Comprehensive Conservation Plans: Coming to a Refuge Near You!

What is a Comprehensive Conservation Plan?

Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Refuge Improvement Act), all national wildlife refuges are required to develop a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP). A CCP is a document that provides a framework for guiding refuge management decisions. All refuges are required by law to complete its CCP by 2012.

CCPs are powerful tools the public can employ to help shape the future of wildlife conservation in America. They give us the opportunity to have a say in the direction of individual national wildlife refuges and to ensure that wildlife conservation remains a priority. Refuge managers rely on public backing which allows them to make tough, controversial management decisions, such as eliminating jet skiing, harmful agricultural activities or other activities that simply don't belong on wildlife refuges.

What Are the Requirements of CCPs?

The whole process - from formulating a plan to implementing it - complies with standards outlined in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA requires CCPs both to examine a full range of alternative approaches to refuge management and also to involve the public in selecting the alternative best suited to the refuge's purposes. In addition, the Refuge Improvement Act also states that refuges must "develop and implement a [planning] process to ensure an opportunity for active public involvement in the preparation and revision of comprehensive conservation plans."

How Does the Process Work?

All seven U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regions hire planning staff to help facilitate the process of developing CCPs. However, there is great variation among regions; the regions that have more planning staff tend to have more refuges whose CCPs are already complete. To supplement regional planning staff, some refuges hire on-site planners as well.

Developing a CCP generally takes about a year from start to finish; the number of refuge staff available to work on the plan affects the length of the process. There are five basic steps in the CCP process:

Step 1: Scoping Phase. Refuges hold open houses and distribute surveys to the public to help identify all possible concerns and issues regarding the refuge. At this time, refuge employees collect data on such things as fish and wildlife resources, environmental education needs and costs.

Step 2: Formulate Plan. Refuge staff outline key issues and concerns, as well as long-term goals for the refuge. Next, they analyze alternative ways to protect fish and wildlife, resolve concerns and meet goals.

Step 3: Write Draft Plan. The draft plan identifies management alternatives and examines the effects each would have on wildlife and habitat, visitation and public use, and refuge acquisition and expansion. Once the draft plan is written it is distributed within the Fish and Wildlife Service for internal review. Then, the draft is ready to be distributed to the public. Often times, refuge staff will send out press releases and hold open houses and presentations on various issues.

Step 4: Revise Plan. After hearing from the public, refuge employees analyze the comments, revise the plan and issue the final CCP.

Step 5: Implement Plan.

What Role Can You Play?

Get informed! The first step to getting involved in the CCP process is letting the refuge know that you want to be included. Call your local refuge and ask to get on their mailing list. Many refuges publish newsletters that give updates on where they are in the process. The refuge can tell you when their open houses occur and when the draft plan will be published, so that you can provide input each step of the way.
Attend informational sessions held by refuge staff. These can help you untangle some of the complex issues that CCPs often cover. For example, the plans contain scientific components that are difficult to understand fully on your own (unless you happen to be a scientist!).
Obtain a copy of the draft CCP. This might be the most important time to participate in the process because the draft plan is still flexible. Although typically the draft plan resembles the final product, some drafts contain gray areas that are open to debate. Your comments matter a great deal here, as refuge staff weigh each alternative and try to pick the best one.
Read the draft plan carefully. You can get an overall sense of the plan by looking closely at the proposed alternatives. Take your time and make sure that you understand all of the implications for each alternative and each issue. Here, it might help to get together with friends and discuss it as a group. Try to answer the following kinds of questions as you go:

1. Are proposed public uses balanced? Or does the plan favor some activities over others?

2. Are proposed uses "compatible" with the refuge's purposes?

3. Is the refuge managing for multiple species?

4. Is it engaging in endangered species recovery?

Write a comments letter to the refuge stating your views on the draft plan clearly and concisely write a few bullet points with a couple of sentences explaining each. Organize others and get them to submit their individual comments. The more individual comments sent in, the better. You can also write a group letter in addition to your individual ones.
For a detailed look at ways you can influence the CCP process, check out the Citizen's National Wildlife Refuge Planning Handbook.

Contact Your Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Planning Office

Region 1: WA, OR, ID, NV, CA, HI
(503) 231-6840
http://pacific.fws.gov/planning

Region 2: AZ, NM, TX, OK
(505) 248-6631
http://southwest.fws.gov

Region 3: MN, WI, MI, IA, MO, IL, IN, OH
(612) 713-5476
http://midwest.fws.gov/planning

Region 4: AR, LA, MS, AL, GA, FL, SC, TN, KY
(404) 670-7152
http://southeast.fws.gov/planning

Region 5: ME, VT, NH, CT, MA, RI, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, WV
(413) 253-8579
http://northeast.fws.gov/planning

Region 6: MT, ND, SD, WY, NE, UT, CO, KS
(303) 236-8145 ext. 672
http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/

Region 7:AK
(907) 786-3490
http://alaska.fws.gov

Washington, D.C. Office:
Ronald Fowler, Division of Realty
(703) 358-2414

Please contact your refuge to find out when a CCP is planned and what you can do to have an impact on the future of your public lands. For technical assistance or help writing comments, contact the NWRA regional representative in your area.

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