Winter 2004

Conservation News

EPA AND ARMY CORPS ISSUE WETLANDS DECISION - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) recently reiterated the Administration's commitment to the goal of “no net loss” of wetlands in the United States. The EPA and the Corps announced that they would not issue a new rule on federal regulatory jurisdiction over isolated wetlands. “Today we are reaffirming and bolstering protections for wetlands, which are vital for water quality, the health of our streams and wildlife habitat,” said EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt. Assistant Secretary of the Army John Paul Woodley Jr. added, “We will continue our efforts to ensure that the Corps' regulatory program is as effective, efficient and responsive as it can be.” The Supreme Court's 2001 decision in the case of Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (commonly referred to as to "SWANCC") overturned the Corps' assertion of federal jurisdiction over certain isolated wetlands based on the presence of migratory birds. The EPA and the Corps responded by issuing revised guidance to their field offices. At the same time, the Agencies reaffirmed federal jurisdiction over the majority of wetlands not impacted by the decision. After soliciting public comment to determine if further regulatory clarification was needed, the EPA and the Corps have decided to preserve the federal government's authority to protect our wetlands. The agencies will continue to monitor implementation of this important program to ensure its effectiveness. The Administration is currently implementing dozens of programs to protect and restore millions of acres of our Nation's wetlands. These include the Food Security Act's “Swampbuster” requirements and the Wetlands Reserve Program, both under the authority of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The EPA programs include its “Five Star Restoration” grant program, the EPA wetlands grants programs and the National Estuary Program. Other federal programs include: the Fish and Wildlife Service's “Partners in Wildlife” program, the National Marine Fisheries Service's Coastal Wetlands Restoration Program and the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, composed of the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture, the Administrator of EPA, and Members of Congress.

FINAL RULE ON DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANTS - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently released a Final Rule and Record of Decision that will allow more flexibility in the control of double crested cormorants in areas where they are causing damage to aquaculture and public resources such as fisheries, vegetation and other birds. The rule expands the aquaculture depredation order, which has been in place in 13 States since 1998, to allow USDA Wildlife Services to conduct winter roost control. It also establishes a public resource depredation order to allow State wildlife agencies, Tribes and U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services, to conduct cormorant control for the protection of public resources in 24 States, including Mississippi. Without these depredation orders, agencies and individuals would need a Federal permit to control cormorants. Double crested cormorants are colonial waterbirds whose numbers have increased substantially in the past 30 years. They can cause localized, but sometimes significant, negative impacts on resources such as commercial aquaculture, recreational fisheries, vegetation and the habitat of other colonial nesting birds. “Since cormorants cause localized impacts to natural and economic resources, we believe local management is the best approach to reduce conflicts,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Steve Williams. Agencies acting under the depredation order must have landowner permission, may not adversely affect other migratory bird species or threatened and endangered species, and must satisfy annual reporting and evaluation requirements. The Service will ensure the long term conservation of cormorant populations through annual assessments of agency reports and regular population monitoring. The rule also modifies the 1998 aquaculture depredation order to allow control of cormorants at winter roosts near fish farms and to allow fish hatcheries to protect their stock from cormorant predation. This added authority applies only to the original 13 States (Mississippi is one) and, in the case of roost control, may be conducted only by officials of U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services. While cormorant populations were dramatically affected by such things as the pesticide DDT, today the population is at historic highs in many areas due in large part to the presence of ample food in their summer and winter ranges and reduced contaminant levels. The total estimated population of double crested cormorants in North America is approximately two million birds.

SIGN UP FOR HARDWOOD TREE INITIATIVE BEGINS - Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman recently announced that the sign up for a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) initiative to restore up to 500,000 acres of floodplains by planting bottomland hardwood trees on private lands, authorized by the 2002
Farm Bill, has begun. “This is an unprecedented opportunity to help improve our environment through the sequestration of over one million metric tons of greenhouse gases,” said Veneman. “This initiative will help restore critical wildlife habitat, while improving water quality and reducing the impacts of floods.” “States are allocated specific amounts of acreage based on their pro rata share of eligible acreage to ensure nationwide protection of vital floodplains,” said Deputy Agriculture Secretary James Moseley during a visit here to Riva Ridge Farm that commenced two days of visits in Mississippi which also featured a stop at Alcorn State University. “While farmers and ranchers within most states may be eligible, the initiative is targeted toward areas in the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio River valleys and the southern coastal plain.” Bottomland hardwoods are streamside forest trees, including oak, maple, ash, cypress and tupelo. These trees grow generally on lands that are periodically flooded. The initiative will protect against future flood damage by slowing the flow of water and shoring up soil. Each enrolled site will be restored to an ecologically diverse forest type. Eligible land must be located within a 100 year floodplain, comprised of primarily wetland soils and adjacent to permanent rivers and streams. Program participants will receive 50 percent of the cost to establish the trees, an annual rental payment for 14 to 15 years and technical assistance to plant the trees. Participants will also retain their right to sell or market their carbon sequestered gains (often referred to as credits) that are produced from bottomland hardwoods, or other environmental credits, to energy companies or whomever they choose. Sign up for the hardwood tree initiative is on a continuous basis, meaning eligible land may be enrolled at any time beginning December 1, 2003 at local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices.

BUSH SIGNS HEALTHY FORESTS BILL INTO LAW - Wildlife Mississippi recently joined President George W. Bush at a signing ceremony for legislation that will improve forest management, minimize devastating wildfires and improve fish and wildlife habitat. This legislation will also improve air quality and habitat for threatened and endangered species. The bill signed into law was the product of months of hard work by the conservation and forest communities. Wildlife Mississippi worked closely with its allies in the conservation community and with members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate throughout the process of developing the bill to ensure that the final product would help to protect, restore and enhance fish and wildlife habitat through active forest management. Many species of fish and wildlife depend on a diversity of different forest management practices, from early succession habitats to old growth forests. Before signing the bill, President Bush said, “I appreciate the members of Congress who have joined us...members who listen to the people, who know what they are talking about...starting with Senator Thad Cochran. Thad has done a fabulous job of getting the bill out of the U.S. Senate.” “Wildlife Mississippi placed a high priority on enacting forest management legislation and worked to craft a bi-partisan solution,” said W.J. Van Devender, one of Wildlife Mississippi's Trustees. “It was an awesome experience to be part of one of the greatest pieces of conservation legislation since the bi-partisan efforts of the 1970s and to work with Senator Cochran and President Bush on it.” “By his comments about his own property near Crawford, Texas, it is obvious that President Bush cares passionately about fish, wildlife and forests. We are glad he put some common sense back into forest management for the health of the forests and the wildlife that reside there,” continued Van Devender.

NEW PEARL RIVER RAMP OPENS – A new concrete boat ramp on the Pearl River opened at LeFleur’s Bluff State Park in Jackson on December 8. The ramp site is in a beautiful location where 80-foot cypress trees stand and swamp chestnut oak trees line the road. The scenery at the riverbank has a cathedral-like cypress brake visible through the trees. The new ramp on the Pearl River will be open during normal park hours year-round. The ramp will be closed during certain high water events. The entrance fee to LeFleur’s Bluff State Park is $2. Use of the ramp is free. The request for a boat ramp in LeFleur’s Bluff State Park came from numerous boating enthusiasts, anglers, and The Mississippi Canoe and Kayak Club. “Club members were looking for a good, safe point to take their boats out after the four-hour float from the Ross Barnett Dam Spillway,” explained Andrew Whitehurst, the director of the Scenic Streams Stewardship Program at the Museum of Natural Science. “Kayakers and canoeists who enjoy the float through the heart of the capitol city will benefit from the new ramp, and river fishermen are already using it,” Whitehurst said. This ramp was built by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks with money from the Sportfish Restoration Fund, which contains monies from a federal tax levied on fishing tackle, boats and outboard motors. “This fund provides sufficient money to build and maintain public ramps on lakes and rivers all over Mississippi,” said Bubba Hubbard, who oversees federal aid fisheries programs in Mississippi. The agency employs a four-man boat ramp crew, coordinated by Hubbard, which builds about a dozen ramps each year, and maintains hundreds. At the Department’s web site www.mdwfp.com/rampsandsandpiers/, boaters can type in the name of a Mississippi city or town and find a listing of nearby boat ramps and fishing piers.