Tab D-3 Scrub Habitat Restoration Plan.pdf

Tab D-3 Scrub Habitat Operational Restoration Plan

Introduction In the 1950s, after the Air Force acquisition of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a fire suppression policy became effective. Total wildfire suppression was conducted at CCAFS to protect resources vital to the United States.

Consequently, the natural cycle of the coastal scrub community was adversely interrupted, and the typical sparse, reduced height scrub became overgrown.

In the late 1980s, the lack of wildfires or the implementation of a prescribed burning program on CCAFS was deemed to be a threat to the continued survival of the Florida scrub-Jay, (Aphelocoma coerulescens). Under the Endangered Species Act, all Federal lands, where scrub-jays exist, must be managed so that the survivability of the species is improved. Recovery efforts throughout the state and consultations between the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Air Force led to the FWS Biological Opinion (January of 1991) regarding the first scrub-jay management plan for CCAFS. The scrub-jay management plan led to the development of a strategy for restoring the scrub habitat required by this Federally threatened species.

The CCAFS scrub habitat restoration program was initiated in 1991 for the purpose of restoring over-mature scrub to a condition suitable to support the Florida scrub-jay. Initially, this program was accomplished solely through the application of prescribed fire. The purpose of the original burn program was to introduce a controlled fire in place of naturally occurring wildfires initiated by lightning strikes in the oak scrub. These burns maintain the oak scrub as a low, open habitat that many floral and faunal species have evolved to utilize. In addition, a fire regime reduces vegetative biomass to nutrients used to promote future plant growth. Additionally, the newly sprouting vegetation supports numerous wildlife species by providing a preferred food source.

After the initial program began, it was realized that over-mature oak scrub could not be managed through controlled burning alone. Mechanical treatment prior to burning was deemed necessary in some areas. The Air Force now employs a variety of techniques which includes but is not limited to use of a roller chopper, bull dozers equipped with vee blades, Brown tree cutters, Brontasaurus, a gyrotrack and other equipment that is useful in doing habitat restoration. Once slash has dried sufficiently, sites are then burned. Burning of mechanically treated sites is required to prevent an accumulation of debris/litter (fuel) as well as maintain open patches of sand essential to scrub-jays. In addition to improving the habitat, controlled burns reduce the amount of fuel that has accumulated during 40 years of fire suppression of CCAFS, thus reducing the possibility of catastrophic wildfires. Subsequent treatment will include less mechanical site preparation and more reliance on controlled burns.

The scrub restoration program reflects modern conservation practices aimed at promoting operational safety, efficiency and enhancing habitat utilization by various wildlife species. These actions are compatible with the CCAFS mission, but methods will be modified, as required, so that there is no conflict with the mission. This plan will be revised, as needed, to incorporate operational changes in procedures and land use, and to incorporate information from monitoring of the scrub restoration program.

Mechanical treatment will reduce the height of the vegetation, precipitate drying, and facilitate burning. Prescribed burning will reduce accumulated fuel in a controlled situation, thereby reducing the hazard of naturally occurring wildfires.

Professional foresters, having visited CCAFS, have agreed that a dangerous accumulation of combustible vegetation does exist on the station (Figure 1, CCAFS Vegetation Types in Burn Compartments). This situation increases the dangers related to wildfires as the intense heat, produced by excessive amounts of fuel, inhibits efforts to control or suppress the blaze. An intense and uncontrolled wildfire would be counterproductive to the goals of this plan and the overall mission on CCAFS.

Controlled burning is highly recommended for wildlife habitat management in southern forests, especially those considered fire sub-climax communities. If vegetation in these types of communities is not burned periodically, the land will evolve past its current composition, thereby rendering the habitat unsuitable for certain wildlife species indigenous to CCAFS. The major wildlife species on CCAFS which would benefit from the use of controlled burning include Florida white-tailed deer, squirrels, rabbits, gopher tortoise, Eastern indigo snake, quail, doves, the Florida Scrub-jay and a variety of migratory birds that use the Cape for nesting. Benefits from burning include an increase in yield and quality of herbage, legumes, browse from hardwood sprouts, and the creation of openings for feeding, caching and travel.

The proper size, frequency and time of burn are critical to the successful use of fire in managing wildlife habitat and maintaining biodiversity. Prescriptions will recognize the biological requirements of the wildlife species and current condition of the available food sources within a proposed burn site.

Currently, the Air Force uses prescribed fires in selected portions of the CCAFS coastal scrub to reach scrub restoration goals and objectives. A total of 8,607 acres of land has been compartmentalized as land management units to facilitate a scrub management program on CCAFS. One hundred thirty-eight management compartments delineated by existing roads, firebreaks, lines-of-sight, canals and natural interdunal swales have been identified to receive various scrub habitat manipulations (Figure 2, Land Management Units for Prescribed Fire Treatment).

Figure1, CCAFS Land Management Units and Vegetation Types for Prescribed Burn Planning

Figure 2, CCAFS Land Management Units for Prescribed Fire Treatment

To develop goals for scrub habitat restoration for CCAFS, the following information was considered:

Scrub-Jay populations have been shown to be demographically stable (reproduction > mortality) only where habitat conditions are optimal.

Scrub on CCAFS is highly degraded due to > 40 years of fire suppression. In some areas, exotic plants, particularly Brazilian pepper, further degrade scrub habitat.

Scrub restoration sites treated since 1998 show generally good recovery and improving habitat conditions; however, optimal conditions will not be produced by a single management action.

Growth rates of long-unburned scrub often exceed that of scrub that has burned periodically. The coastal scrub, dominated by Quercus virginiana that occupies much of CCAFS exhibits rapid height growth.

Scrub restoration is considered a process leading to a maintenance phase of management by prescribed burning rather than a single management action.

Based on current knowledge, the following protocol seems most appropriate.

1. Initial Restoration – mechanically cut to the extent required and prescribe burn scrub habitat.

2. Conduct exotic plant treatment to the extent required 1 year following fire.

3. Conduct second burn approximately seven years following initial burn

(monitor to determine appropriate frequency).

4. Conduct third burn approximately seven years after second burn.

5. Transition to long-term management through prescribed burning at approximately 5-10 year (mean = 7.5 year) intervals. Monitor habitat to adjust frequency as necessary. The second and third restoration burns and the long-term management burns are intended to be mosaic burns that produce and maintain a mix of optimal height and short scrub.

Methods Mechanical treatment, followed by controlled burning will be the primary management tool for scrub enhancement on CCAFS. Mechanical treatment, as well as installation of firebreaks, of the units will be performed by the Air Force’s environmental contractor. Controlled burning of the units will be performed by the Air Force and by the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service (FWS) personnel from the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, under a Cooperative Agreement signed in 1984. The Air Force environmental contractor will identify sites to be burned, safety and security considerations, and dates when burns can be conducted without impacting the mission.

Sites will be prioritized based on their potential for improvement as habitat for scrub-jays. Once determined, sites will be mechanically cut at a height not less than 18 inches to lessen soil disturbance, and reduce the probability of creating areas for exotic species growth.

Due to the presence of the scrub-jay on CCAFS, special consideration will be given to populated sites prior to cutting and burning. The Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) is the contractor responsible for conducting jay population censuses on CCAFS. Based on their findings and recommendations, compartments will be treated and burned so as to reduce impact on this and other species.

The Air Force and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Burn Boss and the ESC Burn Boss will work closely together to determine primary and alternate dates for the prescribed burning of selected compartments once the sites are prepared. At least 30 days prior to the scheduled burn, an electronic message (email) is distributed to points of contact (POC). This list of contacts includes facility managers, launch squadron commanders, spacecraft managers, as well as civilians and contractors who provide spacecraft support and/or maintenance.

The email includes a map showing the location of the burn and a brief description of the proposed prescription (acceptable wind direction, location of smoke sensitive areas, etc.). It is the POC’s responsibility to disseminate the information to their personnel so that concerns may be addressed early. Follow up emails are sent at 15, seven and three days prior to the burn, as well as the day of the burn. Concerns raised by AF personnel, civilians or contractors are handled on a case by case basis. If concerns cannot be resolved, the burn is rescheduled for one of the alternate dates. The process is then repeated until all are in agreement.

Due to CCAFS mission-related operational constraints and weather restrictions, satisfactory burn days are limited. Therefore, when suitable days occur, top priority is given to accomplishing the burn. Firebreak construction and maintenance must be completed prior to initiation of a burn. The burn should be initiated as soon as possible after the approved 9:00 A.M. start time. On the day of the burn, prior to setting the fire, coordinating agencies (Fire, Security and Safety Departments) and adjacent property owners will be notified. The Burn Manager will make a final check with the U.S. Weather Service and defer burning if predictions are unfavorable for the next 12 hours.

A number of firebreaks have been constructed on CCAFS to protect hazardous operation areas from the threat of forest fires. In addition, five vegetative firebreaks were constructed in 1988 as part of a multiple use project designed to reduce sightline and canal bank maintenance, improve wildlife habitat, provide additional security access and initiate a Cape-wide firebreak system. Further, the road and drainage canal system on CCAFS provides an extensive network of disturbed land that facilitates bare ground firebreak construction. Therefore, firebreak construction has been identified and planned in accordance with the priorities established for the compartments’ burning schedule.

Florida law requires a permit to conduct open burning in the state. This authorization must be obtained from the Division of Forestry. The person responsible for conducting the burn must be in attendance for the entire period of the burn. The burn cannot be allowed to produce smoke, soot, odors, visible emissions, heat, flame, radiation or other conditions to such a degree as to create a nuisance. The Division of Forestry can revoke burn permits for improper management techniques.

When planning and conducting prescribed fires, the Prescribed Fire Manager and Prescribed Burn Boss must exercise their responsibilities in a way that meets Clean Air Act standards (Public Law 95-95) and best serves the public interest. Prescribed fire stewardship emphasizes the immediate safety aspects of personnel conducting the burn; the health, safety, and property of others that may be directly affected by the fire; and the potential for off-site effects of smoke on public health and visibility. Prescribed fires produce varying quantities of smoke, an elusive by-product that can be a major concern; therefore, smoke management must be considered in every prescribed fire plan.

Prior to mechanical treatment and burning, sites are visited to determine general presence of fauna, potential cultural resources, potential constraints, and monitoring transects. Heavy equipment operators conducting mechanical treatment activities are observant to the presence of wildlife including, but not limited to, gopher tortoises, indigo snakes, and nesting birds. All invasive species in the treatment compartments will be identified and delineated with GPS equipment prior to mechanical or prescribed fire treatment. Land management units programmed for treatment will be cut prior to burning. Six to nine months post-burn, invasive vegetation in the recently burned area (and any part of the unit that didn’t burn) will have herbicide applications. Monitoring for vegetative recovery (plant community structure and composition), burn success across the compartment (mechanically treated and untreated), and faunal recovery will be conducted post-burn. Refer to Figure 3, Land Management Units Treated with Prescribed Fire, and Table 1, Compartment Schedule for Treatment, to review scrub restoration treatment per Land Management Unit (burn compartment).

Figure 3, Land Management Units Treated with Prescribed Fire

Each year the plan is reassessed and targeted compartments are evaluated based on the latest scrub-jay information (through site visits and meetings with the scrub-jay monitoring team), restoration techniques and resources. Work plans are developed for the annual targeted areas with a general prescription for each. The following are the general areas targeted for scrub restoration work.

Current Work Plan – Capewide The following spreadsheet details the goals of the burn program: burn compartments acreage, type of work that is planned, and which years the actions are planned. This plan is subject to budgetary constraints. If funding for this program is reduced, it is likely that less burn work will be accomplished.

Table 1, Compartments Scheduled for Treatment

Compartment # Acres Treatment Dates

1 38 Reburn FY 07 Reburn FY15

2 9 Reburn FY 07/ Reburn FY15

3 53 Burn FY 07 include N.part of C-4/ Reburn FY15

4 238 Burned FY04Reburn FY10/Reburn FY18

5 97 FY 04 Reburn FY10/Reburn FY18

6 166 Burn FY07/NRO Mitigation/Reburn FY 15

7 34 Burned FY 04Reburn FY 10/Reburn FY18

8 35 Cut and Burn FY08/Reburn FY 15

9 50 Reburn FY 08/Reburn FY16

10 88 Cut and Burn FY10/Reburn FY 18

10A 13 Cut and Burn FY10/ Reburn FY 18

11 3 Cut and Burn FY10/ Reburn FY 18

12 34 Cut and Burn FY05/ Reburn FY 12

13 209

14 134 Cut and Burn FY07/ Reburn FY 15

15 76 Burn with some prep FY07/Reburn FY15

16 47 Burn with some prep FY07/ Reburn FY 15

17 124 Cut and Burn FY09/ Reburn FY 17

18 70 FY07 Reburn/ Reburn FY 14

19 94 Cut and Burn FY 07/ Reburn FY 14

20 37 Cut and Burn FY 07/ Reburn FY 14

21 245 Cut and Burn FY 07/Reburn FY 14

22 35 FY07 Reburn/Reburn FY 14

23 142 Cut and Burn FY 07/ Reburn FY 14

24 34 Cut and Burn FY 07/ Reburn FY 14

25 10

26 77

27 16 Cut and Burn FY 08/Reburn FY 14

28 20 Reburn FY 08/Reburn FY 14

29 135 FY07 Prep Work Reburn FY 14

30 50 Cut and Burn FY 08/Reburn FY 16

31 43 Cut and Burn FY 08/Reburn FY16

32 21 /Cut and Burn FY07/Reburn FY 15

Compartment # Acres Treatment Dates

33 107 Cut and Burn FY09/Reburn FY17

34 80 Cut and Burn FY 09/Reburn FY 17

35 112 Cut and Burn FY10/Reburn FY 18

36 233

37 18 Reburn FY 09Reburn FY 17

38 64 Reburn FY 07Reburn FY17

39 24 Reburn FY 09Reburn FY 17

40 30 Reburn FY 10/Reburn FY 15

41 100 Prepped and Burned 2004 Reburn FY

42 78

43 47 Cut and Burn FY 09/Reburn FY17

44 80

45 111

46 55 Curt and Burn FY06/Reburn FY15

47 85 Skid Strip Clear Zone/Landfill

48 55 Cut, partial burn - 2005 Reburn FY13

49 118 Reburn FY 05/Reburn FY15

50 13 Cut and Burn FY08/Reburn FY 15

51 109 Cut and Burn FY 13

52 59 Cut and Burn FY 13

53 20 Cut&Burn FY09/Reburn FY17

54 27 Cut&Burn FY09/Reburn FY17

55 86

56 97 Cut and Burn FY 13

57 58 Cut and Burn FY 13

58 39 Cut and Burn FY 13

59 27 Cut and Burn FY 13

60 71 Cut&BurnFY10/Reburn FY 18

61 45 Cut&BurnFY10/Reburn FY 18

62 65 Cut&BUrnFY10/Reburn FY 18

63 20 Burned - 1994/Reburn FY 08/Reburn

FY15

64 94

65 68 Skid Strip Clear Zone

66 101 Skid Strip Clear Zone

67 22 Cut & Burn FY08/Reburn FY16

68 72 /Reburn FY08/Reburn FY16

69 61 /Reburn FY 08/ReburnFY16

70 160

71 18 Skid Strip Clear Zone

72 160 Skid Strip Clear Zone

73 43 Skid Strip Clear Zone

74 69 Cut&Burn FY09/Reburn FY17

75 44 Skid Strip Clear Zone

76 55 Cut&Burn FY09/Reburn FY17

77 141

78 42 Cut and Burn FY09/Reburn FY17

79 126 Cut & Burn FY 08/Reburn FY13

Compartment # Acres Treatment Dates

80 39 Burn FY 07/Reburn FY 13

81 35 Pre FY 05/Reburn FY13

82 67 Burn FY 07/Reburn FY 13

83 19 Burn only FY 06/Reburn FY 15

84 95 Cut and Burn FY 08/Reburn FY16

85 122 Cut and Burn FY 08/Reburn FY 16

86 45 Reburn FY 08/Reburn FY 16

87 57 Burned 2002 Reburn FY 10/Reburn

FY18

88 64 Burned 2002 Reburn FY 10/Reburn

FY18

89 48 Burned 2002 Reburn FY 10/Reburn

FY18

90 7 Pre FY 05/Reburn FY13

91 53 Cut&Burn FY10/Reburn FY14

92 55 Cut&BurnFY08/Reburn FY16

93 3 Cut&BurnFY08/Reburn FY16

94 10 Cut&BurnFY08/Reburn FY16

95 48

96 27

97 88 Cut FY 07 - NRO Mitigation/Reburn 15

98 20 Burn FY 07/Reburn FY15

99 86 Reburn FY 09/Reburn FY17

100 125 Reburn FY09/Reburn FY17

101 107 Cut FY 07 - NRO Mitigation/Reburn

FY17

102 20 Burned 12/05 - Reburn FY 11

103 53 Prepped 2004- Burned 12/05 - Reburn

FY 11

104 13 Prepped 2004- Burned 12/05 - Reburn

FY 11

105 52 Prepped 2004 - Burned 12/05 Reburn

FY 11

106 29 Prepped 2004 - Burned 12/05 - Reburn

FY 11

107 11

108 17 Burned - 1993

109 37 Cut and Burn FY 08/Reburn FY 16

110 58 Cut and Burn FY 08/Reburn FY 16

111 124

112 34 Cut and Burn FY07Reburn FY 15

113 77

114 35 Cut and Burn FY08/Reburn FY 15

115 32 Some Cut & Reburn FY 07/Reburn

FY14

116 117 Reburn FY 08/Reburn FY 15

117 80 Cut in 2001/Reburn 2008/Reburn FY15

118 27 Reburn FY 08/Reburn FY15

119 32 Cut and Burn FY11

120 50 Cut and Burn FY11

121 50 Cut and Burn FY11

122 22 Cut and Burn FY11

123 35 Cut and Burn FY11

124 30 Cut and Burn FY08/Reburn FY 15

125 54 Cut and Burn FY12

126 45 Cut and Burn FY08/Reburn FY15

Compartment # Acres Treatment Dates

127 68 Cut and Burn FY12

128 27 Cut and Burn FY12

129 10

130 14 Cut and Burn FY12

131 8

132 5 Cut and Burn FY12

133 5

134 8

135 109 Burn FY 09/Reburn FY17

136 113 Burn FY 06/Reburn FY11

137 10 Burn FY 09/Reburn FY17

138 25 Burn FY 06/Reburn FY11

Compartment Acres 8642

Total Habitat Acres 6509

Key to Figure Burn/Reburn

FY 07 1759

FY 08 1405

FY 09 887

FY 10 1018

FY 11 530

FY 12 168

FY 13 663

FY 14 913

FY 15 1362

FY 16 690

FY 17 1004

FY 18 935

Pre FY 07

Untreated 406

Untreatable 1208

Skid Strip Clearing 519

Total Untreated 2133

Execution CCAFS mission-related operational constraints and weather have caused limitations on the number of burn days over the years. A Prescribed Burn Working Group was established with participation from all key players that could potentially limit the scrub restoration/prescribed fire management program. This group has allowed for a better understanding by other base organizations of the need for prescribed fire. Notification and a quick approval/rejection process has been rolled in the Burn Working Group which has allowed for more effective planning and conflict resolution. Firebreak construction and maintenance must be completed prior to initiation of a burn. The burn should be initiated as soon as possible after the approved start time. On the day of the burn, the Burn Manager will make a final check with the U.S. Weather Service and defer burning if predictions are unfavorable for the next 12 hours. All flames will be extinguished one hour prior to sunset on the same day as ignited.

Post Burn Observations Rehabilitation of any area on CCAFS following a controlled burn will be by natural ecological recovery. Seldom will a fire destroy the root system of plants, therefore water and wind erosion potential is minimal. Observations of scrub areas burned on CCAFS indicate that most plant species re-sprout within six months after fire and demonstrate significant re-growth within a year. The natural recovery mechanism built into the fire-dependent ecosystems of the area will be sufficient to rehabilitate the area following normal fire conditions.

If wild land resource loss due to fires does occur, rehabilitation will be through re-establishment of the pre-existing natural community type, thus achieving the natural systems management encouraged by the Air Force. The method used will depend on the type and extent of resource loss incurred. Artificial site conversion from the pre-existing natural community type will not be undertaken.

Since 1995, line-intercept transects have been used to assess vegetative recovery and burn success. The line-intercept method is a standard method of assessment in plant ecology and has been used since the 1940s. Most land management units that were treated in the past had an average of 2-3 transects (15-meter length). Plant species, height and percent coverage along the line were recorded pre-burn and in approximately six month intervals post-burn for up to three years. General conclusions from historical post treatment assessments have been that, even with successful burns (greater than 50% of the compartment is burned adequately), vegetation response has been fair with decent recovery of dominant species and low to moderate growth of vines or exotic species. Within the past five years it was decided that vegetation monitoring wasn’t providing the most worthwhile data to aid in the scrub restoration success analyses. The Florida Scrub-jay population has been increasing at CCAFS thus indicating that even though vegetative response is fair, the Scrub-jays have had increased reproductive success. So gears were shifted to the study of multiple treatment methods (such as “checkerboarding”, adaptive edge clearing, meandering clearing with planned openings, etc.) in an attempt to ascertain effective scrub treatment combining innovative mechanical methods with prescribed fire. Scrub was rebounding and growing in more densely after treatment than the pre-existing scrub thereby reducing the optimal scrub for the Scrub-jays with shorter heights and greater numbers of open areas. It has also been found by local scientists that coastal scrub responds differently than standard oak-saw palmetto scrub. Higher humidity and moisture levels in the vegetation may be a challenging factor for treatment and re-growth post-treatment. The 45 SW Environmental is using adaptive management principles to work towards new treatment strategies. Compartments across CCAFS are being mechanically treated to provide strategic locations for prescribed fire if mission constraints prevent fire in one particular area for a period of time. The Scrub-jay monitoring has found that the birds will continue to colonize and use scrub restoration plots, however more optimal scrub habitat acreage is necessary in order for greater productivity of the Scrub-jays. Frequent follow-up treatment in the compartments is needed to reduce scrub density, maintain openings, and promote landscape level heterogeneity in scrub height. The 45 SW Environmental is re-evaluating and devising an updated scrub restoration monitoring regime in combination with Scrub-jay monitoring in order to utilize the most effective indicators for vegetative and species recovery and scrub restoration success. Meetings with FWS will occur to discuss metrics and develop agreeable scrub restoration monitoring procedures.

Multiple-Use Coordination The Air Force, as a Federal landowner, is obligated to act responsibly and effectively in the use of natural resources under their control. Multiple land use will be in effect to the maximum extent possible while remaining compatible with the mission of CCAFS. Therefore, implementation of a natural resources program and the military mission need not, and shall not, be mutually exclusive.

Use requirements for CCAFS land will be established in coordination with the installation master plan and as supported by the approved natural resource management plans. The military mission will determine primary land use at

CCAFS.