Assabet River NWR Final CCP - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Assabet River NWR Final CCP - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Assabet River NWR Final CCP - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Appendix F: Staffing Charts Compatibility Determination Use: Environmental Education and Interpretation Refuge Name: Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Establishing Authority: Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 2000 under an Act Authorizing the Transfer of Certain Real Property for Wildlife, or Other Purposes. (16 U.S.C. 667b). Purpose: Assabet River NWR’s purpose is its“...particular value in carrying out the national migratory bird management program.” (16 U.S.C. 667b-d, as amended) National Wildlife Refuge System Mission: To administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. Description of Use: Environmental education includes activities which seek to increase public knowledge and understanding of wildlife and the importance of habitat protection and management. Typical activities include teacher or staff-guided on-site field trips, offsite programs in classrooms, and nature study, such as teacher and student workshops and curriculum-structured instruction, and interpretation of wildlife resources. The refuge also supports an Urban Education program which offers these programs to students from the Boston and Worcester schools. Interpretation includes those activities and supporting infrastructure that explain management activities, fish and wildlife resources, ecological processes, and cultural history among other topics to public users. Programs and activities may be developed, sponsored and supervised by the Friends of Assabet River NWR. Access to the refuge for these activities is achieved through walking, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. On and off site environmental education programs and interpretive programs, assistance with teacher workshops, and informational kiosks would be offered at Assabet River NWR. The proposed action also includes interpretive materials on the trails. A visitor contact station would be built to support refuge programs. Availability of Resources: Environmental education and interpretation occur through the use of existing staff, resources, and facilities. Existing resources include staff, interpretive kiosks and displays, environmental education programs carried out through extensive help of volunteers, displays, and trails. The amount and character of environmental and interpretive programming will be a direct reflection of the refuge’s staff and funding levels. The following components of an environmental education and interpretation program will need to be developed to fully implement the program outlined in the Comprehensive Conservation Plan. Additional components may be added at later dates. Specific costs will be determined as implementation of specific programs occurs. - 212 - Assabet River NWR
• Construction of visitor contact station Appendix G: Final Compatibility Determinations • Provision of Visitor Contact Station support, administrative programs and services • Construction and maintenance of three new kiosks (plus three off-site kiosks) • Additional staffing Anticipated Impacts of the Use: On-site activities by teachers and students using trails and environmental education sites may impose low-level impacts such as trampling of vegetation, removing vegetation, littering and temporary disturbance to wildlife. In the event of persistent disturbance to habitat or wildlife, the activity will be restricted or discontinued. Placement of kiosks may impact small areas of vegetation. Kiosks will be placed where minimal disturbance will occur. Providing additional interpretive and educational brochures and materials may result in increased knowledge of the refuge and its resources. This awareness and knowledge may improve the willingness of the public to support refuge programs, resources, and compliance with regulations. There will be impacts from building a new visitor contact station. These impacts will be analyzed in an appropriate NEPA compliance document after potential sites for a building are determined. Public Review and Comment: The compatibility determination was included in the Draft CCP/EA. The Draft CCP/EA was available for comment from July 20 through September 3, 2003. Additionally, Refuge staff held four public meetings to collect public comments, written and verbal, on the draft CCP/EA, including all compatibility determinations. Determination: Use is not compatible ___. Use is Compatible with the following stipulations _X_. The following stipulations are required to ensure compatibility: Activities will be held in areas where minimal impact will occur. Additional funding will be necessary to fully implement the environmental education and interpretation program outlined in the CCP. The level of implementation will be determined by the amount of funding allocated to the refuge over the next 15 years. Periodic evaluation of sites and programs will be conducted to assess if objectives are being met and to prevent site degradation. If evidence of unacceptable adverse impacts appear, the location(s) of activities will be rotated with secondary sites, curtailed or discontinued. The known presence of a threatened or endangered species will preclude the use of an area until the Refuge Manager determines otherwise. Comprehensive Conservation Plan - 213 -
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• Construction of visitor contact station<br />
Appendix G: <strong>Final</strong> Compatibility Determinations<br />
• Provision of Visitor Contact Station support, administrative programs <strong>and</strong> services<br />
• Construction <strong>and</strong> maintenance of three new kiosks (plus three off-site kiosks)<br />
• Additional staffing<br />
Anticipated Impacts of the Use: On-site activities by teachers <strong>and</strong> students using trails<br />
<strong>and</strong> environmental education sites may impose low-level impacts such as trampling of<br />
vegetation, removing vegetation, littering <strong>and</strong> temporary disturbance to wildlife. In the<br />
event of persistent disturbance to habitat or wildlife, the activity will be restricted or<br />
discontinued.<br />
Placement of kiosks may impact small areas of vegetation. Kiosks will be placed where<br />
minimal disturbance will occur.<br />
Providing additional interpretive <strong>and</strong> educational brochures <strong>and</strong> materials may result in<br />
increased knowledge of the refuge <strong>and</strong> its resources. This awareness <strong>and</strong> knowledge may<br />
improve the willingness of the public to support refuge programs, resources, <strong>and</strong><br />
compliance with regulations.<br />
There will be impacts from building a new visitor contact station. These impacts will be<br />
analyzed in an appropriate NEPA compliance document after potential sites for a building<br />
are determined.<br />
Public Review <strong>and</strong> Comment: The compatibility determination was included in the Draft<br />
<strong>CCP</strong>/EA. The Draft <strong>CCP</strong>/EA was available for comment from July 20 through September<br />
3, 2003. Additionally, Refuge staff held four public meetings to collect public comments,<br />
written <strong>and</strong> verbal, on the draft <strong>CCP</strong>/EA, including all compatibility determinations.<br />
Determination:<br />
Use is not compatible ___.<br />
Use is Compatible with the following stipulations _X_.<br />
The following stipulations are required to ensure compatibility:<br />
Activities will be held in areas where minimal impact will occur. Additional funding will be<br />
necessary to fully implement the environmental education <strong>and</strong> interpretation program<br />
outlined in the <strong>CCP</strong>. The level of implementation will be determined by the amount of<br />
funding allocated to the refuge over the next 15 years. Periodic evaluation of sites <strong>and</strong><br />
programs will be conducted to assess if objectives are being met <strong>and</strong> to prevent site<br />
degradation. If evidence of unacceptable adverse impacts appear, the location(s) of<br />
activities will be rotated with secondary sites, curtailed or discontinued. The known<br />
presence of a threatened or endangered species will preclude the use of an area until the<br />
Refuge Manager determines otherwise.<br />
Comprehensive Conservation Plan - 213 -
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