Code of Maine Rules › 06 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › 096 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION - GENERAL › Chapter 335 - SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE HABITAT › Section 096-335-10 - High and moderate value waterfowl and wading bird habitat

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
High and moderate value waterfowl and wading bird habitats
				  are significant wildlife habitats. Waterfowl are members of the family Anatidae
				  including but not limited to brant, wild ducks, geese, and swans. Wading birds
				  include but are not limited to herons, glossy ibis, bitterns, rails, coots,
				  common moorhens, and sandhill cranes. An activity that takes place in, on, or
				  over a high and moderate value waterfowl and wading bird habitat must meet the
				  standards of this chapter. High and moderate value waterfowl and wading bird
				  habitats subject to this chapter are depicted on a GIS data layer maintained by
				  IF&W and available from either IF&W or the department.
NOTE: The IF&W rating procedure and list of waterfowl and
				  wading bird species was created December 22, 1993, updated September 1, 2005,
				  and is available at IF&W offices and on line at
http://www.maine.gov/ifw/index.html
.
A.
Inland habitat
				identification criteria.
A high to moderate value inland habitat is an
				inland wetland complex, and a 250 foot wide zone surrounding the wetland
				complex, that through a combination of dominant wetland type, wetland
				diversity, wetland size, wetland type interspersion, and percent open water
				meets IF&W guidelines or is an inland wetland complex that has documented
				outstanding use by waterfowl or wading birds. Determination of high to moderate
				value inland habitat is based on the following.
(1) Wetland type. Dominant wetland type is
				rated by the assigned score for the wetland type of greatest area in the
				wetland. Wetland type is determined using the classification system published
				by IF&W based on McCall, 1972, for waterfowl and wading bird habitat
				rating. A score for the value to waterfowl and wading birds is assigned to each
				type using the IF&W rating procedure.
(2) Wetland diversity. Wetland diversity is
				rated by assigning the wetland to one of the diversity categories based on the
				number of wetland types present in the wetland using the IF&W rating
				procedure.
(3) Wetland size.
				Wetland size is rated by assigning the wetland to one of three size categories
				based on the total area of the wetland using the IF&W rating procedure.
(4) Interspersion. Wetland type
				interspersion is rated by assigning the wetland to one of three interspersion
				categories using the Golet (1974) system, as modified for Maine in the IF&W
				rating procedure.
(5) Open water.
				Percent open water is rated by assigning the wetland tone of four categories,
				based on the percent of the wetland in open water using the IF&W rating
				procedure.
NOTE: The following are literature citations as referenced
				  above:
McCall, C.A. 1972. Manual for Maine wetlands inventory. Maine
				  Department of Inland Fisheries and Game, Augusta, Maine. 38pp.
Golet, F.C., and J.S. Larson. 1974. Classification of
				  freshwater wetlands in the glaciated northeast. Resource Publication 116. U.S.
				  Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 56pp.
NOTE: Regardless of its identification on maps as a high or
				  moderate value waterfowl and wading bird habitat, an upland area adjacent to a
				  great pond is not considered high or moderate value waterfowl and wading bird
				  habitat unless the upland area is within 250 feet of one or more freshwater
				  wetlands that are high or moderate value waterfowl and wading bird habitat. See
				  38 M.R.S.A. §480-EE.