WEC Analysis Committee/Enhance open space - natural resources
From Eugene Neighbors
Contents |
[edit] Overview
This is one of eight integrated design issue clusters being developed by the WEC Analysis Committee starting mid-June, 2008.
Eight draft clusters... Intensify Development, Relocate Land Uses, Increase Public Transit, Enhance Pedestrian and Bikeways, Connections to Natural Resources, Enhance Natural Resources, Natural Watershed, Transportation Network
[edit] Description
Open spaces and natural resources are essential characteristics of the study area. This cluster reflects ways that they could be protected and enhanced.
[edit] Key Parameters and Rules of Thumb
- Threatened and endangered species, rare plant communities, and declining grassland birds require maintenance and enhancement of existing, relatively rare, wetland, upland prairie, and oak savannah habitats.
- The recovery plan for the Fender’s blue butterfly is due to be released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service summer, 2008. This will carry implementation strategies for restoration of habitat in the west Eugene area.
- Two main “butterfly ways” could be restored to facilitate the recovery of Fender's blue butterfly, an upland route and a wetland route. Map of the two alternative routes, paper by Dr. Shultz
- Jurisdictional wetlands are federally protected by the Clean Water Act and are regulated by US Army Corp of Engineers, in conjunction with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Environmental Projection Agency and Oregon Division of State Lands. Wetlands can be developed legally under certain, specific circumstances, however, various levels of mitigation apply and can be ecologically and economically costly. Much of the West Eugene Wetlands have already been used for mitigation — a much higher bar exists, if these sites were to be developed. West Eugene Wetlands Plan
- Almost one third of the nation’s endangered species either live or depend on wetlands for part of their life cycle. Migratory birds depend on wetlands, including waterfowl and neo-tropical birds that nest in the West Eugene Wetlands. [Reference]
- x amount protected under the wew plan and y amount partially protected by clean water act [reference] [link to map]
- The current City of Eugene plan for the Royal Node would result in about 31.5 acres of wetland fill. Royal Node Plan part 1, Royal Node Plan part 2, including wetlands map, Royal Node Plan Zoning Map
- Special management emphasis is needed for the four species within the WEC’s area of concern, federally protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA):
- Endangered Status:
- Erigeron decumbens var. decumben'(Willamette daisy)
- Icaricia icarioides fenderi (Fender's blue butterfly)
- Lomatium bradshawii (Bradshaw's lomatium)
- Threatened Status:
- Lupinus sulphureus ssp. kincaidii (Kincaid's Lupine)
- Critical habitat has been identified for three of the four Willamette Valley species. Map of Critical Habitat
- Endangered Status:
[edit] Key Questions
- Could mitigation be a partial solution?
[edit] Community Design Implications
- Maintain, enhance and restore existing upland prairie, oak savannah habitats and Willamette wet prairie habitats to meet recovery objectives for threatened and endangered species and improve connectivity between existing habitat remnants, in particular enlarge a travel corridor for the Fender's blue butterfly.
- Avoid roadway expansion and other developments in the remaining West Eugene wet prairie, upland prairie and oak savannah habitat areas. Avoid fragmenting remaining blocks of these habitats.
- Paying particular attention to transportation corridors of all sorts becoming vector sources of weed seed. Control invasive plants (both non-native and native) and noxious weeds.
- Plan developments to allow for the safe re-introduction of fire as the primary ecological process on the landscape, e.g., through buffers surrounding the oak savannah or upland prairie.
- Do not transform upland prairie or oak habitat to wet prairie for wetland mitigation.
- Provide incentives for private landowners to conserve and expand wet prairie, oak savannah/upland prairie.
[edit] References
- Critical habitat is determined to be important to the survival of a threatened or endangered species, to general environmental quality, or for other reasons as designated by the State or Federal government. Currently, only 470 species or 37.5 percent of the 1,253 listed species in the U.S. under the jurisdiction of the Service have designated critical habitat. Critical Habitat Designation Notice
- Willamette Valley upland prairie and oak savannah habitats are among the most threatened habitat types in North America. Once estimated to have covered over 500,000 acres in the Willamette Valley alone, they have since been reduced to less than 1% of their historic range. The remaining patches of upland prairie and oak savannah are geographically isolated from one another and subject to continued degradation through plant community succession (due in part to fire suppression), invasion of noxious weeds, and conversion to agricultural and residential uses. Mark U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Basket Butte Refuge
- The West Eugene Wetlands area is a politically defined boundary, which has an ownership pattern including Bureau of Land Management, City of Eugene and The Nature Conservancy. These lands are not exclusively jurisdictional wetlands; however are protected by various laws inherent in the zoning, ownership and applicable federal, state and local laws. Federal lands purchased using Land and Water Conservation funds are further restricted by BLM Policy:
“Land and/or interests in land acquired where any portion of the consideration is derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund shall remain in Federal ownership and shall not be disposed of by any means, including exchange, Recreation and Public Purpose lease/patent, or sale.” [Reference]
