxious weeds. Biological control would be the preferred

method but chemical, mechanical, and burning methods as well as

reseeding may need to be utilized. (RONS Project)
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 45

Objective 2: Maintain and restore habitat for native wildlife including

invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and provide wintering

grounds for waterfowl.

Rationale for Objective: While the Refuge has historically been managed

primarily for the benefit of migratory waterfowl in the Central Flyway, the

purposes of the Refuge state that the Refuge would be managed for the

“conservation, maintenance, and management of wildlife resources.” In

order to provide the life requirements for the native species that have

historically inhabited the Refuge, habitat needs to be provided and maintained.

Additionally, lesser known native species need to be researched to determine their

possible presence and habitat needs.

Strategies

✓ Monitor wildlife populations including neotropical migrants (i.e.,

passerine, shorebirds, marsh birds, and waterfowl), reptiles, amphibians,

and mammals on a periodic basis.

✓ Provide food, habitat, and feeding areas for migratory and resident bird

populations (i.e., shorebirds, marsh birds, waterfowl, and neotropical

migrants) through crop production, wetland restoration, and moist soil

and riparian area management.

✓ Promote research and conservation of lesser known native species,

typically amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, invertebrates, and

native vegetation. Address potential hazards from zebra mussels and

other exotic invasions.

✓ Identify, protect, and maintain/restore sites where habitats of concern

are found. These sites include but are not limited to wet meadows,

oxbows, virgin/native prairie, and bottomland hardwoods.

Objective 3: Follow existing recovery plan objectives, manage, monitor,

and study threatened, endangered, and candidate species such as the bald

eagle, peregrine falcon, Neosho madtom, and flat-floater mussel, their

habitat requirements, predator susceptibility, exotic species encroachment,

and human induced impacts to prevent further decline and eventual loss.

Rationale for Objective: Any threatened or endangered species found on

the Refuge should receive the consideration of habitat management

decisions that enhance the survival of the species by providing appropriate

protection to enhance the existing Refuge habitat for that species.

Strategies

✓ Provide protected habitat free from disturbance (i.e., all terrain vehicles,

hunting, aircraft, trampling, etc.) as required to protect sensitive

species on a case-by-case basis through opportunistic management

practices such as temporary or seasonal road closures.

✓ Support education about local endangered species for area schools and

NGO’s by conducting informative talks and promoting research of

habitat requirements, population dynamics, and the problems

endangered and threatened species face in the Ecosystem.
46 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Objective 4: Utilize appropriate fire management strategies and tactics to

maintain, protect, and/or restore Refuge habitats. Fire management would

comprise approximately 10 percent of the total annual habitat management

capabilities on the Refuge.

Rationale for Objective: Fire is a useful management tool for the restoration

and maintenance of Refuge habitats.

Strategies

✓ Suppress wildfires, including trespass fires, in a safe, efficient, cost

effective manner consistent with resources and values at risk. This will

vary from aggressive initial attack to allowing fires to burn themselves

out.

✓ Utilize minimum impact strategies and tactics to minimize environmental

impacts in both wildfire suppression and prescribed fire operations.

✓ Prescribed fire will be used to modify vegetative communities for

improved habitat for native flora and fauna, ecosystem function, and

hazard fuel reduction.

✓ Cooperate with other agencies in wildfire suppression and prescribed

fire operations.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 47

Hydrological Restoration and Water Quality

Goal 2: To restore and maintain a hydrological system for the Neosho

River drainage by managing for wetlands (Map #9), control of

exotic species, and management of trust responsibilities for the

maintenance of plant and animal communities.

Objective 1: Restore a more natural hydrology to the reach of the Neosho

River and its associated wetlands within the Refuge boundaries in order to

benefit native aquatic and riparian plant and animal communities. Restore

approximately 600 acres of habitat to more natural conditions.

Rationale for Objective: With the construction of the John Redmond

Reservoir, native habitats have been lost as a result of man-made impacts.

Restoration of those portions of habitat that can be restored to more

natural conditions would benefit the native wildlife (Map #10).

Strategies

✓ Within five years, restore the hydrology of wetlands that were drained

for farming, road construction, and other developments. Approximately

600 acres are to be restored to more natural conditions. (RONS

Project)

✓ Continue to develop communication and cooperative efforts concerning

ongoing projects within the area that affect channel morphology with

the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Corps.

✓ Update the comprehensive Water Management Plan to provide guidance

for the management of existing and potential water rights for natural

and man-made wetlands within the Refuge.

✓ Within 15 years, develop and maintain a total of approximately 3,500

acres as moist soil units.

✓ Conduct a long-term contaminant monitoring program on the Refuge

using the September 1999 Contaminant Assessment Report (Appendix J)

as a baseline.
48 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Objective 2: Protect and conserve populations of aquatic species designated

as endangered, threatened, or species of concern.

Rationale for Objective: Any threatened or endangered species found on

the Refuge should receive the consideration of habitat management decisions

that enhance the survival of the species by providing appropriate protection

and enhance the existing Refuge habitat for that species.

Strategies

✓ Develop cooperative management strategies with other Federal, State,

and NGO’s to support maintenance and restoration of habitats supporting (or

potentially supporting) native communities with special emphasis on

federal and state listed species.

✓ Assist in developing and revising recovery plans for listed species found

on the Refuge.

✓ Promote a public outreach campaign that stresses the importance of

restoring endangered species and their relationship to sound

ecosystem management.

Objective 3: Develop and support ongoing resource management practices

that emphasize the control of invasive species.

Rationale for Objective: Due to the introduction of nonnative species,

including state listed noxious weeds, native vegetation has been replaced

by exotic species. Control of these species on the Refuge is a difficult task.

Constant vigilance and control efforts are required to preserve habitats on

the Refuge.

Strategies

✓ Control nonnative vegetation in riparian areas of the Neosho River and

its tributaries through succession.

✓ Within five years, retire approximately 600 acres of cropland to allow

for the development of buffer strips adjacent to riparian zones and

wetlands.

✓ Continue to participate and cooperate with the U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA) and other organizations in approved biological

efforts to control exotic species. The Refuge would provide test study

sites when practical.

✓ Utilize interactions with the public (media releases, public meetings,

etc.) to disseminate information on the negative impacts that most

nonnative species have on native species and the natural ecosystem as

a whole.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 49
50 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 51
52 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 53

Public Use, Recreation, Wildlife Interpretation, and Education

Goal 3: Provide opportunities for wildlife-dependent public access and

recreational opportunities to include compatible forms of hunting,

fishing, wildlife observation, photography, interpretation, and

educational activities.

Objective 1: Maintain and improve quality wildlife-dependent recreational

opportunities on the Refuge.

Rationale for Objective: Wildlife-dependent recreation is a priority as

mandated by the Wildlife Improvement Act of 1997.

Strategies

✓ Within two years of funding approval, formulate and implement a

comprehensive Public Use Plan. This Plan would address all forms of

public use and access.

✓ Following funding approval, add a GS-5/7/9 ORP position to develop

and conduct the Outdoor Recreation Program which would include off

Refuge outreach programs. (RONS Project)

✓ Develop a visitor service center.

Objective 2: Provide compatible hunting and fishing opportunities.

Rationale for Objective: While hunting currently occurs on the Refuge,

the value and quality of the activity could be improved through close

cooperation with other agencies and through careful management of

hunting access. Law enforcement would play a vital part in monitoring the

hunting and other public use activities on the Refuge.

Strategies

✓ Add one full-time law enforcement officer to be shared between Flint

Hills NWR and Marais des Cygnes NWR. (RONS Project)

✓ Use local media and other public outreach tools to keep the public

informed and to enhance hunting and fishing on the Refuge.

✓ Maintain the quality of the fishing and hunting opportunities on the

Refuge by utilizing road closures and access restrictions.
54 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Objective 3: Improve existing and/or develop new compatible recreational

opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography at Flint Hills NWR to

allow for increases in public use.

Rationale for Objective: Over the years, wildlife viewing and wildlife

photography have become more popular with the public. To meet this

increased demand, additional facilities and programs are needed.

Strategies

✓ Following funding approval, develop two viewing and photography

blinds with access trails. The blinds would be flood tolerant and/or

removable to avoid damage during the flood season. (RONS Project)

✓ Following funding approval, enhance three existing nature trails for

public use. (RONS Project)

✓ Following funding approval, develop informational and interpretive

signs on the Refuge. (RONS Project)

✓ Use local media and public outreach to inform the public about

opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography at Flint Hills NWR.

Objective 4: Promote understanding of the Service’s mission and the

Refuge’s role in wildlife conservation.

Rationale for Objective: Educational activities and public outreach are

essential to inform and educate the public about recreational opportunities

and public use on the Refuge.

Strategies

✓ Revise and expand brochures to inform and educate the public regarding

the Service mission and the recreational and educational opportunities

provided by the Refuge. (RONS Project)

✓ Conduct school and educational programs that include field activities

throughout the year. (RONS Project)

✓ Host on-site events and participate in community events to promote

the Refuge and the Service.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 55

Cultural Resources

Goal 4: To protect, manage, and interpret cultural resources on the Flint

Hills NWR for the benefit of present and future generations.

Objective 1: Protect cultural resources on the Refuge in compliance with

all applicable Federal mandates.

Rationale for Objective: The presence of cultural resources on the Refuge

has been documented as required by Federal mandates.

Strategies

✓ Verify locations of known cultural resources using GPS technologies.

✓ Sample inventory one-third of the Refuge to determine if additional

cultural resources exist.

✓ Utilize standard law enforcement practices and strategies to protect

identified and unidentified cultural resources.

✓ Revegetate cultural resource sites to stabilize the surface area while at

the same time reduce the site’s visibility.

Objective 2: Interpret the cultural resources of the Refuge and educate the

Refuge visitor to foster appreciation and understanding of current and past

cultures.

Rationale for Objective: As public use increases, increased efforts to

educate the public and protect cultural resources would be needed.

Strategies

✓ Within three years following funding approval, prepare an information

pamphlet for distribution from the visitor center concerning the nature,

value, and need for protection of cultural resources on the Refuge.

✓ Install interpretive panels to inform the public of the nature, value,

and need for protection of cultural resources on the Refuge.

Interagency Coordination and Relations

Goal 5: To strengthen interagency and jurisdictional relationships in order

to coordinate efforts with respect to Refuge and surrounding area

issues resulting in decisions benefitting fish and wildlife resources

while at the same time avoiding duplication of effort.

Objective 1: Cultivate interagency, jurisdictional and community relationships to

support the Refuge mission.

Rationale for Objective: Because the Refuge is on land owned by the

Corps and managed under an agreement with the Corps, close cooperation

with the Corps is essential. Additionally, numerous other groups and

communities have interests in the operations of the Refuge.

Strategies

✓ Continue to develop a close relationship with the Corps and other

stakeholders that would define and implement policies and requirements

that concern the Refuge.

✓ Develop a stronger relationship with local agencies, landowners, counties,

and other stakeholders to influence land development adjacent to the

Refuge in a way that would benefit wildlife.

✓ Develop a Refuge support group to improve community involvement.

✓ Work closely with the Corps to help mitigate impacts from proposed

increased pool elevations.
56 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Improvement of Staffing, Funding, and Facilities

Goal 6: Improve staffing, funding, and facilities that would result in longterm enhancement of habitat and wildlife resources in the area of

ecological concern and support the achievement of the goals of this

Plan and the goals of the System.

Objective 1: Increase staffing to the “Proposed Staffing Level” or its

equivalent in order to provide the level of support needed to accomplish the

goals of this Plan.

Rationale for Objective: In order to accomplish Refuge goals and objectives,

additional staff would be required. Additionally, foreseeable increases in

public use would be difficult to accommodate without additional staff.

Strategies

✓ Add additional staff required to support the goals of this Plan.

✓ Utilize internal mechanisms such as RONS to justify and acquire the

additional funding and personnel to accomplish Refuge goals within 15

years.

✓ Pursue agreements with other interested agencies and public partners

to provide the needed personnel and funds to accomplish Refuge goals.

Objective 2: Improve facilities in order to provide the infrastructure needed to

accomplish the goals of this Plan.

Rationale for Objective: Facilities provide the infrastructure that allows

the accomplishment of all Refuge goals and activities. Periodic improvements,

replacements, and additions are an integral part of the development of the

Refuge.

Strategies

✓ Construct an all steel storage building to store heavy equipment to

better protect and preserve equipment and comply with current

contaminant control regulations. (RONS Project)

✓ Construct a fire equipment storage facility. (RONS Project)

✓ Construct housing for seasonal fire fighting personnel. (RONS Project)

✓ Expand office space to accommodate additional staff.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 57

Legal, Policy, Administrative

Guidelines, and Other

Special Considerations

This Section outlines current legal, administrative, and policy guidelines

for the management of national wildlife refuges. It begins with the more

general considerations such as laws and executive orders for the Service,

and moves toward those guidelines that apply specifically to the Flint Hills

NWR.

This unit also includes sections dealing with specially designated sites such

as historical landmarks and archaeological sites, all of which carry with

them specific direction by law and/or policy. In addition, consideration is

given to guidance prompted by other formal and informal natural resource

planning and research efforts.

All the legal, administrative, policy, and planning guidelines provide the

framework within which management activities are proposed and developed.

This guidance also provides the framework for the enhancement of cooperation

between the Flint Hills NWR and other surrounding jurisdictions in the

ecosystem.

Legal Mandates

Administration of the refuges takes into account a number of laws. These

statutes are considered to be the law of the land as are executive orders

promulgated by the President. The following is a list of most of the pertinent

statutes establishing legal parameters and policy direction to the National

Wildlife Refuge System. Included are those statutes and mandates pertaining to

the management of the Flint Hills NWR.

For those laws that provide special guidance and have strong implications

relevant to the Service or Flint Hills NWR, legal summaries are offered in

Appendix H. Many of the summaries have been taken from The Evolution

of National Wildlife Law (Bean 1985). For the bulk of applicable laws and

other mandates, legal summaries are available upon request.
58 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Agency-Wide Policy Directions

Fish and Wildlife Service Agency Mission — Since the early 1900s, the

Service mission and purpose has evolved, while holding on to a fundamental

national commitment to threatened wildlife ranging from the endangered

bison to migratory birds of all types. The earliest national wildlife refuges

and preserves are examples of this. Pelican Island, the first refuge, was

established in 1903 for the protection of colonial nesting birds such as the

snowy egret and the endangered brown pelican. The National Bison Range

was instituted for the endangered bison in 1906. Malheur National Wildlife

Refuge was established in Oregon in 1908 to benefit all migratory birds

with emphasis on colonial nesting species on Malheur Lake. It was not

until the 1930s that the focus of refuge programs began to shift toward

protection of migratory waterfowl (i.e., ducks and geese). As a result of

drought conditions in the 1930s, waterfowl populations became severely

depleted. The special emphasis of the Service (then called the Bureau of

Sport Fisheries and Wildlife) during the next several decades was on the

restoration of critically depleted migratory waterfowl populations.

The passage of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 refocused the

activities of the Service as well as other governmental agencies. This Act

mandated the conservation of threatened and endangered species of fish,

wildlife, and plants both through Federal action and by encouraging the

establishment of State programs. In the late 1970s, the Bureau of Sport

Fisheries and Wildlife was renamed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to

broaden its scope of wildlife conservation responsibilities to include

endangered species, as well as game and nongame species. A myriad of

other conservation oriented laws followed, including the Fish and Wildlife

Conservation Act of 1980, which emphasized the conservation of nongame

species.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 59

National Wildlife Refuge System: Mission and Goals

The National Wildlife Refuge System is the only existing system of federally

owned lands managed chiefly for the conservation of wildlife. The System

mission is a derivative of the Service mission. This mission was most

recently revised in October 1997 by passage of the National Wildlife Refuge

System Improvement Act (P.L. 105-57). This Act followed up on Executive

Order 12996 (April 1996) Management of Public Uses on National Wildlife

Refuges to reflect the importance of conserving natural resources for the

benefit of present and future generations of people.

This Act amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act

of 1966 in a manner that provides for the Refuge System. It would ensure

that the Refuge System is effectively managed as a national system of lands,

waters, and interests for the protection and conservation of our nation’s

wildlife resources.

The Act gives guidance to the Secretary of the Interior in the overall

management of the Refuge System. The Act’s main components include a

strong and singular conservation mission for the Refuge System, a

requirement that the Secretary of the Interior maintain the biological

integrity, diversity, and environmental health of the Refuge System, a new

process for determining compatible uses of refuges, and a requirement for

preparing comprehensive conservation plans. The Act states first and

foremost that the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System be

focused singularly on wildlife conservation.

The Refuge Improvement Act is an overarching Act with both general and

specific elements that provide long-term management direction for the

Refuge System. It became law the day it was signed; however, pending

development and approval of final rules and regulations, the Service has

issued the following as interim policy guidance with respect to the Act’s

Sections:

Sec. 1 Purpose

This Order provides guidance for implementing specific provisions of the

National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, pending

development of new policies and regulations responsive to the Act.

Sec. 2 Scope

This policy applies to management of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Sec. 3 Existing policy

Existing policy and directives for management of the National Wildlife

Refuge System remain in force except for those which are in conflict with

provisions in the Act, in which case the Act prevails.

Sec. 4 Mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System

The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is:

“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.”
60 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Sec. 5 Administration of the National Wildlife Refuge System

a. The term “refuge” means a designated area of land, water, or an

interest in land or water within the Refuge System, but does not

include Coordination Areas.

b. Each refuge shall be managed to fulfill the mission of the Refuge

System, as well as the specific purposes for which that refuge was

established.

c. Each refuge shall be managed in a manner that maintains the biological

integrity, diversity and environmental health of the Refuge System.

d. The status and trends of wildlife resources on each refuge shall be

monitored.

e. The purposes of each refuge are the purposes specified in or derived

from the law, proclamation, executive order, agreement, public land

order, donation document, or administrative memorandum

establishing, authorizing, or expanding a refuge, refuge unit, or refuge

sub-unit.

f. Each refuge shall ensure effective coordination, interaction, and

cooperation with neighboring landowners and appropriate State fish

and wildlife agencies.

g. Each refuge shall cooperate and collaborate with other Federal agencies and

appropriate state fish and wildlife agencies in refuge acquisition and

management.

Sec. 6 Public Uses

a. When determined to be compatible, the following six wildlife-dependent

recreational uses are the priority general public uses of the Refuge

System: hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and

environmental education and interpretation.

b. Compatible priority public uses shall receive enhanced consideration

over other public uses in refuge planning and management.

c. Priority public uses are appropriate and legitimate uses of the Refuge

System. Refuges are strongly encouraged to seek opportunities to

permit these activities when ways can be found to ensure their

compatibility. Reasonable efforts should be made to ensure that lack of

funding is not an obstacle to permitting these uses through development

of partnerships with the States, local communities, and private and

nonprofit groups.

d. The following general hierarchy between refuge activities and public

uses would apply: Priority 1 - activities necessary to fulfill the refuge

purposes and the Refuge System mission; Priority 2 - provide opportunities

for wildlife-dependent recreational uses, when determined to be

compatible. All other public uses would be a lower priority.

e. In providing priority public uses, refuges shall emphasize opportunities

for families to experience compatible wildlife-dependent recreation,

particularly opportunities for parents and their children to safely

engage in traditional outdoor activities, such as fishing and hunting.

Sec. 7 Compatibility

a. Compatibility determinations prepared during the period between

enactment of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of

1997 (October 9, 1997) and issuance of a new compatibility policy would

be made under the existing compatibility standards and process.

Sec. 8 Comprehensive Conservation Planning

a. The Act provides that Comprehensive Conservation Plans shall be

completed for all refuge units within 15 years from the date of

enactment.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 61

Refuge Purpose Statements

Formal establishment of a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System is

usually based upon a specific statute or executive order specifically enumerating

the purpose of the particular unit. However, refuges can also be established

by the Service under the authorization offered in such laws as the Endangered

Species Act of 1973 or the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956. In these cases,

lands are identified by the Service that have the right elements to contribute

to the recovery of a species or the maintenance of habitat types. Often, the

Service works in cooperation with private nonprofit organizations in efforts

to acquire suitable lands.

Flint Hills NWR was established in 1966 and “. . .shall be administered by

him (Secretary of the Interior) directly or in accordance with cooperative

agreements . . . and in accordance with such rules and regulations for the

conservation, maintenance, and management of wildlife, resources thereof,

and its habitat thereon, . . .” 16 U.S.C. § 644 (Fish and Wildlife Coordination

Act, 1958).

The Refuge Recreation Act (16 U.S.C. § 460-1) states that each refuge is:

“suitable for incidental fish and wildlife oriented recreational

development, the protection of natural resources, and the conservation

of endangered or threatened species.”
62 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Plan Implementation

Refuge objectives are intended to be accomplished over the next 15 years.

Many of the management activities for Flint Hills NWR would require the

development of step-down management plans. Implementation of new

management activities would be phased in over time as described within the

step-down plans and would be contingent upon funding, staffing, regional

and national Service directives. This section identifies major resource

projects or planning to be accomplished within 5 to 10 years, estimated

initial costs, staffing and funding needs, partnership opportunities, and

step-down management plans.

Resource Projects

Listed below are a summary of major resource project needs addressing

the goals and objectives of this Plan. Each project summary includes

planning links to this CCP. This list only reflects the basic needs identified

by the planning team based on available information and are subject to

modification depending on future conditions, needs, and cost adjustments.

Project 1. Riparian Habitat Restoration and Protection

Provide and maintain riparian habitats and increase the diversity of wildlife

communities. Restoration management includes establishment of riparian

buffer strips, control of exotic vegetation, and prescribed fire in some areas.

Planning Links: Goal 1, Objectives 1, 2, 3, and 4

Goal 2, Objectives 1 and 3

Goal 5, Objective 1

Project 2. Water Management

Develop and implement a Water Management Plan. The Plan would determine

water needs to maintain wetlands acres and restore riparian habitats of the

Neosho River, and estimate water rights needed for the beneficial use of

fish and wildlife. The Plan would include water management strategies for

the production of quality wetland habitat components, and inventory and

monitoring strategies for evaluating the diversity of wetland communities.

Planning Links: Goal 2, Objectives 1 and 2

Goal 3, Objective 3

Goal 5, Objective 1
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 63

Project 3. Wetland Restoration and Management

Restore and maintain wetland habitats to more natural conditions. Restoration

management includes retiring cropland and constructing and restoring

wetlands to benefit wildlife resources.

Planning Links: Goal 1, Objectives 1, 2, and 3

Goal 2, Objectives 1, 2, and 3

Goal 5, Objective 1

Project 4. Grassland Management

Restore 400 acres of native prairie sites that have been invaded by noxious

weeds. Restoration management would include biological control, chemical

control, mechanical control, burning and reseeding. Identify, protect and/or

restore remaining tracts of true native prairie grasslands.

Planning Links: Goal 1, Objectives 1, 2, 3, and 4

Goal 2, Objective 3

Goal 5, Objective 1

Project 5. Outdoor Recreation Improvement

Improve the outdoor recreation component of the Refuge by adding an

Outdoor Recreation Planner to the Refuge staff. Outdoor recreation

improvements would include adding or improving trails, wildlife viewing

and photography blinds, development of informational pamphlets, and

increased public education and outreach.

Planning Links: Goal 1, Objective 3

Goal 3, Objectives 1, 2, 3, and 4

Goal 4, Objective 2

Goal 5, Objective 1

Goal 6, Objective 1

Project 6. Public Use Plan and Visitor Services

Develop a Public Use Plan which emphasizes visitor services at the headquarters

and increased opportunities for wildlife related recreation activities.

Planning Links: Goal 1, Objective 3

Goal 3, Objectives 1, 2, 3, and 4

Goal 4, Objective 2

Goal 5, Objective 1

Goal 6, Objective 1
64 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Proposed Funding and Personnel

Proposed Staffing Level:
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 65

Current base funding and other funds

Total annual budget for the Refuge varies depending on the Service

priorities for the resource projects each year and the national and regional

allocation of RONS and Maintenance Management System (MMS) funds.

The following is a general breakdown of the annual operation budget of the

Refuge (amount $K):

*Description of funding categories:

1261 funds include annual fixed costs: salaries, utilities, gasoline, diesel,

equipment repair, mandatory training/travel.

1262 funds includes routine maintenance and vehicle replacement,

maintenance on refuge facilities, and infrastructure.

8260 funds are from receipt of sales from the farming program and can

be used to fund Refuge operations.

9100 and 9251 are funds used for fire preparedness.

1121 monies fund the Private Lands Program.

Partnership Opportunities

Many opportunities exist to partner with county, State and Federal agencies,

NGO’s, private landowners, and conservation groups such as PIF, Ducks

Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, Wild Turkey Federation, and Quail

Unlimited to combine efforts on resource issues or projects that would

mutually benefit all with the greatest benefits to the area’s natural resources.

The benefits of the following partnerships or relationships are emphasized:

■ Establishing relationships through partners for fish and wildlife programs,

private landowners, and conservation organizations could result in the

development of conservation agreements or other options for land

protection, habitat enhancement and restoration, and opportunities for

continuity of management.

■ Strengthening partnerships with Kansas Wildlife and Parks and local

law enforcement agencies could lead to sharing of volunteers to conduct

activities associated with public use on the Refuge wetlands, enhancing

biological programs and management strategies of habitats and wildlife

populations on adjoining lands, sharing research opportunities and

information that would mutually benefit management of adjoining

resource areas, coordinating water management to enhance wetland

habitats, improving wildlife-oriented recreation opportunities through

joint efforts, and coordinating efforts for more efficient law enforcement

coverage.

■ Partnerships or joint efforts with the Corps, Kansas Department of

Wildlife and Parks, Kansas Water Office, and Neosho Basin Advisory

Committee, the timing and amount of water flows could be maximized

for beneficial use on riparian, wetland, and aquatic communities of the

Neosho adjacent to the Refuge. Improved relationships with area

water users and the Corps would provide better communication on

water issues. A coordinated effort for the protection of water rights

and efficient use of this limited resource would benefit all users.

Annual Operations Budget (amount $K)

Y * ear 1 * 261 1 * 262 8 * 260 9100

9251*

1 l 121* Tota

1 9 999 3 0 20.6 8 9 6. 8 0 6.6 9 0 7.7 2 8 30. $821.0

1 3 998 3 0 01.2 7 0 0. 1 0 18.0 4 3 9.8 2 3 16. $755.3

1 5 997 3 0 02.2 2 9 5. 2 8 86.4 6 0 2.5 2 2 07. $883.3

1 5 996 2 0 86.8 6 8 5. 7 0 4.0 2 0 6.6 1 3 80. $632.5
66 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Step-Down Management Planning

The following is a list of step-down management plans that include mandatory

plans, programmatic plans, and special use plans. Often these plans would

require compatibility determinations, environmental assessments, or other

supporting justification before they can be implemented. The preparation

and execution of these plans is dependent on funding and the availability of

staff or technical support.

Completed Plans and Other Documents

Station Safety Plan: describes actions and improvements necessary to

make station facilities and operations comply with Federal occupational

health and safety standards and other applicable regulations.

Fire Management Plan: determines the best use of prescribed fire in

managing and enhancing the Refuge habitats and addresses wildfire

preparedness and suppression. Plan was last updated in 1997.

Sign Plan: provides a record of all signs installed throughout the Refuge

and guidelines for sign replacement.

Hunting Plan: addresses specific aspects of the Refuge hunting program

defining the species to be hunted, season structure, hunting methods,

and applicable Refuge specific hunting regulations. Completed

between 1980-1984.

Migratory Bird Disease Contingency Plan: describes strategies to be

implemented during migratory bird disease outbreaks. Completed

between 1980-1984. Needs to be reviewed and updated.

Integrated Pest Management Plan: describes biological, mechanical, or

chemical methods for the most effective eradication and control of

exotic weeds and woody vegetation and specific pests including those

damaging crops without impacting the natural resources of the area.

Plans and Documents to be Developed in the Future

Public Use Management Plan: addresses specific wildlife related public

recreation issues and needs.

Refuge Inventory and Monitoring Plan: describes specific wildlife

inventory activities and techniques to be conducted to monitor wildlife

populations including specific species population objectives, census/

survey methods, data analysis, and reporting requirements.

Habitat Management Plan: describes the most appropriate management

strategies for habitat protection, enhancement and restoration,

emphasizes specific habitats and areas for management activities,

provides monitoring methods and evaluation criteria.

Cultural Resources Management Plan: identifies areas with significant

sites and develops methods for the management of these resources. The

Cultural Resources Management (CRM) Plan also identifies areas with high

potential of significant resources and provides the manager with information

to make better decisions regarding development or management

activities. A comprehensive cultural resource inventory is a prerequisite to

the development of the CRM plan as land management activities

including public access could impact unidentified or unevaluated

resources.

Water Use Plan: describes annual water management strategies including

quantities of water delivered, place of use and timing, and habitat objectives.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 67

Wilderness Review

This Refuge does not conform to the definition of a wilderness, as described in the

Wilderness Act of 1964. The Refuge is an overlay of Corps property and is

managed under a cooperative agreement with the Corps. Additionally, the Refuge

is fragmented by numerous county roads and heavily impacted by manmade flooding events from the Reservoir that inundate as much as 95

percent of the Refuge.

Refuge Program Monitoring and Evaluation

Where possible, the CCP identifies and incorporates monitoring and

evaluation activities as strategies under the objectives developed for

Flint Hills NWR. Each Refuge program has specific guidelines described

in the appropriate step-down plan. Step-down plans include approaches

and methods to monitoring management activities and specific criteria to

evaluate the outcomes of the activities. As new information becomes

available through baseline data, research, or outcomes of management

projects the existing Refuge programs would be adjusted. Step-down plans

including the monitoring and evaluation sections would require periodic

review, program evaluation, and adjustments as necessary.

Monitoring and Evaluation of the CCP

For this Plan to be a useful working document for present and future refuge

managers, documentation and accountability must be a priority. The most

effective implementation of the CCP would require periodic review,

evaluation, and the addition of information as necessary to keep the

document as current as the Refuge programs that evolve.
68 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

References

Bean, Michael J. 1985. The Evolution of National Wildlife Law, Praeger

Publishers, New York.

Burt, W. H. and R.P. Grossenheider, 1976. A Field Guide to the Mammals.

Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston.

DeGraaf, R.M. and Rappole, J. H. 1995. Neotropical Migratory Birds,

(Natural History, Distribution, and Population Change) Comstock

Publishing Associates, a Division of Cornell University Press, Ithaca

and London.

Ehrlich, Paul R., D.S. Dobkin and D. Wheye. 1988. The Birders Handbook:

a Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds. Simon

and Schuster.

The Institute for Public Policy and Business Research (IPPBR). 1999.

(http://www.ukans .edu/cwis /units/IPPBR). University of Kansas,

Lawrence, KS 66506 70874-4490 USA.

National Geographic Society. 1987. Field Guide to the Birds of North America.

Oblinger-Smith Corporation. 1982. Flint Hills NWR Master Plan.

Oblinger-Smith Corporation, Wichita, KS.

Peterson, R. T. 1961. A Field Guide to Western Birds. Houghton Mifflin Co.

Boston.

Thies, R. M. 1981. Archaeological Investigations in the John Redmond

Reservoir, East Central Kansas 1979. Kansas State Historical Society.

Submitted to US Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa. pg. 306.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, NRCS 1999. The PLANTS database

(http://plants.usda.gov.plants). National Plant Data Center, Baton

Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1997. Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge

Annual Narrative Report Calender Year 1997. Flint Hills National

Wildlife Refuge.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 69

List of Preparers

Research Management Consultants, Inc. (RMCI)

Louis J. Bridges - Project Scientist/Biologist

B.S. Biology/Natural History; M. A. Science Education

Seven years of experience at RMCI as an Environmental Scientist/

Biologist. Sixteen years of related experience ranging from research

with the Colorado Division of Wildlife to Environmental Science

Instructor at the University of Northern Colorado.

J. Paul Wharry - Environmental Scientist IV

B.A. Biology

Seven years of experience at RMCI as an Environmental Scientist.

Sixteen years of related experience ranging from High School Science

Instructor to Director of the Frontiers of Science Institute at the

University of Northern Colorado.

C. Anne Janik - Environmental Scientist III

M.S. Wildlife Management

Eleven years of experience with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a

Wildlife biologist for refuges in Alaska, California, and Nevada.

Michael S. Piro - Environmental Scientist III

B.S. Biology/Minor Chemistry

One year of experience at RMCI as an Environmental Scientist.

Twelve years of related experience ranging from Project Management

of RCRA sites to conducting Phase I Real Estate Transaction

Assessments.

USFWS contributors: Jerre Gamble, Refuge Manager; Alice Hanley, Refuge

Operations Specialist; Adam Misztal, Planning Branch; Jaymee Fojtik,

GIS/Mapping; Beverly Boecher, Cover Photo; Barbara Shupe, Document

Layout.
70 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Glossary

Alternative: A set of objectives and strategies needed to achieve refuge

goals and the desired future condition.

Biological Diversity: The variety of life forms and its processes, including

the variety of living organisms, the genetic differences among them, and

the communities and ecosystems in which they occur.

Biotic Community: An assemblage of interrelated plants and animals that

together inhabit a defined location.

Compatible Use: A wildlife-dependent recreational use, or any other use

on a refuge than would not materially interfere with or detract from the

fulfillment of the mission of the Service or the purpose(s) of the refuge.

Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP): A document that describes

the desired future conditions of the refuge, and specifies management

actions to achieve refuge goals and the mission of the National Wildlife

Refuge System.

Ecosystem: A dynamic and interrelated complex of plant and animal

communities and their associated non-living environment.

Ecosystem Approach: A strategy or plan to protect and restore the

natural function, structure, and species composition of an ecosystem,

recognizing that all components are interrelated.

Ecosystem Management: Management of an ecosystem that includes all

ecological, social, and economic components which make up the whole of

the system.

Ecoregion: Ecological region as determined by the Service, but defined by

geographic similarities.

Endangered Species: Any species of plant or animal defined through the

Endangered Species Act as being in danger of extinction throughout all or

a significant portion of its range, and published in the Federal Register.

Environmental Assessment (EA): A systematic analysis to determine if

proposed actions would result in a significant effect on the quality of the

environment.

Exotic: A plant or animal species not native to the area and introduced

intentionally or unintentionally.

Goals: Descriptive statements of desired future conditions.

Habitat: The environment in which a plant or animal naturally occurs, its

“living space.”

Issue: Any unsettled matter that requires a management decision. For

example, a resource management problem, concern, a threat to natural

resources, a conflict in uses, or the presence of an undesirable resource

condition.

National Wildlife Refuge (NWR): A designated area of land or water or

an interest in land or water within the System, including national wildlife

refuges, wildlife management areas, waterfowl production areas, and other

areas under Service jurisdiction for the protection and conservation of fish

and wildlife, and plant resources. A complete listing of all units of the

refuge system may be found in the current “Annual Report of Lands Under

Control of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 71

National Wildlife Refuge System (System): All lands, waters, and

interests therein administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as

wildlife refuges, wildlife ranges, wildlife management areas, waterfowl

production areas, and other areas for the protection and conservation of

fish, wildlife, and plant resources.

No Action Alternative: An alternative under which existing management

would be continued.

Non-priority Public Use: Any use other than a compatible wildlifedependent recreational use.

Objectives: A concise statement of what would be achieved, how much

would be achieved, when and where it would be achieved and who is

responsible for the work. Objectives are derived from goals and provide the

basis for determining management strategies, monitoring refuge

accomplishments, and evaluating the success of the strategies. Objectives

should be attainable and time specific and should be stated qualitatively to

the extent possible. If objectives cannot be stated quantitatively, they may

be stated qualitatively; actions to be accomplished to achieve a desired

outcome.

Preferred Alternative: The Service’s selected alternative identified in the

Draft CCP.

Priority Public Use: Compatible wildlife dependent recreational uses

(hunting, fishing wildlife observation and photography, environmental

education and interpretation) are the priority general public uses of the

system and shall receive priority consideration in refuge planning and

management.

Proposed Action: The Service proposed action for CCP’s is to prepare and

implement the CCP.

Public Involvement: The process by which interested and affected

individuals, organizations, agencies, and governmental entities participate

in the planning and decision making process.

Purpose of the Refuge: The purposes specified in or derived from the law,

proclamation executive order, agreement, public land order, donating

document, or administrative memorandum establishing, authorizing or

expanding a refuge, refuge unit or refuge sub-unit.

Riparian: Of or relating to land lying immediately adjacent to a water

body and having specific characteristics of that transitional area, such as

riparian vegetation. A stream bank is an example of a riparian area.

Scoping: A process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed by

a CCP and for identifying the significant issues. Involved in the scoping

process are Federal, state, and local agencies, private organizations, and

individuals.

Species: A distinctive kind of plant or animal having distinguishable

characteristics, and that can interbreed and produce young. A category of

biological classification.

Strategies: A general approach or specific actions to achieve objectives.

Threatened Species: Those plant or animal species likely to become

endangered species throughout all or a significant portion of their range

within the foreseeable future. A plant or animal identified and defined in

accordance with the 1973 Endangered Species Act and published in the

Federal Register.
72 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Vegetation: Plants in general, or the sum total of the plant life in an area.

Vegetation Type: A category of land based on potential or existing dominant

plant species of a particular area.

Watershed: The entire land area that collects and drains water into a stream

or stream system.

Wetland: Areas such as lakes, marshes, and streams that are inundated by

surface or ground water for a long enough period of time each year to

support, and do support under natural conditions, plants and animals that

require saturated or seasonally saturated soils.

Wildlife-dependent Recreational Use: A use of a refuge that involves

hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, and photography, or environmental

education and interpretation, as identified in the National Wildlife Refuge

System Improvement Act of 1997.

Wildlife Diversity: A measure of the number of wildlife species in an area

and their relative abundance.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 73

Abbreviations and Acronyms

CCP Comprehensive Conservation Plan

Corps U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

CRM Cultural Resources Management

EA Environmental Assessment

GSA General Services Administration

MMS Maintenance Management System

MSL Mean Sea Level

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service

NWR National Wildlife Refuge

NGO Non-governmental Organization

ORP Outdoor Recreation Planner

PIF Partners-in-Flight

RONS Refuge Operating Needs System

Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

System National Wildlife Refuge System

USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture
74 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Appendix A.

Flint Hills NWR Plant List

Plants of Coffey and Lyon Counties, Kansas, USA

Provided by the KANU Information Management Systems

Acanthraceae

Water Willow Justicia americana

Fringed Leaf Ruellia Ruellia humilis

Limestone Ruellia Ruellia strepens

Aceraceae

Common Boxelder Acer negundo var. negundo

Violet Boxelder Acer negundo var. violaceum

Silver Maple Acer saccharium

Adiantaceae

Northern Maidenhair Fern Adiantum pendatum

Powdery Cloak Fern Argyochosma dealbata

Purple Cliff-brake Pellaea atropurpurea

Smooth Cliff-brake Pellaea glabella ssp. glabella

Agavacea

Limp Soap Weed Yucca filamentosa

Alismataceae

Smallflower Water Plantain Alisma subcordatum

Erect Burhead Echinodorus berterol

Creeping Burhead Echinodorus cordofolius

Shortbeak Arrowhead Sagittaria brevirostra

Common Arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia

Amaranthaceae

Prostrate Pigweed Amaranthus blitoides

Slender Pigweed Amaranthus hybridus

Palmer’s Pigweed Amaranthus palmeri

Rough Pigweed Amaranthus retroflexus

Water Hemp Amaranthus rudis

Spiny Pigweed Amaranthus spinosus

Anacardiaceae

Late Aromatic Sumac Rhus aromatica

Dwarf Sumac Rhus copellinum

Smooth Sumac Rhus glabra

Common Poison Ivy Toxicodenfron radicans ssp. negudo

Rydberg’s Poison Ivy Toxicodenfron rydbergii

Annonaceae

Pawpaw Asimina triloba

Apiaceae

Spreading Spermolepis Spermolepis innermis

Yellow Pimpernel Taenidia integerrima

Hedge Parsley Torilis arvensis

Golden Zizia Zizia aurea

Apocynaceae

Hemp Dogbane Apocyneum cannebinum

Araceae

Green Dragon Arisaema dracontium

Jack-in-the-Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum ssp. triphyllum

Virginia Arum Peltandra virginica

Asclepiadaceae

Bluntleaf Milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulus

Prairie Milkweed Asclepias hirtella

Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata

Mead’s Milkweed Asclepias meadii

Purple Milkweed Asclepias purpurascens

Narrowleaf Milkweed Asclepias stenophylla

Sullivant’s Milkweed Asclepias sulivantii

Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca

Butterfly Milkweed Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior

Whorled Milkweed Asclepias verticillata

Green-flowered Milkweed Asclepias viridiflora

Green Milkweed Asclepias viridis

Climbing Milkweed Cynanchum laeve

Aspleniaceae

Ebony Spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron

Walking Fern Asplenium rhizophyllum

Asteraceae

Western Yarrow Achilles millefolium ssp. occidentalis

Hardheads Acroptilon repens

Common Ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Lanceleaf Ragweed Ambrosia bidentata

Western Ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya

Giant Ragweed Ambrosia trifida

Annual Broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides

Field Pussytoes Antennaria neglecta

Plantainleaf Pussytoes Antennaria parlinii ssp. fallax

Camomile Anthemis cotula

Common Burdock Arctium minus

 Arnoglossum atriplicifolium

 Arnoglossum plantagineum

Mexican Sagewort Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. mexicana

Drummond’s Aster Aster drummondii ssp. drummondii

Heath Aster Aster ericoidies ssp.ericoidies var. ericoidies

Smooth Blue Aster Aster laevis

Common Panicled Aster Aster lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus

Simple Panicled Aster Aster lanceolatus ssp. simplex

New England Aster Aster novae-angliae

Aromatic Aster Aster oblongifolius var. oblongifolius

Azure Aster Aster oolentangiensis

Small-headed Aster Aster parviceps

Slender Spreading Aster Aster patens var. gracilis

Hairy Aster Aster pilosus ssp. demotus

Hairy Aster Aster pilosus ssp. pilosus

Common Yellow-leaved Aster

 Aster praealtus var. praealtus

Silky Aster Aster sericeus

Saltmarsh Aster Aster subulatus var ligulatus

Tickseed Beggartick Bidens aristosa var. retrorsa

Spanish Needles Bidens bipinnata

Nodding Beggartick Bidens cernua

Leafybract Beggartick Bidens comosa

Devil’s Beggartick Bidens frondosa

Tall Beggartick Bidens vulgata greene

Violet Boltonia Boltonia asteroides var. latisquama

False Boneset Brickellia eupatorioides var. corymbulosa

Musk Thistle Carduus nutans ssp. leiophyllus

Ox-eye Daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthemum

Common Chicory Cichorium intybus

Tall Thistle Cirsium altissimum

Canada Thistle Cirsium arvense

Wavyleaf Thistle Cirsium undlatum

Bull Thistle Cirsium vulgare

Canada Horseweed Conyza canadensis

Lawn Horseweed Conyza ramosissima

Bigflower Coreopsis Coreopsis grandiflora

Finger Coreopsis Coreopsis palmata

Foetid Dogweed Dyssodia papposa.

Coneflower spp. Echinacea atrorubens

Pale Purple Coneflower Echinacea pallida

Yerba de Tajo Eclipta prostrata

Annual Fleabane Erigeron annuus

Philadelphia Fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus

Daisy Fleabane Erigeron strigosus

Tall Joe-pye-weed Eupatorium altissimum

Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 75

Holzinger’s Joe-pye-weed

 Eupatorium purpureum var. holzingeri

White Snakeroot Eupatorium rugosum

Late Eupatorium Eupatorium serotinum

Viscid Euthamia Euthamia gymnospermoides

Fringed Quickweed Galinsoga quadriradiata

Fragrant Cudweed Gnaphalium obtusifolium

Common Sneezeweed Helenium autumnale

Sunflower spp. Helianthus X laetiflorus

Common Sunflower Helianthus annuus

Sawtooth Sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus

Maximilian’s Sunflower Helianthus maximiliani

Ashy Sunflower Helianthus mollis

Stiff Sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus var. pauciflorus

Willowleaf Sunflower Helianthus salicifolius

Jerusalem Artichoke Helianthus tuberosus

Longbeard Hawkweed Hieracium longipilum

Flattop Hymenopappus

 Hymenopappus scabiosaeus var. corymbosus

Annual Sumpweed Iva annua

Common Dwarf Dandelion Krigia cespitosa

Canada Lettuce Lactuca canadensis

Florida Lettuce Lactuca floridana

Louisiana lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana

Willowleaf Lettuce Lactuca saligna

Prickly Lettuce Lactuca serriola

Rough Gayfeather Liatris aspera

Dotted Gayfeather Liatris punctata

Thickspike Gayfeather Liatris pycnostachya

Hairy Gayfeather Liatris squarrosa var. hirsuta

Plains Groundsel Packera plattensis

Carolina False Dandelion Pyrrhopappus carolinianus

Yellow Prairie Coneflower Ratibida columnifera

Grayhead Prairie Coneflower Ratibida pinnata

Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima

Cutleaf Coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata

Sweet Coneflower Rudbeckia subtomentosa

Brown-eyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba

Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum

Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum

Giant Goldenrod Solidago gigantea var. serotina

Missouri Goldenrod

 Solidago missouriensis var. fasciculata

Gray Goldenrod Solidago nemoralis var. longipetiolata

Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida var. rigida

Elm-leaved Golenrod Solidago ulmifolia var. microphylla

Prickly Sowthistle Sonchus asper

Common Dandelion Taraxacum officinale

Western Salsify Tragopogon dubius

Wingstem Crownbeard Verbesina alternifolia

Arkansas Ironweed Vernonia arkansana

Inland Ironweed Vernonia baldwinii ssp. interior

Common Cocklebur Xanthium strumarium

Azollaceae

Mexican Mosquito Fern Azolla mexicana

Balsaminaceae

Spotted Touch-me-not Impatiens capensis

Pale Touch-me-not Impatiens pallida

Berberidaceae

May-apple Podophyllum peltatum

Bignoniaceae

Trumpet Creeper Campsis radicans

Catalpa Catalpa speciosa

Boraginaceae

Pasture Heliotrope Heliotropium tenellum.

Corn Gromwell Lithospermum arvense

Hoary Gromwell Lithospermum canescens

Narrowleaf Gromwell Lithospermum incisum

Virginia Forget-me-not Myosotis verna

Western Marbleseed

Onosmodium bejariense var. occidentale

Brassicaceae

Canada Rockcress Arabis canadensis

Winter Cress Barbarea vulgaris

Small-seeded False Flax Camelina microcarpa

Shepherd’s Purse Capsella bursa-pastoris

Toothwort Cardamine concatenata

Small-flowered Bittercress

 Cardamine parviflora var. arenicola

Blue Mustard Chorispora tenella

Tansy Mustard Descurainia pinnata var. brachycarpa

Shortpod Draba Draba brachycarpa

Wedgeleaf Draba Draba cuneifolia

Bushy Wallflower Erysimum repandum

Peppergrass Lepidium densiflorum

Veiny Pepperweed Lepidium oblongum

Spreading Bladderpod Lesquerella gracilis ssp. nuttallii

Stalkless Yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora

Spreading Yellowcress Rorippa sinuata

Virginia Rockcress Sibara virginica

Wild Mustard Sinapis arvensis

Pennycress Thlaspi arvense

Thorowort Pennycress Thlaspi perfoliatum

Cactaceae

Prickly-pear Opuntia humifusa

Bigroot Prickly-pear Opuntia macrorhiza

Callitrichaceae Callitriche heterophylla

Campanulaceae

American Bellflower Campanula americana

Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis

Indian Tobacco Lobelia inflata

Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica

Palespike Lobelia Lobelia spicata

 Triodanis holzingeri

Slimpod Venus’ Looking Glass Triodanis leptocarpa

Venus’ Looking Glass Triodanis perfoliata

Cannabaceae

Japanese Hops Humulus japonicus

Capparaceae

Clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra ssp. trachysperma

Caprifoliaceae

Common Elderberry Sambucus canadensis

Buckbrush Symphoricarpos orbiculatus

Common Horsegentian

 Triosteum perfoliatum var. perfoliatum

Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum

Caryophyllaceae

Thyme-leaved Sandwort Arenaria serpyllifolia

Shortstalk Cerastium Cerastium brachypodum

Big Chickweed Cerastium fontanum ssp. vulgare

Deptford Pink Dianthus armeria

Jagged Chickweed Holosteum umbellatum

Canada nailwort Paronychia canadensis

Sleepy Catchfly Silene antirrhina

Starry Campion Silene stellata

Chickweed Stellaria media

Celastraceae

American Bittersweet Celastrus scandens

Wahoo Evonymus atropurpurea
76 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Ceratophyliaceae

Common Hornwort Ceratophyllum demersum

Prickly Hornwort Ceratophyllum echinatum

Chenopodiaceae

Mexican Tea Chenopodium ambrosioides

Pitseed Goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri var. zschackii

Missouri Goosefoot Chenopodium missouriense

Maple-leaved Goosefoot Chenopodium simplex

Standley’s Goosefoot Chenopodium standleyanum

Winged Pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium

Summer Cypress Kochia scoparia

Nuttall’s Povertweed Monolepis nuttalliana

Russian Thistle Salsola iberica

Clusiaceae

Nits-and-lice Hypericum drummondii

Common St. John’s-wort Hypericum perforatum

Round-fruit St. John’s-wort Hypericum sphaerocarpum

Commelinaceae

Creeping Dayflower Commelina diffusa

Narrowleaf Dayflower Commelina erecta var. angustifolia

Erect Dayflower Commelina erecta var. erecta

Bracted Spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata

Ohio Spiderwort Tradescantia ohiensis

Convolvulaceae

Macoun’s Bindweed Calystegia macounii

Hedge Bindweed Calystegia sepium var. angulata

Hedge Bindweed Calystegia silvatica ssp. fraterniflora

Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis

Red Morning-glory Ipomoea coccinea

Ivy-leaf Morning-glory Ipomoea hederacea

White Morning-glory Ipomoea lacunosa

Bigroot Morning-glory Ipomoea pandurata

Common Morning-glory Ipomoea purpurea

Shumard’s Morning-glory Ipomoea shumardiana

Cornaceae

Pale Dogwood Cornus amomum ssp. obliqua

Roughleaf Dogwood Cornus drummondii

Crassulaceae

Ditch Stonecrop Penthorum sedoides

Showy Stonecrop Sedum pulchellum

Cucurbitaceae

Buffalo Gourd Cucurbita foetidissima

Wild Cucumber Echinocystis lobata

Bur Cucumber Sicyos angulatus

Cupressaceae

Eastern Red-cedar Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana

Cuscutaceae

Hazel Dodder Cuscuta coryli

Cluster Dodder Cuscuta glomerata

Field Dodder Cuscuta pentagona var. pentagona

Cyperaceae

Yellowfruit Sedge Carex annectens var. annectens

Yellowfruit Sedge Carex annectens var. xanthocarpa

Southern Sedge Carex austrina

Bicknell’s Sedge Carex bicknellii var. bicknellii

Woodland Sedge Carex blanda

Straw Sedge Carex brevior

Bush’s Sedge Carex bushii

Crowfoot Sedge Carex crus-corvi

Frank’s Sedge Carex frankii

Heavy Sedge Carex gravida

Heavy Sedge Carex gravida var. gravida

Eastern Narrowleaf Sedge Carex grisea

Bottlebrush Sedge Carex hystericina.

Sun Sedge Carex inops ssp. heliophila

Mead’s Sedge Carex meadii

Littletooth Sedge Carex microdonta

Woolly Sedge Carex pellita

Fox Sedge Carex vulpinoidea

Tapeleaf Sedge Cyperus acuminatus

Globe Flatsedge Cyperus echinatus

Redroot Flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos

Yellow Nutsedge Cyperus esculentus

Great Plains Flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus

Slender Flatsedge Cyperus odoratus

Lean Flatsedge Cyperus setigerus

Awned Flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus

False Nutsedge Cyperus strigosus

Flatstem Spikesedge Eleocharis compressa

Longstem Spikesedge Eleocharis macrostachya.

Blunt Spikesedge Eleocharis obtusa var. detonsa

Blunt Spikesedge Eleocharis obtusa var. obtusa

Squarestem Spikesedge Eleocharis quadrangulata

Small’s Spikesedge Eleocharis smallii

 Eleocharis xyridiformis

Slender Fimbristylis Fimbristylis autumnalis

Hairy Fimbristylis Fimbristylis puberula var. puberula

Harvey’s Beakrush Rhynchospora harveyi

Bigstem Beakrush Rhynchospora macrostachya

Hardstem Bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus var. acutus

Slender Bulrush Schoenoplectus heterochaetus

Softstem Bulrush

 Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani ssp. validus

Green Bulrush Scirpus atrovirens

Pale Bulrush Scirpus pallidus

Rusty Bulrush Scirpus pendulus

Fringed Razorsedge Scleria ciliata var. ciliata

Fewflower Nutrush Scleria pauciflora var. pauciflora

Whip Razorsedge Scleria triglomerata

Dipsacaceae

Fuller’s Teasel Dipsacus fullonum

Dryopteridaceae

Mackay’s Brittle Fern Cystopteris tenuis

Marginal Wood Fern Dryopteris marginalis

Equisetaceae

Smooth Scouring Rush Equisetum laevigatum

Euphorbiaceae

Slender Threeseed Mercury Acalypha monococca

Rough-pod Copperleaf Acalypha ostryifolia

Rhombic Copperleaf Acalypha rhomboidea

Virginia Copperleaf Acalypha virginica

Spotted Spurge Chamaesyce maculata

Prairie Sandmat Chamaesyce missurica var. intermedia

Eyebane Chamaesyce nutans

Prostrate Spurge Chamaesyce prostrata

Round-leaved Spurge Chamaesyce serpens

Mat Spurge Chamaesyce stictospora

Woolly Croton Croton capitatus var. capitatus

Tropic Croton Croton glandulosus var. septentrionalis

One-seeded Croton Croton monanthogynus

Flowering Spurge Euphorbia corollata

Painted Spurge Euphorbia cyathophora

 Euphorbia davidii

Toothed Spurge Euphorbia dentata

Six-angled Spurge Euphorbia hexagona

Snow-on-the-mountain Euphorbia marginata

Warty Spurge Euphorbia spathulata

Nettleleaf Noseburn Tragia betonicifolia

Stalked Noseburn Tragia ramosa
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 77

Fabaceae

Lead Plant Amorpha canescens

False Indigo Amorpha fruticosa

Hog Peanut Amphicarpaea bracteata

American Potato Bean Apios americana Medik

Common Ground-plum

 Astragalus crassicarpus var. crassicarpus

Ozark Milk-vetch Astragalus distortus var. distortus

Platte River Milk-vetch Astragalus plattensis

White Wild Indigo Baptisia alba var. macrophylla

Blue False Indigo Baptisia australis var. minor

Plains Wild Indigo Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea

Redbud Cercis canadensis

Showy Partridge Pea Chamaecrista fasciculata

Sensitive Partridge Pea

 Chamaecrista nictitans ssp. nictitans var. nictitans

Crown Vetch Coronilla varia

Rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis

White Prairie-clover Dalea candida var. candida

Roundhead Prairie-clover Dalea multiflora

Purple Prairie-clover Dalea purpurea var. purpurea

Illinois Bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis

Canada Tickclover Desmodium canadense

Hoary Tickclover Desmodium canescens

Large-flowered Tickclover Desmodium glutinosum

Illinois Tickclover Desmodium illinoense

 Desmodium perplexum

Sessile-leaf Tickclover Desmodium sessilifolium

Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos

Wild Licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota

Kentucky Coffee-tree Gymnocladus dioicus

Korean Clover Kummerowia stipulacea

Everlasting Pea Lathyrus latifolius

Round-head Lespedeza Lespedeza capitata

Sericea Lespedeza Lespedeza cuneata

Prairie Lespedeza Lespedeza violacea

Black Medick Medicago lupulina

Alfalfa Medicago sativa ssp. sativa

White Sweet Clover Melilotus albus

Yellow Sweet Clover Melilotus officinalis

Catclaw Sensitive Brier

 Mimosa quadrivalvis var. nuttallii Barneby

Silverleaf Scurfpea Pediomelum argophyllum

Prairie Turnip Pediomelum esculentum

Many-flowered Scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum.

Bristly Locust Robinia hispida

Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia

Maryland Senna Senna marilandica

Wild Bean Strophostyles helvula

Slick-seed Bean Strophostyles leiosperma

Goat’s Rue Tephrosia virginiana

Low Hop Clover Trifolium campestre

Alsike Clover Trifolium hybridum

Alsike Clover Trifolium hybridum ssp. elegans

Red Clover Trifolium pratense

White Clover Trifolium repens

Hairy Vetch Vicia villosa var. villosa

Fagaceae

Bur Oak Quercus macrocarpa

Chinquapin Oak Quercus muehlenbergii Engelm

Red Oak Quercus rubra

Shumard’s Oak Quercus shumardii

Black Oak Quercus velutina

Fumariaceae

Slender Fumewort Corydalis micrantha ssp. micrantha

Dutchman’s Breeches Dicentra cucullaria

Gentianaceae

Downy Gentian Gentiana puberulenta

Geraniaceae

Filaree Erodium cicutarium

Carolina Cranesbill Geranium carolinianum

Small Cranesbill Geranium pusillum

Grossulariaceae

Missouri Gooseberry Ribes missouriense

Haloragaceae

Green Parrot’s Feather Myriophyllum pinnatum

Hippocastanaceae

Western Buckeye Aesculus glabra var. arguta

Hydrophyllaceae

Waterpod Ellisia nyctelea

Virginia Waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum

Iridaceae

Prairie Blue-eyed Grass Sisyrinchium campestre

Juglandaceae

Bitternut Hickory Carya cordiformis

Pecan Carya illinoinensis

Kingnut Hickory Carya laciniosa

Shagbark Hickory Carya ovata

Mockernut Hickory Carya tomentosa

Black Walnut Juglans nigra

Juncaceae

Dudley’s Rush Juncus dudleyi

Inland Rush Juncus interior

Shore Rush Juncus marginatus

Torrey’s Rush Juncus torreyi

Lamiaceae

Catnip Giant Hyssop Agastache nepetoides

Rough False Pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida

American False Pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides

Henbit Lamium amplexicaule

Deadnettle Lamium purpureum

American Bugleweed Lycopus americanus

Common Horehound Marrubium vulgare

Field Mint Mentha arvensis

Lemon Beebalm Monarda citriodora

Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa var. fistulosa

Catnip Nepeta cataria

False Dragonhead Physostegia angustifolia

Self-heal Prunella vulgaris

Slender Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium

Blue Sage Salvia azurea

Lanceleaf Sage Salvia reflexa

Sideflower Skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora

Leonard’s Small Skullcap

 Scutellaria parvula var. leonardii

Slenderleaf Betony Stachys tenuifolia

American Germander Teucrium canadense var. canadense

Northern Germander Teucrium canadense var. occidentale

False Pennyroyal Trichostema brachiatum

Lemnaceae

 Lemna aequinoctialis

Lesser Duckweed Lemna minor

Minute Duckweed Lemna perpusilla

Greater Duckweed Spirodela polyrrhiza

Lentibulariaceae

Common Bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
78 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Liliaceae

Canada Wild Onion Allium canadense var. canadense

Lavender Wild Onion Allium canadense var. lavandulare

Wild Onion Allium sativum

Pink Wild Onion Allium stellatum

Field Garlic Allium vineale

Asparagus Asparagus officinalis

Wild Hyacinth Camassia angusta

Wild Hyacinth Camassia scilloides

White Dogtooth Violet Erythronium albidum

Prairie Dogtooth Violet Erythronium mesochoreum

Day Lily Hemerocallis fulva

Yellow Star Grass Hypoxis hirsuta

Michigan Lily Lilium canadense ssp. michiganense

Feathery False Solomon’s Seal Maianthemum racemosum

False Garlic Nothoscordum bivalve

Solomon’s Seal Polygonatum biflorum

Nuttall’s Death Camas Zigadenus nuttallii

Linaceae

Grooved Flax Linum sulcatum

Loasaceae

Stickleaf Mentzelia Mentzelia oligosperma

Lythraceae

Earleaf Ammannia Ammannia auriculata

Red Ammannia Ammannia coccinea

Winged Loosestrife Lythrum alatum

California Loosestrife Lythrum californicum

Rotala Rotala ramosior

Malvaceae

Velvet-leaf Abutilon theophrasti

Pale Poppy Mallow Callirhoe alcaeoides

Purple Poppy Mallow Callirhoe involucrata

Flower-of-an-hour Hibiscus trionum

Hairy False Mallow Malvastrum hispidum

Prickly Sida Sida spinosa

Menispermaceae

Moonseed Menispermum canadense

Carolina Snailseed Cocculus carolinus

Molluginaceae

Carpetweed Mollugo verticillata

Monotropaceae

Indian Pipe Monotropa uniflora

Moraceae

Osage Orange Maclura pomifera

White Mulberry Morus alba

Red Mulberry Morus rubra

Najadaceae

Southern Naiad Najas guadalupensis

Nelumbonacea

American Lotus Nelumbo lutea

Nyctaginaceae

White Four-o’clock Mirabilis albida

Narrowleaf Four-o’clock Mirabilis linearis

Wild Four-o’clock Mirabilis nyctaginea

Oleaceae

Green Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima

Onagraceae

Plains Yellow Evening Primrose Calylophus serrulatus

Enchanter’s Nightshade Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis

Biennial Gaura Gaura longiflora

Velvety Gaura Gaura parviflora

Bush Seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia var. pubescens

Water Purslane Ludwigia palustris

Marsh Seedbox Ludwigia peploides ssp. glabrescens

Many-seeded Seedbox Ludwigia polycarpa

Cutleaf Evening Primrose Oenothera laciniata

Narrow-leaved Evening Primrose Oenothera linifolia

Missouri Evening Primrose

 Oenothera macrocarpa ssp. macrocarpa

White Evening Primrose Oenothera speciosa

Common Evening Primrose Oenothera villosa ssp. villosa

Stenosiphon Stenosiphon linifolius

Ophloglossaceae

Dissected Grape Fern Botrychium dissectum

Rattlesnake Fern Botrychium virginianum

Limestone Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum engelmannii

Orchidaceae

Putty Root Aplectrum hyemale

Late Coralroot Corallorrhiza odontorhiza

Western Prairie Fringed Orchid Platanthera praeclara

Nodding Ladies’-tresses Spiranthes cernua

Slender Ladies’-tresses Spiranthes lacera

Great Plains Ladies’-tresses Spiranthes magnicamporum

Little Ladies’-tresses Spiranthes tuberosa

Upland Ladies’-tresses Spiranthes vernalis

Oxalidaceae

Green Wood Sorrel Oxalis dillenii

Common Wood Sorrel Oxalis stricta

Violet Wood Sorrel Oxalis violacea

Phytolaccaceae

Pokeweed Phytolacca americana var. americana

Plantaginaceae

Bottlebrush Plantain Plantago aristata

English Plantain Plantago lanceolata

Tiny Plantain Plantago pusilla

Red-seeded Plantain Plantago rhodosperma

Rugel’s Plantain Plantago rugelii

Pale-seeded Plantain Plantago virginica

Platanaceae

Sycamore Platanus occidentalis

Poaceae

Jointed Goatgrass Aegilops cylindrica

Jointed Goatgrass

Aegilops cylindrica x Triticum aestivum

Awned Bentgrass Agrostis elliottiana

Winter Bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis var. hyemalis

Autumn Bentgrass Agrostis perennans

Redtop Agrostis stolonifera

Carolina Foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus

Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii

Broomsedge Bluestem Andropogon virginicus

Slimspike Threeawn Aristida longespica var. geniculata

Slimspike Threeawn Aristida longespica var. longespica

Prairie Threeawn Aristida oligantha

Caucasian Bluestem Bothriochloa bladhii

Silver Bluestem Bothriochloa laguroides ssp. torreyana

Side-oats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula

Hairy Grama Bouteloua hirsuta

Hairy Chess Bromus commutatus

Smooth Brome Bromus inermis ssp. inermis

Japanese Brome Bromus japonicus

Canada Brome Bromus pubescens

Rye Brome Bromus secalinus

Downy Brome Bromus tectorum
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 79

Buffalograss Buchloe dactyloides

Longspine Sandbur Cenchrus longispinus

Sea Oats Chasmanthium latifolium

Windmillgrass Chloris verticillata

Stout Woodreed Cinna arundinacea

Bermudagrass Cynodon dactylon

Orchardgrass Dactylis glomerata

American Beakgrass Diarrhena americana

American Beakgrass Diarrhena obovata

Pointed Dichanthelium

 Dichanthelium acuminatum var. implicatum

Hairy Dichanthelium

 Dichanthelium acuminatum var. villosum

Slimleaf Dichanthelium Dichanthelium linearifolium

Scribner’s Dichanthelium

 Dichanthelium oligosanthes var. scribnerianum

Roundseed Dichanthelium Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon

Southern Crabgrass Digitaria ciliaris

Fall Witchgrass Digitaria cognata var. cognata

Smooth Crabgrass Digitaria ischaemum

Hairy Crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis

Jungle-rice Echinochloa colona

Common Barnyardgrass

 Echinochloa crus-galli var. crus-galli

Prickly Barnyardgrass

 Echinochloa muricata var. muricata

Goosegrass Eleusine indica

Canada Wildrye Elymus canadensis

Bottlebrushgrass Elymus hystrix

Hairy Wildrye Elymus villosus

Virginia Wildrye Elymus virginicus var. jejunus

Virginia Wildrye Elymus virginicus var. virginicus

Stinkgrass Eragrostis cilianensis

Carolina Lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea var. miserrima

Carolina Lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea var. pectinacea

Purple Lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis

Prairie Cupgrass Eriochloa contracta

Tall Fescue Festuca arundinacea

Fowl Mannagrass Glyceria striata

Foxtail Barley Hordeum jubatum

Little Barley Hordeum pusillum

Junegrass Koeleria macrantha

Rice Cutgrass Leersia oryzoides

Whitegrass Leersia virginica

Bearded Sprangletop Leptochloa fascicularis

Red Sprangletop Leptochloa mucronata

Perennial Ryegrass Lolium perenne var. perenne

Bush’s Muhly Muhlenbergia bushii

Wirestem Muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa

Nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi

Rock Muhly Muhlenbergia sobolifera

Forest Muhly Muhlenbergia sylvatica

Creeping Lovegrass Neeragrostis reptans

Common Witchgrass Panicum capillare var. brevifolium

Common Witchgrass Panicum capillare var. capillare

Fall Panicum Panicum dichotomiflorum

Switchgrass Panicum virgatum

Western Wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii

Florida Paspalum Paspalum floridanum var. glabratum

Smoothseed Paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum var. glabrum

Thin Paspalum Paspalum setaceum var. muhlenbergii

Thin Paspalum Paspalum setaceum var. stramineum

Reed Canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea

Carolina Canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana

Timothy Phleum pratense

Annual Bluegrass Poa annua

Canada Bluegrass Poa compressa

Kentucky Bluegrass Poa pratensis

Tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus

Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium

Hardgrass Sclerochloa dura

Chinese Foxtail Setaria faberi

Knotroot Bristlegrass Setaria parviflora

Yellow Foxtail Setaria pumila

Green Foxtail Setaria viridis

Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans

Johnsongrass Sorghum halepense

Prairie Cordgrass Spartina pectinata

Prairie Wedgegrass Sphenopholis obtusata var. obtusata

Rough Dropseed Sporobolus asper var. asper

Drummond’s Dropseed Sporobolus asper var. drummondii

Sand Dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus

Puffsheath Dropseed Sporobolus neglectus

Whorled Dropseed Sporobolus pyramidatus

Povertygrass Sporobolus vaginiflorus

Porcupinegrass Stipa spartea

Purpletop Tridens flavus

Eastern Gramagrass

 Tripsacum dactyloides var. dactyloides

Sixweeks Fescue Vulpia octoflora

Polemoniaceae

Sweet William Phlox Phlox divaricata ssp. laphamii

Downy Phlox Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida

Polygalaceae

Slender Milkwort Polygala incarnata

Blood Milkwort Polygala sanguinea

Whorled Milkwort Polygala verticillata

Polygonaceae

Swamp Smartweed Polygonum amphibium var. emersum

Prostrate Knotweed Polygonum arenastrum

Longstyle Smartweed Polygonum bicorne

Wild Buckwheat Polygonum convolvulus

Mild Water-pepper Smartweed

 Polygonum hydropiperoides

Pale Smartweed Polygonum lapathifolium

Pennsylvania Smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum

Lady’s-thumb Smartweed Polygonum persicaria

Dotted Smartweed Polygonum punctatum

Bush Knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum

Climbing False Buckwheat Polygonum scandens

Slender Knowtweed Polygonum tenue

Virginia Knotweed Polygonum virginianum

Sheep Sorrel Rumex acetosella

Pale Dock Rumex altissimus

Curly Dock Rumex crispus

Pontederiaceae

Bouquet Mudplantain Heteranthera multiflora

Common Pickerelweed Pontederia cordata

Portulaceae

Virginia Spring Beauty Claytonia virginica

Common Purslane Portulaca oleracea

Hairy Purslane Portulaca pilosa

Rockpink Fameflower Talinum calycinum

Prairie Fameflower Talinum parviflorum

Potamogetonaceae

 Coleogeton pectinatus

Waterthread Pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius

Leafy Pondweed Potamogeton foliosus

Longleaf Pondweed Potamogeton nodosus

Baby Pondweed Potamogeton pusillus ssp. pusillus

Primulaceae

Scarlet Pimpernel Anagallis arvensis

Western Rock Jasmine Androsace occidentalis
80 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Ranunculaceae

Carolina Anemone Anemone caroliniana

Rue Anemone Anemonella thalictroides

Canada Columbine Aquilegia canadensis

Pitcher’s Clematis Clematis pitcheri

Rocket Larkspur Consolida ajacis

Plains Larkspur Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens

Mousetail Myosurus minimus

Littleleaf Buttercup Ranunculus abortivus

Rhamnaceae

New Jersey Tea Ceanothus americanus

Inland New Jersey Tea Ceanothus herbaceus

Smooth Lanceleaf Buckthorn

 Rhamnus lanceolata var. glabrata

Rosaceae

Woodland Agrimony Agrimonia rostellata

Summer Hawthorn Crataegus mollis

Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana

White Avens Geum canadense

Sulphur Cinquefoil Potentilla recta

Old-field Cinquefoil Potentilla simplex

Wild Plum Prunus americana

Mahaleb Plum Prunus mahaleb

Mexican Plum Prunus mexicana

Black Cherry Prunus serotina

 Rosa X rudiuscula

Prairie Wild Rose Rosa arkansana

Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora

Northern Dewberry Rubus flagellaris

Black Raspberry Rubus occidentalis

Highbush Blackberry Rubus ostryifolius

Rubiaceae

Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis

Rough Buttonweed Diodia teres

Catchweed Bedstraw Galium aparine

Woods Bedstraw Galium circaezans

Bluntleaf Bedstraw Galium obtusum

Piedmont Bedstraw Galium pedemontanum.

Fragrant Bedstraw Galium triflorum

Narrowleaf Bluets Hedyotis nigricans var. nigricans

Small Bluets Houstonia pusilla

Rutaceae

Common Prickly Ash Zanthoxylum americanum

Salicaceae

Silver Poplar Populus alba

Plains Cottonwood Populus deltoides ssp. monilifera

Peach-leaved Willow Salix amygdaloides

Carolina Willow Salix caroliniana

Interior Sandbar Willow Salix exigua ssp. interior

Dwarf Prairie Willow Salix humilis var. humilis

Black Willow Salix nigra

Santalaceae

Bastard Toadflax Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata

Sapinidaceae

Soapberry Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii

Sapotaceae

Woolly Buckthorn Bumelia lanuginosa var. oblongifolia

Scrophulariaceae

Rough Agalinis Agalinis aspera

Gattinger’s Purple False Foxglove Agalinis gattingeri

Roundleaf Water Hyssop Bacopa rotundifolia

Blue Hearts Buchnera americana

Dwarf Snapdragon Chaenorrhinum minus

Golden Hedge Hyssop Gratiola neglecta

Paleseed Leucospora multifida

Yellow False Pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Sharpwing Monkeyflower Mimulus alatus

Texas Toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus

Wood Betony Pedicularis canadensis

Cobaea Beardtongue Penstemon cobaea var. cobaea

Smooth Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis

Tube Beardtongue Penstemon tubiflorus

Earleaf Foxglove Tomanthera auriculata

Fineleaf Foxglove Tomanthera densiflora

Moth Mullein Verbascum blattaria

Woolly Mullein Verbascum thapsus

Water Speedwell Veronica anagallis-aquatica

Corn Speedwell Veronica arvensis

Purslane Speedwell Veronica peregrina var. peregrina

Wayside Speedwell Veronica polita

Selaginellaceae

Rock Spike-moss Selaginella rupestris

Simaroubaceae

Tree-of-heaven Ailanthus altissima

Smilacaceae

Carrion Flower Smilax ecirrata

Carrion Flower Smilax herbacea var. lasioneur

Bristly Greenbrier Smilax hispida

Solanaceae

Jimsonweed Datura stramonium

Clammy Groundcherry Physalis heterophylla

Common Groundcherry Physalis longifolia var. longifolia

Longleaf Grouncherry Physalis longifolia var. subglabrata

Hairy Groundcherry Physalis pumila ssp. pumila

Carolina Horse Nettle Solanum carolinense

Black Nightshade Solanum ptychanthum

Buffalo Bur Solanum rostratum

Sparganiaceae

Giant Bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum

Staphyleaceae

American Bladdernut Staphylea trifolia

Tiliaceae

American Basswood Tilia americana

Typhaceae

Narrow-Leaved Cattail Typha angustifolia

Southern Cattail Typha domingensis

Common Cattail Typha latifolia

Ulmaceae

Common Hackberry Celtis occidentalis

Dwarf Hackberry Celtis tenuifolia

American Elm Ulmus americana

Elm Ulmus pumila

Slippery Elm Ulmus rubra

Urticaceae

Bog Hemp Boehmeria cylindrica

Wood Nettle Laportea canadensis

Pennsylvania Pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica

Clearweed Pilea pumila

Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis

Valerianaceae

Corn Salad Valerianella radiata

Verbenaceae

Lopseed Phryma leptostachya
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 81

Lanceleaf Frogfruit Phyla lanceolata

 Verbena X moechina

Prostrate Verbena Verbena bracteata

Canada Verbena Verbena canadensis

Blue Verbena Verbena hastata

Narrowleaf Verbena Verbena simplex

Woolly Verbena Verbena stricta

White Verbena Verbena urticifolia

Violaceae

Bird’s-foot Violet Viola pedata

Prairie Violet Viola pedatifida

Downy Yellow Violet Viola pubescens

Johnny-jump-up Viola rafinesquii

Downy Blue Violet Viola sororia

Vitaceae

Raccoon Grape Ampelopsis cordata

Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Graybark Grape Vitis cinerea

Riverbank Grape Vitis riparia

Zygophyllaceae

Puncture Vine Tribulus terrestris
82 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Appendix B.

Flint Hills NWR Fish List

Fish of Lyon and Coffey Counties, Kansas. Provided by the

Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas, Natural

Heritage Inventory

Lepisosteidae

Longnose Gar Lepisosteus osseus

Shortnose Gar Lepisosteus platostomus

Clupeidae

Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum

Cyprinidae

Central Stoneroller Campostoma anomalum

Goldfish Carassius auratus

Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella

Common Carp Cyprinus carpio

Redspot Chub Nocomis asper

Hornyhead Chub Nocomis biguttatus

Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas

Ghost Shiner Notropis buchanani

Rosyface Shiner Notropis rubellus

Sand Shiner Notropis stramineus

Mimic Shiner Notropis volucellus

Suckermouth Minnow Phenacobius mirabilis

Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus

Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas

Slim Minnow Pimephales tenellus

Bullhead Minnow Pimephales vigilax

Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus

Bluntface Shiner Cyprinella camura

Red Shiner Cyprinella lutrensis

Gravel Chub Erimystax X-punctatus

Cardinal Shiner Luxilus cardinalis

Redfin Shiner Lythrurus umbratilis

Catostomidae

River Carpsucker Carpiodes carpio

White Sucker Catostomus commersoni

Blue Sucker Cycleptus elongatus

Smallmouth Buffalo Ictiobus bubalus

Bigmouth Buffalo Ictiobus cyprinellus

Black Buffalo Ictiobus niger

Spotted Sucker Minytrema melanops

Golden Redhorse Moxostoma erythrurum

Shorthead Redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum

Ictaluridae

Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus

Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus

Stonecat Noturus flavus

Tadpole Madtom Noturus gyrinus

Brindled Madtom Noturus miurus

Freckled Madtom Noturus nocturnus

Slender Madtom Noturus exilis

Neosho Madtom Noturus placides

Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris

Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas

Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis

Cyprinodontidae

Blackstripe Topminnow Fundulus notatus

Poeciliidae

Western Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis

Atherinidae

Brook Silverside Labidesthes sicculus

Percichthyidae

White Bass Morone chrysops

Striped Bass Morone saxatilis

Centrarchidae

Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus

Orangespotted Sunfish Lepomis humilis

Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus

Longear Sunfish Lepomis megalotis

Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu

Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus

Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides

White Crappie Pomoxis annularis

Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Percidae

Fantail Darter Etheostoma flabellare

Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum

Orangethroat Darter Etheostoma spectabile

Yellow Perch Perca flavescens

Logperch Percina caprodes

Channel Darter Percina copelandi

Slenderhead Darter Percina phoxocephala

Walleye Stizostedion vitreum

Sciaenidae

Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniens
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 83

Appendix C.

Flint Hills NWR

Amphibian and Reptile List

Amphibians and Reptiles of Lyon and Coffey Counties, Kansas

Provided by the Kansas Biological Survey, University of

Kansas, Natural Heritage Inventory

Amphibians

Salamanders

Smallmouth Salamander Ambystoma texanum

Tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinum

Mudpuppy Necturus maculosus

Frogs

Cope’s Gray Tree Frog Hyla crysoscelis

Gray Tree Frog Hyla versicolor

Crawfish Frog Rana areolata

Plains Leopard Frog Rana blairi

Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana

Southern Leopard Frog Rana spenocephala

Blanchard’s Cricket Frog Acris crepitans blanchardi

Western Chorus Frog Pseudoacris triseriata

Toads

Woodhouse’s Toad Bufo woodhousei

American Toad Bufo americanus

Great Plains Narrow Mouthed Toad

 Gastrophyrene olivacea

Reptiles

Turtles

Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina

Alligator Snapping Turtle Macrickenys temminckii

Common Map Turtle Graptemys geographica

False Map Turtle Graptemys pseudogeographica

Ouachita Map Turtle Graptemys ouachitensis

River Cooter Pseudemys concinna

Slider Trachemys scripta

Eastern Box Turtle Terrapene carolina

Western Box Turtle Terrapene ornata

Smooth Softshell Apalone mutica

Spiny Softshell Apalone spinifera

Lizards

Slender Glass Lizard Ophisaurus attenuatus

Collared Lizard Crotaphytus collaris

Lesser Earless Lizard Holbrookia maculata

Texas Horned Lizard Phrynosoma cornutum

Coal Skink Eumeces anthracinus

Five-lined Skink Eumeces fasciatus

Prairie Skink Eumeces septentrionalis

Great Plains Skink Eumeces obsoletus

Ground Skink Scincella lateralis

Six-lined Racerunner Cnemidophorus sexlineatus

Snakes

Worm Snake Carphophis amoenus

Racer Coluber constrictor

Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus

Corn Snake Elaphe guttata

Rat Snake Elaphe obsoleta

Eastern Hognose Snake Heterodon platirhinos

Prairie Kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster

Common Kingsnake Lampropeltis getula

Milk Snake Lampropeltis triangulum

Plainbelly Water Snake Nerodia erythrogaster

Diamondback Water Snake Nerodia rhombifer

Northern Water Snake Nerodia sipedon

Pine or Gopher Snake Pituophis catenifer

Graham’s Crayfish Snake Regina grahamii

Brown Snake Storeria dekayi

Flathead Snake Tantilla gracilis

Western Ribbon Snake Thamnophis proximus

Plains Garter Snake Thamnophis radix

Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis

Lined Snake Tropidoclonion lineatum

Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix

Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus

Massasauga Sistrurus catenatus
84 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Appendix D.

Flint Hills NWR

Wild Bird Species List

(Order follows the A.O.U. Check-list of North American

Birds, 7th ed. 1998)

Grebes

Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps

Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus

Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis

Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis

Pelicans

American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Cormorants

Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus

Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets

American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus

Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias

Great Egret Ardea alba

Snowy Egret Egretta thula

Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

Green Heron Butorides virescens

Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violaceus

Ibises and Spoonbills

White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi

New World Vultures

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

Swans, Geese, and Ducks

Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons

Snow Goose Chen caerulescens

Ross’ Goose Chen rossii

Canada Goose Branta canadensis

Wood Duck Aix sponsa

Gadwall Anas strepera

Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope

American Wigeon Anas americana

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Blue-winged Teal Anas discors

Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata

Northern Pintail Anas acuta

Green-winged Teal Anas crecca

Canvasback Aythya valisineria

Redhead Aythya americana

Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris

Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis

Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis

Bufflehead Bucephala albeola

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula

Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus

Common Merganser Mergus merganser

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis

Osprey, Kites, Hawks, and Eagles

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus

Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus

Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus

Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii

Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis

Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus

Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus

Swainson’s Hawk Buteo swainsoni

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis

Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis

Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos

Falcons and Caracaras

American Kestrel Falco sparverius

Merlin Falco columbarius

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus

Gallinaceous Birds

Ring-necked Pheasant Introduced Phasianus colchicus

Greater Prairie-Chicken Tympanuchus cupido

Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo

Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus

Rails

King Rail Rallus elegans

Virginia Rail Rallus limicola

Sora Porzana carolina

Purple Gallinule Porphyrula martinica

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

American Coot Fulica americana

Cranes

Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis

Plovers

Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola

American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica

Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus

Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus

Piping Plover Charadrius melodus

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus

Stilts and Avocets

American Avocet Recurvirostra americana

Sandpipers and Phalaropes

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca

Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes

Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria

Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia

Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus

Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica

Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

Sanderling Calidris alba

Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri

Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla

White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis

Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos

Dunlin Calidris alpina

Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus

Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus

Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus

Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago

American Woodcock Scolopax minor

Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 85

Skuas, Jaegers, Gulls, and Terns

Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus

Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan

Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus

Bonaparte’s Gull Larus philadelphia

Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis

Herring Gull Larus argentatus

Glaucus Gull Larus hyperboreus

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus

Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla

Caspian Tern Sterna caspia

Common Tern Sterna hirundo

Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri

Least Tern Sterna antillarum

Black Tern Chlidonias niger

Pigeons and Doves

Rock Dove Introduced Columba livia

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura

Cuckoos and Anis

Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus

Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus

Barn Owls

Barn Owl Tyto alba

Typical Owls

Eastern Screech-Owl Otus asio

Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus

Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia

Barred Owl Strix varia

Long-eared Owl Asio otus

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus

Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus

Nightjars

Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor

Chuck-will’s-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis

Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus

Swifts

Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica

Hummingbirds

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Kingfishers

Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon

Woodpeckers

Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius

Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus

Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus

Tyrant Flycatchers

Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi

Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris

Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens

Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum

Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii

Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus

Gray Flycatcher Empidonax wrightii

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

Say’s Phoebe Sayornis saya

Dusty-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer

Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens

Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus

Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis

Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus

Shrikes

Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus

Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor

Vireos

White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus

Bell’s Vireo Vireo bellii

Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons

Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius

Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus

Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus

Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata

American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos

Larks

Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris

Swallows

Purple Martin Progne subis

Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

 Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Bank Swallow Riparia riparia

Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

Titmice and Chickadees

Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor

Bushtits

Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus

Nuthatches

Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis

Creepers

Brown Creeper Certhia americana

Wrens

Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus

Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus

Bewick’s Wren Thryomanes bewickii

House Wren Troglodytes aedon

Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes

Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis

Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris

Kinglets

Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula

Old World Warblers

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Polioptila nigriceps

Thrushes

Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis

Townsend’s Solitaire Myadestes townsendi

Veery Catharus fuscescens

Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus

Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus

Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus

Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina

American Robin Turdus migratorius
86 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Mimic Thrushes

Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis

Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos

Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum

Starlings

European Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Wagtails and Pipits

American (Water) Pipit Anthus rubescens

Sprague’s Pipit Anthus spragueii

Waxwings

Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

Wood Warblers

Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora pinus

Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina

Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata

Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla

Northern Parula Parula americana

Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia

Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica

Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia

Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina

Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens

Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata

Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens

Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca

Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica

Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum

Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea

Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata

Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea

Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia

American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla

Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea

Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorus

Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillus

Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis

Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla

Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus

Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas

Wilson’s Warbler Wilsonia pusilla

Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis

Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens

Tanagers

Summer Tanager Piranga rubra

Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea

Sparrows and Towhees

Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus

Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus

American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina

Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida

Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla

Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus

Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus

Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys

Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis

Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum

Henslow’s Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii

Le Conte’s Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii

Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni

Fox Sparrow Passerelia iliaca

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia

Lincoln’s Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii

Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana

White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis

Harris’ Sparrow Zonotrichia querula

White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis

Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus

Smith’s Longspur Calcarius pictus

Chestnut-collared Longspur Calcarius ornatus

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Allies

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus

Blue Grosbeak Guiraca caerulea

Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena

Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea

Painted Bunting Passerina ciris

Dickcissel Spiza americana

Blackbirds and Orioles

Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus

Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus

Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna

Western Meadowlark Surnella neglecta

Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus

Brewer’s Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus

Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula

Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus

Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater

Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius

Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula

Finches

Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus

Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra

Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea

Hoary Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni

Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus

American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis

Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

Old World Sparrows

House Sparrow Introduced Passer domesticus
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 87

Appendix E. Flint Hills

NWR Mammal List

Mammals Of Lyon and Coffey Counties, Kansas. Provided

by the Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas,

Natural Heritage Inventory

Didelphimorpha

Virginia Opossum* Didelphis virginiana

Insectivora

Eastern Mole Scalopus aquaticus

Least Shrew Cryptotis parva

Chiroptera

Northern Myotis Myotis keenii

Little Brown Myotis Myotis lucifugus

Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuscus

Eastern Red Bat Lasiurus borealis

Hoary Bat Lasiurus cinereus

Evening Bat Nycticeius humeralis

Brazilian Free-tailed Bat Tadarida brasiliensis

Xenarthra

Nine-banded Armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus

Lagomorpha

Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus

Black-tailed Jackrabbit Lepus californicus

Rodentia

Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus

Woodchuck Marmota monax

Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel

 Spermophilus tridecemlineatus

Franklin’s Ground Squirrel Spermophilus franklinii

Eastern Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger

Southern FlyingSquirrel Glaucomys volans

Plains Pocket Gopher Geomys bursarius

Hispid Pocket Mouse Chaetodipus hispidus

American Beaver Castor canadensis

Plains Harvest Mouse Reithrodontomys montanus

Western Harvest Mouse Reithrodontomys megalotis

Fulvous Harvest Mouse Reithrodontomys fulvescens

Deer Mouse Peromyscus maniculatus

White-footed Mouse Peromyscus leucopus

Hispid Cotton Rat Sigmodon hispidus

Eastern Woodrat Neotoma floridana

Woodland Vole Microtus pinetorum

Southern Bog Lemming Synaptomys cooperi

Meadow Jumping Mouse Zapus hudsonius

Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus

Carnivora

Coyote Canis latrans

Red Fox Vulpes vulpes

Common Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Common Raccoon Procyon lotor

Least Weasel Mustela nivalis

Long-tailed Weasel Mustela frenata

Mink Mustela vison

American Badger Taxidea taxus

Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale putorius

Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis

River otters Lutra canidensis

Bobcat Lynx rufus

Artiodactyla

White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus

Appendix F. Flint Hills

NWR Threatened and

Endangered Species List

Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus T-PD

Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus T-PD

Neosho madtom Noturus placides T

Flat floater mussel Anodonta suborbiculata SE

Index

E = Endangered

PD = Proposed De-listed

T = Threatened

SE = State Endangered
88 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Appendix G.

Flint Hills NWR

Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem Plan

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 83

Ecosystem Vision Statement ...................................................................................... 83

Ecosystem Resource Description .............................................................................. 83

Map ................................................................................................................................. 85

Objectives, Strategies and Action Items

A. Water Conservation

Objective 1. Water Quantity Maintenance and Improvement ............... 87

Objective 2. Water Quality Maintenance and Improvement ................. 87

B. Species and Habitat

Objective 1. Focus Species Conservation and Restoration .................... 88

Objective 2. Conserve and Restore Focus Habitats................................ 89

C. Quality of Human Life

Objective 1. Increase Public Outreach Efforts Relative to

Service Programs ......................................................................................... 89

Objective 2. Improve Outdoor Recreational Opportunities ................... 90
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 89

Introduction

This Ecosystem Plan and its subsequent updates will help

guide the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) as it sets

priorities, allocates resources, and conducts its activities and

programs in the Arkansas/Red Rivers Basins to meet the

mandates established for it by the American public. The

Service intends to accomplish the objectives, strategies, and

action items contained in this Plan by focusing its activities on

key ecosystem components and other influences on fish and

wildlife resources in cooperation with partner agencies,

organizations and individuals from throughout the Arkansas/

Red Rivers Ecosystem.

The terms “Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem,” “ecosystem,”

“Ark/Red,” and “Arkansas/Red Rivers Basin” are used

interchangeably throughout this document, and are meant to

refer to the biological resources of the Arkansas and Red

river basins and the habitats upon which they depend.

Reference should be made to the memorandum and

accompanying concept document of March 8, 1994, from the

Service Directorate (“Ecosystem Approach to Fish and

Wildlife Resource Conservation”) for a discussion of the

genesis and principles espoused by our agency related to this

endeavor. Above all, the reader should realize that this is not

an effort to manage the entire ecosystem, but rather a concept

by which the Service will discharge its particular

responsibilities with the needs of the ecosystem in mind.

While the efforts of the Service are keyed to managing

Federal trust fish and wildlife resources of the Arkansas/Red

Rivers Ecosystem, a parallel concern is maximizing the

quality of human life, both within this ecosystem and

nationwide. Maintaining a healthy biological heritage within

the ecosystem is inextricably tied to the well-being of its

human population; the reverse also is true. To achieve our goal

and objectives, we must successfully communicate these

concepts to the public.

This Plan was assembled by a team of Service personnel from

stations within the Arkansas/Red Rivers Basin. Valuable

information on ecosystem issues and solutions was received

from numerous sources outside the Service, which included

personnel from other Federal agencies, State agencies,

universities, conservation organizations, and most especially

interested citizens. We thank those who took the time to

contribute their thoughts and ideas.

Finally, this document constitutes neither regulation nor

binding policy, and at most constitutes internal guidance that

will be revisited regularly and often.

Ecosystem Vision Statement

The vision of the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem Team is the

efficient and effective management of Federal trust fish and

wildlife resources of the ecosystem to conserve and restore

biodiversity for the benefit of the people.

Ecosystem Resource Description

The Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem contains approximately

245,000 square miles and extends from the Rocky Mountains

of Colorado to the bayous of Louisiana, and includes all of

Oklahoma and parts of seven other states (see Figure I map).

Elevations within the Ark/Red range from over 14,000 feet

ngvd (national geodetic vertical datum) to less than 300 feet

ngvd along the Red River in Louisiana. Because of the

diversity in land forms, soils, average annual precipitation,

and other factors, the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem

supports the greatest diversity of fish and wildlife resources

of any Service ecosystem nationwide.

Portions of four Service Regions occur within the Arkansas/

Red Rivers Ecosystem (i.e., Regions 2, 3, 4, and 6). Twentyfour Service field stations are located here, including 16

National Wildlife Refuges (NWR), four National Fish

Hatcheries (NFH), three Law Enforcement Offices, two

Fishery Resources offices, and one Ecological Services Field

Office. In addition, numerous other Service installations have

jurisdiction over portions of the Arkansas/Red Rivers

Ecosystem. Overall, more than 40 Service installations

administer programs within the ecosystem.

Omemick’ defined 15 ecoregions that occur within the Arkansas/

Red Rivers Ecosystem. Each of these is discussed briefly

below, as a background to the management objectives and

strategies that follow. We have added a 16th ecoregion, the Big

Rivers. Because of the importance and uniqueness of the

habitats found along the larger streams of the Ark/Red, and

because these streams and their floodplains traverse multiple

ecoregions, we believe such an addition to be appropriate.

Southern Rockies - This ecoregion extends from central Colorado

southward in an irregular band into northeastern New Mexico.

Elevations vary from above 14,000 feet ngvd to below 6,000

feet ngvd in some intermontane “parks.” Native forest

communities of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir dominate the

montane zone, with aspen and lodgepole pine occurring on

disturbed sites. Below the montane zone, grasses, pinyonjuniper and shrub species predominate. The Leadville NFH

and Colorado Fishery Resources Office are located in this

ecoregion.

Threats to the biological integrity of this ecoregion include

logging, mining activities and recreational development.

Opportunities exist to work with public land management and

regulatory agencies to conserve and restore important fish

and wildlife resources in the Southern Rockies.

Southwestern Tablelands - The Southwestern Tablelands extend

throughout much of eastern Colorado, northeastern New

Mexico, and portions of northwestern Oklahoma and Texas.

The topography consists largely of sandstone and gypsum

mesas and outcrops bisected by tributaries of the Arkansas,

Cimarron, North Canadian, and Canadian rivers. The natural

communities of this ecoregion are dominated by shortgrass

prairies and shinnery oak scrub. Average annual precipitation

ranges from less than 15 inches to about 21 inches. Maxwell

NWR, Washita NWR and Mora NFH are located within this

ecoregion.
90 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Resource threats in this ecoregion center on conversion of native

grasslands and scrublands to agricultural production, and

overgrazing by domestic livestock. Management opportunities

include improvements in grazing regimes, fencing riparian

zones, and restoration of native grasslands. Species of special

management concern in this ecoregion include the lesser

prairie chicken, other ground nesting grassland birds, and

swift fox.

Western High Plains - Southwestern Kansas, southeastern

Colorado, much of the Oklahoma panhandle, and portions of

the Texas panhandle north and south of Amarillo fall within

this Omemick ecoregion. Much of this area slopes gently to

the east, with elevations ranging from 4,400 feet ngvd to 2,800

feet ngvd. Shortgrass prairie dominates the natural communities

of this ecoregion, with playa lakes occurring throughout.

Average annual precipitation is about 20 inches. Optima NWR

and Buffalo Lake NWR occur in the Western High Plains.

Large areas of the ecoregion have been converted to irrigated

agriculture, drawing upon the Ogallala aquifer as a water source.

In the remaining areas of shortgrass prairie habitat, invasion by

honey mesquite has degraded habitat for native wildlife species

as well as for livestock grazing. Restoration of playa lakes and

surrounding shortgrass prairie habitat in cooperation with

partner agencies and landowners is a high priority.

Central Great Plains- This ecoregion extends in a broad

band from south-central Kansas through western Oklahoma

and the northwestern portion of the body of Texas, sloping

from 2,000 feet ngvd in the west to about 1,000 feet ngvd in

the east. The area consists of rolling plains bisected by most

of the major east-west flowing rivers of the Arkansas/Red

Rivers Ecosystem. Annual precipitation averages about 27

inches. Native vegetative communities are dominated by midto tallgrass prairie, with riparian forest of varying widths

occurring within the floodplains of the major streams. A

notable geographic feature of this ecoregion is the Wichita

Mountains of southwestern Oklahoma. Quivira NWR, Salt Plains

NWR and Wichita Mountains NWR are found in this ecoregion.

In addition, Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Management Area,

one of two Internationally recognized Ramsar wetland sites

located in the Ark/Red, is located in the northern part of the

Central Great Plains ecoregion.

Cultivated agriculture and livestock grazing have altered

nearly all of the natural communities of this Ark/Red

ecoregion. Invasion of much of the remaining native

grasslands by eastern red cedar has appreciably decreased its

wildlife resource and grazing value. Opportunities exist to

improve grazing regimes and restore native grasslands

through a variety of Federal, State and local programs and

initiatives.

Flint Hills - Within the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem the

Flint Hills ecoregion extends in a roughly 30-mile wide band

from north-central Oklahoma northward to the northern

Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem boundary in Kansas.

Precipitation averages up to 40 inches annually in this

ecoregion. The limestone derived soils support a native

tallgrass prairie community, which is probably the most intact

of any of the ecoregions in the Arkansas/Red Rivers

Ecosystem. Flint Hills NWR occurs in the northern portion of

this ecoregion.

Threats to important fish and wildlife resources within this

ecoregion include construction and operation of stream

impoundments, livestock grazing and further fragmentation of

the tallgrass prairie ecosystem by transportation, utility and

municipal development. Opportunities exist to improve

grazing regimes on private lands, and to work with Federal

and State agencies and private organizations, such as The

Nature Conservancy and Sutton Avian Research Center to

gain more information to better manage declining resources

such as grassland birds within the Flint Hills and other

ecoregions.

Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains - This ecoregion is found

from north-central Oklahoma to southern Oklahoma, and

includes much of the Red River drainage in northern Texas.

The overall slope is to the southeast, from 1,200 feet ngvd in

the north to 600 feet ngvd along the Red River. Average

annual precipitation is about 40 inches. The natural vegetation

consists of a mixture of post oak-blackjack oak forest and

savannah and tallgrass prairie communities. The topography

is generally rolling to hilly, with the Arbuckle Mountains of

south-central Oklahoma forming a distinct feature of this

ecoregion. Deep Fork NWR, Tishomingo NWR, Hagerman

NWR, Little River NWR, and Tishomingo NFH occur within

this ecoregion.

The majority of this ecoregion has been fragmented into

relatively small private ownerships, making management of

key biological components difficult. The opportunities that

exist for management of important fish and wildlife resources

center on the few larger public holdings and smaller private

ownerships where cooperative projects designed to protect or

restore wetland, prairie and savannah habitats can be

implemented.

Texas Black Prairies - The northern portion of this

ecoregion extends into the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem in

northeastern Texas. The natural communities are dominated

by tallgrass prairies, although the vast majority have been

converted to cultivated agriculture. The topography is

generally level to gently rolling and averages about 600 feet

ngvd. Opportunities for cooperative restoration of wetland

and native prairie habitat exist on individual private land

holdings.

East Central Texas Plains - A very small portion of this

ecoregion occurs in the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem just

east of the Texas Black Prairies. The natural communities of

this ecoregion are similar to those of the southeastern part of

the Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains, with post oak-blackjack

oak and tallgrass prairie species predominating. Management

opportunities here are similar to those in that ecoregion

through cooperative efforts with private landowners.

Central Irregular Plains - Large portions of northeastern

Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas are included in this

ecoregion. Precipitation averages about 40 inches annually.

The predominant natural community is tallgrass prairie. Low

rolling hills dominant the landscape, which slopes gently to the

southeast. Some post oak-blackjack forest and cave habitats

also occur in this ecoregion, largely in areas of limestone

outcrops and locations with thinner soils. The Arkansas River

bisects the southern portion of this ecoregion, with the Neosho

River and its tributaries draining the majority of the area.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 91
92 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Much of this ecoregion has been converted to cultivated

agriculture and introduced grassland pasture. Various

development activities also have resulted in habitat

fragmentation in additional areas. Conservation and restoration

of wetlands and native prairies are possible on private lands

throughout the ecoregion on a relatively small scale through

Service programs and partnerships with public and private

cooperators.

Ozark Highlands/Boston Mountains - These ecoregions

extend into northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern

Arkansas, with topography consisting of rugged hills and low

mountains bisected by numerous streams. The highest

elevations reach above 1,500 feet ngvd, with the general slope

of the area to the southwest, and drainage primarily to the

Illinois and Neosho rivers. Annual precipitation averages over

42 inches. The natural communities of this ecoregion are

dominated by a western extension of the oak-hickory forest.

More mesic floodplain forests occur along the major streams of

the region. An additional dominant feature of these ecoregions is the

extensive network of cave habitats formed in the underlying

limestone parent material. Numerous rare, endangered and

endemic fish and wildlife species are associated with and

dependent upon these habitats. The Ozark Plateau NWR,

Logan Cave NWR and Neosho NFH are located within these

ecoregions.

Opportunities exist to work with private landowners to

manage various biological components of these ecoregions.

Special emphasis is given to formation of partnerships with

private landowners for protection and management of cave

resources within these ecoregions.

Arkansas Valley - The lower portion of the Arkansas River

Valley from the confluence with the Neosho River downstream

to eastern Arkansas form this ecoregion. Annual precipitation

here averages over 45 inches. In addition to the river floodplain,

this ecoregion also includes several isolated hills, including the

Sans Bois Mountains in Oklahoma which rise over 1,200 feet

above the surrounding floodplain. Dominant natural vegetation

of the Arkansas River floodplain includes forests of oak, elm

and hackberry, with well-developed understories. Sequoyah

NWR and Holla Bend NWR are located in this ecoregion.

Natural communities of the isolated hills are typical of the

Ozark Highlands/Boston Mountains and Central Oklahoma/

Texas Plains.

The natural communities of this ecoregion have been significantly

altered by timber harvesting, cultivated agriculture, and

development of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River

Navigation System. The series of locks, dams and reservoirs

associated with the latter have inundated vast areas of this

ecoregion, and resulted in additional fish and wildlife resource

impacts from secondary development activities. Opportunities

exist to work with other Federal and State agencies and

private landowners to conserve and restore wetland and

forested habitats in this ecoregion.

Ouachita Mountains - This ecoregion is located in southeastern

Oklahoma and southwestern Arkansas. Elevations vary from

nearly 3,000 feet ngvd to about 700 feet ngvd. Annual

precipitation in this ecoregion approaches 60 inches annually

in some locations. The dominant vegetation of the natural

communities include shortleaf pine savannah with an

understory of tall grasses. Oak-hickory forest communities

are found in more mesic north-facing slopes and in ravines. In

addition bottomland hardwood forests occur in the floodplains

of the larger streams draining this ecoregion, including the

Kiamichi, Glover, Cossatot, and Little rivers.

Significant impacts to the natural communities of this ecoregion

are largely associated with commercial forest management

and conversion to other uses, such as agriculture and

reservoir impoundments. Large areas of the Ouachitas have

been clear-cut and converted to loblolly pine plantations, with

significant effects on sensitive species such as the red-cockaded

woodpecker and leopard darter. Distinct opportunities exist to

coordinate with other Federal and State agencies and large

corporate landowners in this ecoregion to restore pine

savannah, floodplain forest and stream habitat. A proposed

large-scale land exchange between the Weyerhauser

Corporation and U.S. Forest Service potentially can provide

considerable opportunity for such cooperative recovery efforts.

South Central Plains - Portions of southeastern Oklahoma,

Southwestern Arkansas, northeastern Texas, and northwestern

Louisiana drained by the Red River make up this ecoregion.

Precipitation in this ecoregion averages over 45 inches

annually. Dominant natural communities consist of moist

upland forests of gums and oaks, as well as true bottomland

hardwood forests along streams and rivers. Stands of loblolly

pine also occur in the more mesic upland sites. The Little

River and Cossatot NWR’s and Natchitoches NFH are

located in this ecoregion, as well as Caddo Lake, one of two

Ramsar wetland sites found in the ecosystem.

Major threats to the biological resources of the South Central

Plains include drainage of floodplain wetlands for agricultural

and forestry management purposes, stream channelization for

navigation and other related developments, and clearing of

forested habitats. Despite the many threats to the fish and

wildlife resources of this ecoregion, many opportunities also

exist to restore wetland and forested habitats in cooperation

with Federal and State agencies, and with private landowners.

Mississippi Alluvial Plain - A very small part of this

ecoregion enters the Ark/Red along the Arkansas River in

eastern Arkansas. This area experiences about 50 inches of

precipitation annually. The natural vegetation of this

ecoregion was dominated by bottomland hardwood forest

species, although the vast majority of the area has been

converted to cultivated Agriculture.

In cooperation with other agencies and individual landowners,

there is a great opportunity to restore wetland and forested

habitats to the Mississippi Alluvial Plain.

Big Rivers - While not defined by Omemick as an ecoregion,

due to the importance of the Big Rivers within the Arkansas/

Red Rivers Ecosystem to management of important fish and

wildlife resources, the river beds and associated riparian

zones of the following streams are included within a separate

ecoregion: Arkansas, Red, Cimarron, Beaver/North Canadian,

Canadian, Washita, Deep Fork, and Neosho rivers. A similar

characteristic of the natural habitat of all of these rivers is the

presence of a shifting alluvial substrate which is periodically

scoured of vegetation and formed into gravel and sandbar

habitat and braided stream habitat by recurring flood events.

Sandhill cranes, Interior least terns, waterfowl, bald eagles,

shorebirds, numerous other migratory and resident bird
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 93

species, and a distinct assemblage of fish and other aquatic

species depend upon these habitats for roosting, nesting,

spawning, and feeding habitat.

Much of the original habitat provided by the Big Rivers

ecoregion has been lost to reservoir inundation, channelization,

urbanization, water depletion, and other human induced

impacts. Opportunities exist, in cooperation with land and

water management agencies, to restore some degree of the

habitat value provided by this riverine habitat for important

fish and wildlife resources.

Objectives, Strategies and Action Items

A. Water Conservation

Objective 1. Water Quantity Maintenance and

Improvement

With partners, and under the constraints of State primacy in

matters concerning water allocation, the Service will seek methods

to facilitate the conservation of water resources for the

management of important fish and wildlife species and

habitats, with emphasis on areas downstream of Federal

water management facilities. Efforts will concentrate on the

maintenance of instream flows and groundwater resources to

support native flora and fauna. Maintenance and development

of an adequate water supply for wetlands management on

existing Service lands and partners’ projects also will be

emphasized. Specific areas of concern include instream flows,

springs, caves, and groundwater and alluvial aquifers.

Strategy 1. Facilitate adequate stream flows for

conservation of fish and wildlife resources.

A. Participate in water needs assessments to inventory

water resources in the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem and

provide background on available water resources.

B. Participate in stream compact commissions and similar

organizations to better understand and influence water

resources allocation in the Ark/Red.

C. Determine recommended stream flows regimes for major

rivers and their tributaries within the Ark/Red; emphasize

flow needs downstream of federally-controlled facilities.

D. Identify principal water quantity management authorities

and their user groups in the Ark/Red Ecosystem.

E. Maintain adequate system flows in the Arkansas/Red

Rivers Ecosystem by protecting, restoring, and enhancing

riparian/floodplain wetlands as natural water storage and

release areas.

F. Obtain ready access to discharge and water level records

via Internet and CD-ROM technology.

Strategy 2. Facilitate conservation of groundwater

resources.

A. Identify recharge and outflow areas for the major

aquifers of the Ark/Red.

B. Identify conservation methods to maintain and restore

groundwater levels.

Strategy 3. Facilitate adequate water supplies for wetland

management.

A. With partners, identify water resources essential to

management of existing wetland habitats, and restoration

of degraded wetland habitats, both on and off Service

lands.

Objective 2. Water Quality Maintenance and

Improvement

With partners and stakeholders, assure that Federal and

State water quality standards are established and applied in a

manner that protects and enhances all aquatic resources.

These strategies and actions will promote restoration of focus

species and habitats while contributing to overall biodiversity

conservation in the Ark/Red.

Strategy 1. Maintain and improve surface water quality for

conservation of fish and wildlife resources.

A. Cooperate with Federal/State agriculture agencies to

improve non-point source water quality in Ark/Red

streams.

B. Increase use of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife

Program (PFW) and other available programs to

enhance riparian wetlands on private lands as a method

of improving stream water quality.

C. Assure adequate monitoring of contaminant effects on

and off Service lands within the Ark/Red.

D. Assure adequate treatment of any effluents generated on

or leaving Service lands or facilities.

E. Protect/restore riparian habitat on Service lands as an

aid to water quality improvement.

F. Demonstrate the use of constructed and restored

wetlands for water quality improvement.

G. Establish upland vegetated buffers around important

wetland habitats to reduce sedimentation and

contaminant/nutrient inputs.

H. Determine water quality impacts of confined animal

feeding operations (i.e., CAFO’S) in the Ark/Red.

I. Work with State and Federal agencies to strengthen

water quality standards, discharge limits and use

designations of aquatic and wetland resources

throughout the Ark/Red.

J. Participate in contaminant contingency planning and

establish a Service/partner response team to protect and

restore trust resources.

K. Identify principal water quality-related authorities and

potential partners in the Ark/Red.

L. Identify and prioritize areas of the Arkansas/Red Rivers

Ecosystem where water quality does not meet Federal

and State water quality standards or otherwise impairs

support for native flora and fauna.

M. Use Service statutory authorities, in conjunction with

partners, to ensure that water quality standards are met

to protect native flora and fauna.

N. Use Service authorities under Superfund to protect and

restore native species and habitats in the Arkansas/Red

Rivers Ecosystem, with emphasis on early involvement.

0. Use Service authorities under ESA, MBTA, Refuge

Administration Act, Oil Pollution Act, and other statutes to

ensure protection/restoration for native species and

habitats affected by oil and gas operations.

Strategy 2. Maintain and improve groundwater quality for

conservation of fish and wildlife resources.

A. Conduct or facilitate water quality monitoring of

groundwater resources related to important fish and

wildlife resources of the Ark/Red.
94 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

B. Species and Habitat

Objective 1. Focus Species Conservation and

Restoration

The Arkansas River and its tributaries drain portions of seven

states. As a result of the large area contained within the

ecosystem, an enormous number of species occupy its diverse

habitats. Identified focus species groups include migratory

birds, federally-listed, proposed, candidate, and species of concern,

as well as interjurisdictional fisheries, and non-indigenous

species. Some non-indigenous species are perceived as

beneficial and desired while others are considered harmful.

Even though this objective treats the needs of individual or

groups of species, the majority of action items identified seek

to conserve, restore or enhance the habitats upon which these

species depend.

Strategy 1. Conserve and restore migratory birds

A. Increase aerial surveillance for enforcement of illegal take

of migratory birds.

B. Continue and increase raptor electrocution enforcement.

C. Continue investigation of oilfield and chemical hazards

causing migratory bird mortality.

D. Conduct and facilitate research related to diseases of

migratory birds.

E. Improve important habitat on NWR’s for migratory birds.

F. Ecological Services and Law Enforcement to cooperate to

develop case to prosecute take of habitat (i.e., under MBTA).

G. Increase LE budget for migratory bird enforcement in

the Ark/Red.

H. Conduct and facilitate investigations to identify neotropical

bird species use of Ark/Red NWR’S.

I. Use Service authorities under the Clean Water Act (Section

404), Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Migratory Bird

Treaty Act, Endangered Species Act, and Bald and Golden

Eagle Protection Act to ensure protection/restoration of

migratory birds on and off Service lands.

Strategy 2. Conserve and restore interjurisdictional

fisheries.

A. Perform status surveys for listed, rare and declining

aquatic interjurisdictional species.

B. Propagate and restore listed, rare and declining

aquatic interjurisdictional species to their native ranges

within the Ark/Red.

C. With partners, facilitate and conduct assessments of the

aquatic resources in Ark/Red.

D. Conserve and restore interjurisdictional fishery

resources on Service lands throughout the Ark/Red.

Strategy 3. Conserve and recover listed, proposed,

candidate, and species of concern.

A. Develop a species list with known ranges for all vertebrate

species within the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem.

B. Increase emphasis on LE activities to protect essential

wintering and nesting areas for endangered species.

C. Protect and restore the diversity and integrity of important

aquatic, wetland and terrestrial habitats within the Ark/

Red for listed, proposed, candidate, and species of concern.

D. Implement priority recovery tasks for all listed species within

the Ark/Red.

E. Conduct and facilitate investigations related to prioritized

species of concern.

F. Assess, develop and utilize capability at NFH’s to hold and

possibly propagate native mussels and other declining

aquatic species.

G. Continue to develop MOU’s with other agencies for

conservation of species of concern.

H. Maintain ongoing surveys and monitoring efforts for

listed, proposed, candidate, and species of concern.

I. Conduct baseline survey for 18 imperiled fish species in

Ark/Red.

J. Prioritize recovery efforts among 0 listed, candidate and

species of concern within the Ark/Red in order to

efficiency manage limited funds and recovery opportunities.

K. Develop BMP’s for listed, candidate and species of

concern for use by Ark/Red landowners; facilitate HCP’s

and Safe Harbor agreements.

Strategy 4. Management of non-indigenous species

A. Monitor spread of zebra mussels throughout the Ark/Red.

B. Coordinate with State contacts on non-indigenous species

issues and participate in existing multi-agency teams

addressing non-indigenous species.

C. Provide information to the public explaining the hazards of

introductions of non-indigenous species, and encourage

control methods.

Objective 2. Conserve and Restore Focus Habitats

The Ark/Red contains a tremendous variety of important

habitats. Many are under threat due to human alterations and

developments such as urban and agricultural expansions,

forestry practices, and cave exploration and development.

Habitats of significant importance which are under threat

include wetlands, streams (including Big Rivers) and

floodplain forests (including bottomland hardwoods), native

grasslands, upland forests and cave systems.

Strategy 1. Conserve and restore wetland and bottomland

hardwood habitats.

A. Establish an organized protection plan and funding base

for important wetland and bottomland hardwood habitats

throughout the Ark/Red.

B. Acquire wetlands/bottomland hardwoods with Duck

Stamp/LWCF on suitable sites throughout the Ark/Red.

C. Restore wetlands/bottomland hardwoods on suitable sites

throughout the Ark/Red, on and off Service lands.

D. Monitor representative aquatic and wetland habitats for

data base development.

E. Construct moist soil units on NWR’s throughout the Ark/Red.

F. Acquire and utilize tree planters and related equipment at

field stations throughout the Ark/Red.

G. Cooperate with agency partners and landowners in

implementing forestry BMP’S, especially in bottomland

hardwood habitat.

H. Encourage forest product companies to insure

reforestation of private lands following timber harvest,

especially in bottomland hardwoods.

I. With partners, accomplish wetland delineation per national

Memorandum of Understanding among DOI, DOD,

USDA, and EPA.

J. Identify and prioritize bottomland hardwood and wetland

habitats in the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem.

K. Utilize the PFW to accomplish habitat restoration

projects for priority areas, habitats, and target species.

L. Meet Service responsibilities for ensuring mitigation in

the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem to reduce habitat

and species impacts caused by human development.

Pursue innovative partnership opportunities to complete

priority mitigation projects, including use of the mitigation

banking concept.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 95

M. Complete Congressionally mandated management

planning and data collection on NWR’s throughout the

Ark/Red.

N. Conduct and facilitate investigations designed to identify

optimum management procedures for bottomland

hardwoods and wetlands throughout the Ark/Red.

Strategy 2. Conserve and restore Big River habitats.

A. Conserve and restore the aquatic diversity of Ark/Red

Big Rivers.

B. Conserve and restore sandbar habitat in Ark/Red Big

Rivers.

C. Conserve and restore backwater and oxbow habitats

associated with Ark/Red Big Rivers.

Strategy 3. Conserve and restore prairie stream and

riparian habitats.

A. Conserve and restore the aquatic diversity of prairie

stream and riparian habitats.

Strategy 4. Conserve cave systems.

A. Control human access to important NWR and other public

cave habitats throughout the Ark/Red.

B. Work with partners via PFW to cooperatively gate caves

on private lands to protect cave habitat and species.

Strategy 5. Conserve and restore native grassland habitats.

A. Conduct and facilitate inventories, studies, and

assessments on prairie species (i.e., flora and fauna)

within Ark/Red.

B. Determine cause and effect of decline of prairie species

(emphasis on migratory birds and species of concern).

C. Establish cooperative partnerships to conserve and

restore native grasslands and savannahs on private lands

throughout the Ark/Red.

D. Conserve and restore NWR native grasslands

throughout the ARRE.

E. Conduct needed research activities on NWR’s relative to

management of native grassland species and systems.

F. Develop management plans to protect shortgrass prairie.

Strategy 6. Conserve and restore native upland forest and

savannah habitats.

A. Cooperate with agency partners and landowners in

implementing forestry BMP’s on private lands

C. Quality of Human Life

Objective 1. Increase Public Outreach Efforts Relative to

Service Programs

Conservation of our wildlife heritage can only be accomplished

by increasing public knowledge of the related problems and

opportunities through environmental education, exhibits,

pamphlets, and other means.

Strategy 1. Increase public awareness of relationship

between fish and wildlife resource

conservation and quality of human life.

A. Establish an ecosystem-wide outreach position for the

Ark/Red.

B. In consultation with partners, develop a cross-program,

ecosystem-wide public outreach strategy addressing

major habitat-related problems, threats and opportunities.

C. Increase staffing for outreach personnel at Ark/Red field

stations.

D. Develop a media symbol for the Ark/Red.

E. Restore and enhance wetlands on private lands and

establish outdoor classrooms throughout the Ark/Red.

F. Develop an ecosystem-specific vision statement for the

Ark/Red associated with the media symbol, logo, displays

and other outreach material.

G. Develop an Ark/Red newsletter.

H. Develop traveling display on Biodiversity and general

Biological Information concerning the Ark/Red.

I. Expand the existing database for media contacts to include

all of the Ark/Red.

J. Develop posters: Plight of the Prairies - FY97, Bottomland

Hardwoods - FY98.

K. Develop public service announcements (PSA) on

Biodiversity and Endangered Species in Ark/Red. Fund

airtime (television and radio) for PSA’S. Increase print

media distribution (newspapers, magazines, etc.) for PSA’S.

L. Provide information booths at International Airports

within the Ark/Red on biodiversity and import/export

regulations.

M. Develop/purchase school book covers promoting the

ecosystem approach to managing fish and wildlife resources.

N. Establish study/outreach centers at Ark/Red NWR’s and

NFH’s for focus species and habitats.

O. Support National Fishing Week and other outreach efforts

by sponsoring annual fishing clinics, derbies, and develop

programs for target groups.

P. Coordinate with the State fish and wildlife resource

agencies in development of environmental education

center and other outreach facilities.

Q. Construct and staff needed visitor centers, environmental

education centers, and other interpretive resources at Ark/

Red NFH’s and NWR’S.

R. Develop habitat and species-specific endangered species

regulations information for distribution to private

landowners within the Ark/Red.

S. Purchase biodiversity display from Smithsonian Institution.

T. Explore possibility of obtaining educational media relating

to biodiversity from television science series Bill Nye -

“The Science, Guy.”

U. Develop demonstration area (possibly at a NWR) for

“Backyard Habitat” plantings.

V. Develop curriculum/classroom projects relating to Ark/

Red issues.
96 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

W. Develop an identification brochure for selected Ark/Red

species to increase public awareness, and as an aid to

increase monitoring efforts, and to help establish status

and trends.

X. Encourage resource agencies to conduct environmental

education programs in the public schools.

Y. Encourage corporate support of environmental education

programs in the public schools.

Z. Identify partners and resources available to cooperatively

educate target audiences (i.e., “publics”) in the Ark/Red.

AA. Develop professional outreach efforts to inform the

general public and potential partners of ecosystem

management principles and priorities (e.g. partnerships,

bottom-up approach, ongoing and long-term effort) in the

Service.

BB. Increase public awareness of hunting and fish opportunities

as essential elements of good ecosystem management.

CC. Increase public awareness of nontraditional resource

opportunities as valued inputs to ecosystem management.

DD. Increase public awareness of people as an important

component and an important concern in the Arkansas/

Red Rivers Ecosystem.

EE. Develop educational programs related to urban wildlifehuman conflict awareness and resolution.

Objective 2. Improve Outdoor Recreational

Opportunities

There is an increased demand for outdoor recreational

activities with the expanding human population in the Ark/

Red Ecosystem. Popular activities include bird watching,

fishing, hiking, and hunting, among others.

Strategy 1. Provide recreational opportunities to increase

public enjoyment and awareness of

relationships between fish and wildlife

resource conservation and quality of human

life.

A. Assist in the management of recreational fishes and

related habitats (on federal and trust lands) within the

Ark/Red.

B. Develop recreation plans for Ark/Red NWR’s and

NFH’S, where appropriate.

C. Encourage other agencies, such as the Corps of

Engineers and State parks departments, to emphasize

fish and wildlife resource-related outdoor recreation on

lands under their jurisdiction.

D. Identify partners involved in traditional and non-traditional

recreational programs within the Arkansas/Red Rivers

Ecosystem.

E. Identify partners and areas where sustainable recreational

opportunities can be enhanced without impacts on natural

resources in the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem.

F. Maintain traditional hunting and fishing programs (e.g.,

Pathways to Fishing, National Recreational Fishing

Policy, Refuge hunting and fishing) that provide direct

public access and enjoyment of natural resources and

promote public awareness and participation in ecosystem

concepts.

G. Develop non-traditional fish and wildlife management

programs that provide direct public access and

enjoyment of natural resources and promote public

awareness and participation in ecosystem concepts/

programs.

H. Promote urban and youth fish and wildlife programs to

increase ecosystem awareness and participation.

Summary

This Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem Plan was designed as a

communication tool to alert decision makers within the

Service, as well as partners, to the resources that occur here,

and the priorities established by the Ecosystem Team for

management of Trust resources. The Plan will be updated

periodically as resource management needs and opportunities

evolve. The key to successful implementation of the Plan is

involvement of partners from Federal, State and local

governments, and the private sector, especially landowners. To

this end, the Ark/Red Team dedicates this Plan to the Trust

resources and people we serve.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 97

Appendix H.

Flint Hills NWR

Key Legislation and Policies

Antiquities Act (1906): Authorizes the scientific investigation of

antiquities on Federal land and provides penalties for unauthorized

removal of objects taken or collected without a permit.

Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918): Designates the protection

of migratory birds as a Federal responsibility. This Act enables

the setting of seasons, and other regulations including the

closing of areas, Federal or non-Federal, to the hunting of

migratory birds.

Migratory Bird Conservation Act (1929): Establishes

procedures for acquisition by purchase, rental, or gift of areas

approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission.

Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act (1934):

Authorized the opening of part of a refuge to waterfowl

hunting.

Fish and Wildlife Act (1956): Established a comprehensive

national fish and wildlife policy and broadened the authority

for acquisition and development of refuges.

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (1958): Allows the Fish

and Wildlife Service to enter into agreements with private

landowners for wildlife management purposes.

Refuge Recreation Act (1962): Allows the use of refuges for

recreation when such uses are compatible with the refuge’s

primary purposes and when sufficient funds are available to

manage the uses.

Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (1965): Uses the

receipts from the sale of surplus Federal land, outer

continental shelf oil and gas sales, and other sources for land

acquisition under several authorities.

National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of

1966 as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System

Improvement Act of 1997, 16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee. (Refuge

Administration Act): Defines the National Wildlife Refuge

System and authorizes the Secretary to permit any use of a

refuge provided such use is compatible with the major purposes

for which the refuge was established. The Refuge Improvement

Act clearly defines a unifying mission for the Refuge System;

establishes the legitimacy and appropriateness of the six

priority public uses (hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and

photography, or environmental education and interpretation);

establishes a formal process for determining compatibility;

established the responsibilities of the Secretary of Interior for

managing and protecting the System; and requires a

Comprehensive Conservation Plan for each refuge by the year

2012. This Act amended portions of the Refuge Recreation Act and

National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966.

National Historic Preservation Act (1966) as amended:

Establishes as policy that the Federal Government is to

provide leadership in the preservation of the nation’s

prehistoric and historic resources.

Architectural Barriers Act (1968): Requires federally

owned, leased, or funded buildings and facilities to be

accessible to persons with disabilities.

National Environmental Policy Act (1969): Requires the

disclosure of the environmental impacts of any major Federal

action significantly affecting the quality of the human

environment.

Endangered Species Act (1973): Requires all Federal agencies

to carry out programs for the conservation of endangered and

threatened species.

Rehabilitation Act (1973): Requires programmatic accessibility in

addition to physical accessibility for all facilities and programs

funded by the Federal government to ensure that anybody can

participate in any program.

Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act (1974):

Directs the preservation of historic and archaeological data in

Federal construction projects.

Clean Water Act (1977): Requires consultation with the Corps

of Engineers (404 permits) for major wetland modifications.

Executive Order 11988 (1977): Each Federal agency shall

provide leadership and take action to reduce the risk of flood

loss and minimize the impact of floods on human safety, and

preserve the natural and beneficial values served by the

floodplains.

American Indian Religious Freedom Act (1978): Directs

agencies to consult with native traditional religious leaders to

determine appropriate policy changes necessary to protect

and preserve Native American religious cultural rights and

practices.

Archaeological Resources Protection Act (1979) as

amended: Protects materials of archaeological interest from

unauthorized removal or destruction and requires Federal

managers to develop plans and schedules to locate

archaeological resources.

Emergency Wetlands Resources Act (1986): The purpose of

the Act is “To promote the conservation of migratory

waterfowl and to offset or prevent the serious loss of wetlands

by the acquisition of wetlands and other essential habitat, and

for other purposes.”

Federal Noxious Weed Act (1990): Requires the use of

integrated management systems to control or contain

undesirable plant species; and an interdisciplinary approach

with the cooperation of other Federal and State agencies.

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act

(1990): Requires Federal agencies and museums to inventory,

determine ownership of, and repatriate cultural items under

their control or possession.

Americans With Disabilities Act (1992): Prohibits

discrimination in public accommodations and services.

Executive Order 12996 Management and General Public

Use of the National Wildlife Refuge System (1996): Defines

the mission, purpose, and priority public uses of the National

Wildlife Refuge System. It also presents four principles to

guide management of the System.

Executive Order 13007 Indian Sacred Sites (1996): Directs

Federal land management agencies to accommodate access to

and ceremonial use of Indian sacred sites by Indian religious

practitioners, avoid adversely affecting the physical integrity

of such sacred sites, and where appropriate, maintain the

confidentiality of sacred sites.
98 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Appendix I.

Flint Hills NWR Cooperative Agreements
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 99
100 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
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102 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
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104 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
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106 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
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108 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
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110 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
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112 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 113

Appendix J. Flint Hills NWR

Contaminant Assessment

Process

Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends

Program

Contaminant Assessment Process

Final CAP Report for Flint Hills NWR

CAP Information (Contaminants Assessment

Process)

A Contaminant Assessment Process or CAP has been

conducted for this Refuge. A CAP is an information gathering

process and initial assessment of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service National Wildlife Refuge in relation to environmental

contaminants. You will find information in this report on

particular contaminants of concern to fish and wildlife

resources on the Refuge and areas of the Refuge of particular

interest with regard to these contaminants.

__________________________________________________________________________

Primary Investigator Information

Analysis started 14:12 June 25,1999

Analysis completed 08:30:35 September 09,1999

Report produced 06:59:49 April 11,2000

Susan Blackford

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

315 Houston, Suite E

Manhattan, KS 66502

Phone: 785-539-3474

email: Susan_Blackford@fws.gov

Notes on Primary Investigator

Assistant Contaminant Specialist, Ecological Services, Kansas

Field Office.

___________________________________________________________________________

Narrative Report of Contaminant Issues

Problem Narrative:

Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge

Contaminant Assessment Process Narrative September 9, 1999

The Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) was

established in 1966 and consists of 18,463 acres. The Refuge is

part of the Arkansas/Red Rivers Ecosystem. It lies in the

broad, flat Neosho River Valley in the Neosho Basin. The

Refuge is managed primarily to benefit migrating and

wintering waterfowl in the central flyway. A variety of

management practices are utilized to meet the needs of

wildlife. Along with large numbers of migrating birds, the

Refuge is also a haven for white-tailed deer, bobwhite quail,

wild turkey, river otter and a diversity of other mammals,

neotropical birds, reptiles and insects.

Activities associated with agriculture, flood control, and public

recreation are the most likely pathways for contaminants

input to the Refuge.

The Refuge is an overlay on and is entirely located within the

Corps of Engineers John Redmond Reservoir Flood control

project (Reservoir). As such, the management of the

Reservoir profoundly affects the Refuge. Land use on the

Refuge has limitations when the flooding impacts are factored

in. Flooding of the Refuge (caused from the reservoir holding

water) occurs on a fairly frequent basis, generally in the

spring and fall months. On average, the entire Refuge (95

percent of the Refuge is flooded) is flooded once in ten years,

severe flooding (75 percent of the Refuge is flooded) occurs

one in seven years, moderate flooding (50 percent of the

Refuge is flooded) occurs one in four years, while minor

flooding (25 percent of the Refuge is flooded) occurs yearly.

However, 95 percent of the Refuge was flooded during the

years of 1973, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1995, 1998, and the current

year of 1999.

Flood waters can bring in substantial amounts of

contaminants onto the Refuge and should be considered a

major contaminant pathway. Because the reservoir is holding

water, the flood water covers the Refuge for extended periods

of time. Any contaminants present in the water might tend to

settle out while the water is standing over the Refuge.

Nearly 1.5 million people live within 100 miles of the Refuge.

Most of this population live in the four large cities, Topeka,

Wichita, Kansas City, or Emporia, within this area. Although

the population of Emporia is considerably smaller than the

other three cities, it probably has the biggest impact on the

Refuge. It lies approximately 25 miles west of the Refuge and

sits between the Neosho and Cottonwood Rivers just upstream

from the confluence of the two Rivers. It is the only one of the

four cities that is in the same basin as the Refuge. Emporia

has several large industries including a slaughter house and

meat packing plant, automobile parts manufacturing, a large

commercial bakery, and a dog food plant.

Several smaller towns near the Refuge have petroleum

products storage facilities and power generating plants. Wolf

Creek Nuclear Power Plant is located eight miles east of the

Refuge. Accidents at these types of facilities could contribute

significant amounts of contaminants to the Refuge.

The Neosho River runs through the Refuge. Several smaller

streams also enter the Refuge including Four Mile Creek,

Lebo Creek, Eagle Creek, and Troublesome Creek along with

several drainage canals and unnamed intermittent streams.

There are documented contaminant concerns for most of the

surface water entering the Refuge.

Consumption advisories are issued most years for the Neosho

River due to chlordane compound concentrations in fish. In

the 1970s, there were documented water quality problems on

the Neosho River resulting in many publicized fish kills.

These fish kills were reported to be caused primarily from

confined animal feedlot runoff. Recent investigations by the

USFWS Kansas Field Office have found PCB, atrazine and

heavy metals, including lead, mercury, and arsenic, in biota

samples and lead in sediment samples collected from the

River. A Refuge staff person reported that he often smells a

strong chemical/pesticide odor emanating from the River

following precipitation events during the spring planting

season.
114 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Analysis of surface water conducted during 1997 with ELISA

field tests kits found agricultural chemicals such as triazines,

2,4-D, and alachlor are entering the Refuge via the surface

water. These chemicals were found to be fairly persistent in

the Refuge’s streams (Lebo Creek, Troublesome Creek, Four

Mile Creek, Eagle Creek and unnamed creeks and drainage

canals) which supply the wetlands. Chief among the chemicals

found were triazine compounds. Most of the streams entering

the Refuge are very turbid. Eagle Creek also has documented

heavy metal contamination concerns.

Recently, Refuge Manager Jerre Gamble found a feedlot on

Eagle Creek that directly abuts the Refuge Boundary. He

estimates that the feedlot handles approximately 300 to 400

head of cattle. There is no buffer area between the feedlot and

the creek, and the feed bunkers are right on the fence line. In

all probability, wastes from the feedlot are washed into Eagle

Creek and the Refuge during precipitation events.

The Refuge has approximately 3,917 acres of cropland.

Limited chemical use is permitted on cropland within the

Refuge. This is a concern due to the frequency of flooding and

the potential of those chemicals to enter surface water in

runoff. However, several steps have been taken to attempt to

minimize unintentional impacts. The Refuge has an

Integrated Pest Management plan (IPM). No insecticides

have been used on the Refuge in 11 years according to the

1996 to 2001 IPM plan. Refuge management has recently

initiated the mandatory creation of buffers along streams in

agricultural lands on the Refuge. The buffers will serve to

control erosion and reduce the amount of contaminants

entering the surface waters of the Refuge. The buffers will be

phased in as contracts are renewed. Refuge cropland is

usually double cropped. Refuge management feels that this

practice combats the weed problems and reduces the amount

of herbicides that are applied. Refuge staff estimates that

more pesticides are used on the cropland following flood event

years.

The Refuge has approximately 4,572 acres of wetlands. One

type of water-right currently used on the Refuge allows

pumping from the Neosho River and Eagle Creek into

wetlands. Wetlands receiving these waters should be

monitored to determine if there are any detrimental effects to

the wetland associated with contaminants in the pumped

water. Benthic invertebrate community structure and

population analysis should be included in the monitoring.

Willow tree invasion is considered a problem in the moist soil

wetlands. Mowing, flooding, and occasional dozer work have

been used for control. The use of Rodeo chemical has been

approved; but as of 1996, no applications have been made.

The Refuge has received heavy hunting and fishing pressure. No

investigations of lead deposition from fishing or past hunting

activity have been undertaken. It is possible that if such lead

deposition has occurred that the dozer activity used to control

willow tree invasion could bring the lead to the surface of the

sediments and into contact with waterfowl, shorebirds, and

fish who eat it along with food items or mistake it for food

items. Also, the use of any chemical in a wetland is a cause for

concern, and if Rodeo is used for willow control occurs in the

future, it might be beneficial to conduct benthic invertebrate

population studies both pre- and post-treatment to determine

if the chemical is affecting those populations.

Mudflats most likely are associated with water drawdowns

after flooding events and the number of acres available will

vary yearly. These areas may act as a sink for contaminated

sediments deposited from flood waters. No investigations

have taken place to determine if this is occurring.

The Refuge has approximately 120 acres of administrative

and recreational roadways. These roadways are often under

flood waters. Due to the frequent flooding, erosion of the

roadway materials, e.g., dirt and gravel, and contaminants

associated with roadways from vehicle use, e.g., oils, grease,

petroleum, antifreeze, etc., Refuge roads should be considered

a likely contaminant pathway. Another source of

contamination associated with the roadways would be spills of

chemicals from the transport of agricultural chemicals to the

cropland on or near the Refuge. Road sides may become

infested with noxious weeds. Refuge IPM plans are to

maintain the road sides by mowing unless Sericea lespedeza

becomes a problem. If that occurs some spraying may take

place.

There are currently 3,200 acres of grasslands on the Refuge.

Sericea lespedeza and Johnson grass invasions are causing

serious problems on the grasslands. Some chemical spot

treatments to control Sericea lespedeza and Johnson grass will

take place on the grasslands along with other control

techniques such as mowing, haying, and burning.

There are several pathways for transportation linked spills to

reach the Refuge. Three of these are roads in close proximity

to the Refuge. K-130 cuts through the western end of the

Refuge; 22nd Road borders the north side of the Refuge. Both

of these roads receive heavy semi-truck use along with local

traffic. 16th Lane which borders the south side of the Refuge

receives heavy local traffic including vehicles transporting

farm chemicals. Other spill sources include oil/gas pipelines

north of the Refuge and railroad lines near the town of

Neosho Rapids near the northwest end of the Refuge.

The most likely pathways for contamination to reach the

Refuge are from the surface water entering the Refuge and

the flood waters that frequently inundate portions of the

Refuge. Recommendations for future actions concerning

contaminant issues include monitoring of wetlands receiving

water from the Neosho River and Eagle Creek to determine if

there are any adverse effects, identify mudflat areas that may

act as contaminant sinks and ascertain if that is happening,

and determine if lead shot and fishing sinkers are available to

wildlife and if they are causing lead poisoning in wildlife.

___________________________________________________________________________

 CAP Final Report Generated on 4/11/2000, 6:59

 Last refuge data update: TAT/MESC -- 1-MAR-1999
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 115

Appendix K.

Flint Hills NWR

Compatibility Determinations

Station Name: Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge

Date Established: September 27, 1965

Establishing and Acquisition Authorities:

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act; Coordination Act Agreement with

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Purpose(s) for which Established:

16 U.S.C. 664 (Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act): “... shall be

administered by him (Secretary of the Interior) directly or in

accordance with cooperative agreements ... and in accordance with

such rules and regulations for the conservation, maintenance, and

management of wildlife, thereof, and its habitat thereon, ....”

National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997: “each

refuge shall be managed to fulfill the mission of the System, as well as

the specific purposes for which the refuge was established.”

“... plan an direct the continued growth of the System in a manner that is

best designed to accomplish the mission of the System, to contribute to

the conservation of the ecosystems of the united States, to complement

the efforts of the States and other Federal agencies to conserve fish

and wildlife and their habitats, and to increase support for the

System and participation from conservation partners and the public.”

“The mission of the System is 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.”
116 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Description of Proposed Use:

Wildlife-dependent recreation i.e., hunting and fishing, wildlife observation

and photography, and environmental education and interpretation.

Anticipated Impacts on Service Lands, Waters, or Interests:

Minimal disturbance to wildlife and wildlife habitat will result from

these uses at current and proposed levels.

Justification:

We agree with Congress, as stated in the National Wildlife Refuge System

Improvement Act, that “When managed in accordance with principles of

sound fish and wildlife management and administration, fishing, hunting,

wildlife observation, and environmental education in national wildlife refuges

have been and are expected to continue to be generally compatible uses.”

Wildlife-dependent recreational use help carry out the purposes of Refuge

enabling legislation, cooperative agreements, CCP, and National Wildlife

Refuge System Act mandate to “ensure that opportunities are provided

within the System for compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses.”

These activities, at or below expected levels, provide the public with

opportunities to learn and appreciate the values of wetlands, riparian

areas, and the dependence of wildlife upon them. This is especially true in

Kansas where less than 2 percent of the land is in public stewardship.

Approximately 60 percent of the Refuge is closed to general public access,

from October into February, to provide wildlife sanctuary. Current and

proposed wildlife management projects will provide wildlife population

levels sufficient to sustain hunting, fishing, and the other recreational

uses at current and projected levels with minimal impacts to wildlife

and its habitats.

Determination:Wildlife-dependent recreation is compatible.

The Following Stipulations are Necessary to Ensure Compatibility:

■ All activities will be monitored by the refuge manager to ensure that

wildlife-dependent recreation does not exceed projected levels.

■ Participants will be monitored to ensure that the permitted activities

are conducted in compliance with Refuge regulations.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 117

Description of Proposed Use:

Firewood cutting for personal use to remove down and drift wood in areas

easily accessible to the public. Firewood cutting is also allowed when the

Refuge is preparing to conduct activities where tree removal is necessary or

desirable i.e. road rehabilitation or dike construction.

Anticipated Impacts on Service Lands, Waters, or Interests:

Minimal disturbance to wildlife and wildlife habitat will result from

such harvesting at current and anticipated levels.

Justification:

Firewood cutting is used as a means to help accomplish Refuge wildlife

and recreation objectives. Also, it provides the public with opportunities

to learn and appreciate the values of wetlands, riparian areas, and the

dependence of wildlife upon them. This is especially true in Kansas where

less than 2 percent of the land is in public stewardship. Approximately 60

percent of the Refuge is closed to general public access, from October

into February, to provide wildlife sanctuary.

Determination: Firewood cutting for personal use is compatible.

The Following Stipulations are Necessary to Ensure Compatibility:

■ Cutting areas will be monitored by the Refuge to ensure that firewood

harvesting does not exceed compatible levels.

■ Participants will be monitored to ensure that the permitted activities

are conducted in compliance with Refuge regulations.

Description of Proposed Use:

Wild food gathering for personal use; including fruit picking, nut

picking, and mushrooming.

Anticipated Impacts on Service Lands, Waters, or Interests:

Minimal disturbance to wildlife and wildlife habitat will result from

such harvesting at current and anticipated levels.

Justification:

Approximately 60 percent of the Refuge is closed to general public access,

from October into February, to provide wildlife sanctuary. At current and

anticipated levels, these activities are sustainable. There will continue to be a

surplus of wild foods, of interest to visitors, sufficient for wildlife needs.

Also it provides the public with opportunities to learn and appreciate

the values of wetlands, riparian areas, and the dependence of wildlife

upon them. This is especially true in Kansas where less than 2 percent

of the land is in public stewardship

Determination: Wild food gathering for personal use is compatible.

The Following Stipulations are Necessary to Ensure Compatibility:

■ Gathering areas will be monitored by the Refuge to ensure that wild

food harvesting does not exceed expected levels.

■ Participants will be monitored to ensure that the permitted activities

are conducted in compliance with Refuge regulations.
118 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Description of Proposed Use: Primitive camping.

Anticipated Impacts on Service Lands, Waters, or Interests:

Minimal localized disturbance to wildlife and wildlife habitat will result

from this use at current and anticipated levels.

Justification:

This wildlife oriented activity supports other wildlife-dependent activities

especially hunting. Also, it provides the public with opportunities to learn

and appreciate the values of wetlands, riparian areas, and the dependence

of wildlife upon them. This is especially true in Kansas where less than 2

percent of the land is in public stewardship.

Determination: Primitive camping is compatible.

The Following Stipulations are Necessary to Ensure Compatibility:

■ Camping areas will be monitored by the Refuge to ensure that primitive

camping does not exceed expected levels.

■ Participants will be monitored to ensure that primitive camping is

conducted in compliance with Refuge regulations.

Description of Selected Management Actions:

Cooperative farming and haying.

Anticipated Impacts on Service Lands, Waters, or Interests:

Farming will provide high caloric food and browse for migrating and

wintering migratory birds and resident wildlife. This food source is in

addition to other habitat provided in the form of wildland wetlands and

vegetation and the moist soil/marsh units.

Haying (in addition to prescribed burning) benefits grassland and edge

dependent wildlife by preventing woody vegetation encroachment into

grassland.

Justification:

These actions are needed to accomplish Refuge purposes. At this Refuge’s

latitude in the great plains, wildlife often use croplands during migration

and wintering. Refuge maintenance of a cropland program provides crops

sought by migratory birds, and in some instances prevents depredation of

crops on private lands. The cropland program also serves as an example of

how best to farm in riverine systems with minimal use of chemicals.

Determination:

Taking actions to accomplish a purpose is ipso facto compatible with

that purpose. Therefore, management to accomplish Refuge purposes

is compatible with those purposes.

The Following Stipulations are Necessary to Ensure Compatibility:

Not applicable.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 119

Appendix L.

Finding of No Significant Impact and

Environmental Action Memorandum

Four management alternatives for the Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge were assessed as to their effectiveness in

achieving the Refuge’s purposes and their impact on the human environment. Based on this assessment, I have selected

Alternative 3 (Proposed Action) for implementation.

I find that the Alternative is not a major Federal action and it will not have a significant impact on the human

environment in accordance with section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act and, therefore, an

environmental impact statement is not necessary. This conclusion is based on the following:

■ This CCP will not have a significant impact on the human environment since all the projects proposed in the

Plan are “Categorically Excluded.” Categorical exclusions are classes of actions which do not individually or

cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment.

I have selected Alternative 3. However, the selected alternative differs from the Draft Plan in that the fee-title

transfer of the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant no longer is being considered through the CCP process.

This alternative will benefit nesting grassland birds, foraging raptors, migrating and nesting waterfowl, marsh birds,

and neotropical migrants. Some croplands will be retired. These areas will be seeded to native grasses creating

vegetation buffers. Riparian vegetation will be restored to improve floodplain and river hydrology. Moist soil wetland

management units will be developed; weeds and other exotic species will be controlled.

This alternative does not represent the most aggressive wildlife management programs that could be used. However,

it is reasonable and prudent considering the effects that the frequent flooding has on Refuge management activities.

In addition, the Service had to consider the likely possibility that John Redmond Lake’s conservation pool would be

raised to accommodate for sediment buildup.
120 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Region 6

Environmental Action Memorandum

Within the spirit and intent of the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations for implementing the National

Environmental Policy Act and other statutes, orders, and policies that protect fish and wildlife resources, I have

established the following administrative record and have determined that implementing the Flint Hills NWR CCP

will not have a significant environmental effect, based on the Flint Hills NWR Environmental Assessment and Finding of

No Significant Impact, and is therefore authorized to be implemented.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 121

Appendix M.

Flint Hills NWR

CCP Mailing List

Federal Officials

■ Senator Sam Brownback, Washington, D.C. and Topeka,

KS

■ Senator Pat Roberts, Washington, D.C. and Topeka, KS

■ Congressman Jerry Moran, Washington, D.C. and

Hutchinson, KS

■ Congressman Jim Ryun, Washington, D.C. and Topeka,

KS

Federal Agencies

■ US Army Corps of Engineers, Burlington, KS

■ USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service,

Burlington, KS

■ Farm Services Agency, Burlington, KS

■ USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service,

Emporia, KS

■ Farm Services Agency, Emporia, KS

■ Hartford Post Office, Hartford, KS

■ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Air Quality Branch,

Lakewood, CO; Albuquerque, NM; Anchorage, AK;

Arapaho NWR, CO; Arlington, VA; Arrowwood NWR,

ND; Atlanta, GA; Crescent Lake/N. Platte, NE; Denver,

CO; Fort Snelling, MN; Hadley, MA; Juneau, AK;

Medicine Lake NWR, MT; Portland, OR; Sacramento,

CA; Sand Lake NWR, SD; Shepherdstown, WV;

Sherwood, OR; Tewaukon NWR, ND; Waubay NWR,

SD; Quivira NWR, KS; Kirwin NWR, KS; Marais des

Cygnes NWR, KS; Kansas Ecological Services,

Manhattan, KS.

■ National Park Service, Tallgrass Prairie National

Preserve, KS

■ USGS, Biological Resources Division, Fort Collins, CO

■ US EPA, Denver, CO

State Officials

■ Bill Graves, Governor, Topeka, KS

■ Peggy L. Long, State Representative, Hamilton, KS

■ Harry Stephens, State Senator, Topeka, KS and

Emporia, KS

State Agencies

■ Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Springfield,

IL

■ Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt, KS

■ Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Emporia, KS

City/County/Local Governments

■ Lyon County Commissioners, Emporia, KS

■ Coffey County Commissioners, Burlington, KS

■ Chamber of Commerce, Burlington, KS

■ Chamber of Commerce, Emporia, KS

■ USD 252, Hartford, KS

■ Hartford City Hall, Mayor Steve Burris, Hartford, KS

Libraries

■ Emporia Library, Emporia, KS

Organizations

■ Ducks Unlimited, Manhattan, KS

■ Flint Hills Audubon, Madison, KS

■ The Nature Conservancy, Topeka, KS

■ Western Resources, Topeka, KS

■ Kansas Livestock Association, Topeka, KS

■ Wild Turkey Federation, Emporia, KS

■ Basin Advisory Board, Pittsburg, KS

■ National Wildlife Refuge Association, Colorado Springs,

CO

■ Central Mountain & Plain Section, TWS, Fort Collins, CO

■ Wildlife Management Institute, Washington, D.C.

■ KRA Corporation/Fish and Wildlife Reference Ser.,

Bethesda, MD

■ Audubon Society, Washington, D.C.

■ Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, D.C.

■ The Wilderness Society, Washington, D.C.

Newspapers

■ Emporia Gazette, Emporia, KS

■ Coffey County Republican, Burlington, KS

Schools/Universities

■ Professor H. Paul Friesema, Evanston, IL

Individuals

Donald Atherly

Bill’s Hardware & Electric

Dennis Darbyshire

Kenneth B. Dill

Mark Dill

Pat Finnerty

Jack Freund

Orville Gilkison

Hartford State Bank

Bill Hamman

Jay Hamman

Kenny Hamman

James Hines

Dave Pace

Bruce Pearson

Jim Peterson

Jim Rivers

Randall Schemm

Ron St. Bonnett

George Walker

Dean Wilson

Larry Wilson
122 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Appendix N.

Public Involvement

A number of concerns were raised and suggestions made during the 30-day public

review of the Environmental Assessment and Draft Comprehensive Conservation

Plan. The following addresses the issues raised during the review.

Farming

Farming is an important wildlife habitat management tool at Flint Hills NWR.

It will continue to be used when it is the best tool to provide for wildlife needs.

However, responsible conservation practices must attend the practice of

agriculture on the Refuge. This includes riparian and field buffers to control

erosion and protect water quality.

While farming provides some wildlife benefits, such as forage and relief from

depredation on private lands, other, more natural habitats are essential to support

the diversity of wildlife that use the Refuge. Therefore, some cropland will be

retired and used for wildlife management programs such as wetland development

and grassland and forest restoration. These management activities are necessary

to meet the life requirements of numerous native plant and animal species.

Noxious Weeds

As a member of a statewide working group, the Fish and Wildlife Service is

involved in research and development regarding control of Sericea lespedeza. In addition,

we have been working with the Coffey County Extension Service for more than

four years experimenting with various chemical treatments. The Refuge staff has

been and will continue to utilize a combination of farming, mowing, and chemical

treatments to control Sericea lespedeza and Johnson grass.

Biological Information

A need exists for more biological information to improve the management of the Refuge.

This need is mitigated by two factors: 1) Flint Hills NWR is situated on an Army Corps of

Engineers flood control project; this greatly limits the range of management

options available to the Service; and 2) the CCP proposes three major projects that

include biological information gathering: a) wetland’s enhancement, b) weed control, and c)

native plant restoration.

This Plan is being prepared despite a lack of some wildlife information in some

cases. Biological information is needed to conduct effective management but until a

plan is prepared, the exact information needed is unknown. Therefore, this Plan calls

for the collection of additional information. As additional information is obtained,

strategies and projects may be adjusted based on the new information.

Administrative

A drift logjam exists above the John Redmond Reservoir. Although this logjam does not

significantly contribute to flooding, it is quite large. It extends for more than one-quarter

mile along the river. However, there is no economically feasible way of removing the

extensive amount of debris that currently exists. Local residents have attempted removal

by burning during a relatively dry period last summer without success due to the wet

environment of the river. Removal by demolition or mechanical means is simply cost

prohibitive.

The Hartford Recreation Area, including the boat ramp, is administered by the

Corps of Engineers. Although the Corps maintains this area through a contract, the

Refuge has agreed to clean the boat ramp on a regular basis and has assisted with

grass seeding and mowing operations. We are willing to assist further.

In the past, beaver were trapped and removed to prevent them from plugging water

outlet structures. However, redesigned water control structures have eliminated

the need to remove beavers, and the practice has been ended.
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000 123

Appendix O.

Intra-Service Section 7 Biological Evaluation

Originated by: Adam Misztal

Telephone: 303/236-8145X607

September 26, 2000

Region 6

National Wildlife Refuge System, Flint Hills NWR

Listed Species Within the Refuge Area:

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus threatened - proposed to be de-listed

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus threatened - proposed to be de-listed

Neosho Madtom Noturus placides threatened

Occurrence:

Peregrine falcons peregrinate through the Refuge but do not nest here.

Bald eagles are transients through the Refuge.

The Neosho madtom occurs within the Neosho River drainage.

Location:

The Flint Hills NWR lies in the broad flat Neosho River Valley, historically a tallgrass prairie region. It is within the

Arkansas/Red Rivers ecosystem, in southeastern Kansas, near the village of Hartford.

Action:

The implementation of the CCP is intended to result in the preservation and restoration of ecosystem’s natural resources

especially the hydrological system of the Neosho River drainage. If all proposed projects are implemented, the Refuge

environment will be cleaner and more natural.

Determination of effects:

No discernable effects will occur to the peregrine falcon, bald eagle, or the Neosho madtom by the implementation of

the Comprehensive Conservation Plan.
124 Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan - September 2000

Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge

P.O. Box 128

530 West Maple

Hartford, KS 66854

316/392 5553

r6rw_flh@fws.gov

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

http://www.r6.fws.gov/larp

For Refuge Information

1 800/344 WILD

September 2000

Egrets, Mike Blair, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks