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Louisiana Statewide Red-cockaded Woodpecker Safe Harbor Program

Louisiana Statewide Red-cockaded Woodpecker Safe Harbor Program. Louisiana Landowner Incentive Program. Topics to be discussed:. Brief summary of Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) habitat requirements Description of the RCW Safe Harbor Program

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Louisiana Statewide Red-cockaded Woodpecker Safe Harbor Program

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  1. Louisiana StatewideRed-cockaded WoodpeckerSafe Harbor Program Louisiana Landowner Incentive Program

  2. Topics to be discussed: • Brief summary of Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) habitat requirements • Description of the RCW Safe Harbor Program • Explanation of Louisiana Landowner Incentive Program

  3. RCW Habitat Requirements • Pine trees >60 years old with red heart fungus • Foraging habitat of pine or mixed pine hardwood forest (>30 years old) • Park-like understory, preferably maintained by fire

  4. Optimal RCW Habitat

  5. What is the Louisiana State-wide RCW Safe Harbor Program? • A program developed under an agreement between LDWF and the USFWS (01/2005) to benefit conservation of the RCW through voluntary habitat improvements by private landowners.

  6. How To Enroll In SHP • Contact the LDWF RCW Safe Harbor Coordinator (Kate Heyden) • RCW baseline survey must be completed by qualified individuals • Choose RCW management activities • Enter into a Safe Harbor Management Agreement (SHMA) with LDWF • Start/continue managing for the federally endangeredRCW

  7. SHP- Voluntary Management Options • Prescribed burning • Forest Management • Hardwood Midstory Control • RCW Cavity Installation and Maintenance • RCW Population Management

  8. SHMA- Responsibilities • Landowner is required to submit an annual report to LDWF detailing management actions completed, RCW population status, possibility of future incidental take, etc. • Landowner can terminate the agreement at any time or pass SHMA to successor in interest • Landowner’s are responsible for costs associated with baseline surveys and agreed upon management actions • Cost share monies available through the Louisiana Landowner Incentive Program

  9. How will this program benefit the landowner? • Protects from additional ESA responsibilities for above-baseline RCW groups • With restrictions, allows landowners to shift baseline clusters in order to manage their forest as they desire

  10. Benefits of the SHP for RCWs • Increases the amount of land actively managed for RCWs • Creates corridors for dispersal of juvenile RCWs into other managed properties • Allows the species the chance to expand into their historic range

  11. Safe Harbor Program Update • Newly hired Safe Harbor Coordinator • 2 properties enrolled • 3 agreements in progress • After these 3 new agreements, approximately 90 baseline RCW groups will exist on non-federal properties in LA • Many interested landowners for future Safe Harbor Management Agreements

  12. Parishes with known RCW Populations =Property enrolled in SHP

  13. Louisiana Landowner Incentive Program (LaLIP) • Allows private landowners to be reimbursed for specific management activities that augment existing or create new RCW habitat: • Prescribed burning, (including fire line installation) • Hardwood removal from pine stands • RCW cavity management • RCW population management 

  14. Louisiana Landowner Incentive Program (LaLIP) cntd. • Rate of reimbursement- 75% of total cost approved by LDWF (max. reimbursement- $20,000 per contract).  • The cooperating landowner provides the 25% non-federal match.  • Each landowner can be reimbursed for qualifying management practices once for the duration of their Safe Harbor Management Agreement and/or LaLIP contract.

  15. Louisiana Landowner Incentive Program (LaLIP) cntd. • Currently open only to RCW Safe Harbor Program participants. • LaLIP consists of one coordinator (the RCW Safe Harbor Coordinator) which oversees day-to-day operations of LaLIP, and reviews/processes applications and contracts.   

  16. LaLIP Status • Expenditure of previously awarded funds soon to increase due to availability of staff.  • Looking forward to increasing enrollment in both programs drastically in near future.  • By fall, 4 new LaLIP contracts (totaling approximately $80,000) will be established.  • Cost-share funds made available by LaLIP help to spark interest in the RCW SHP. • Proposal for Tier 2 LIP Grant submitted in May 2007.

  17. References U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. 2003. Recovery plan for the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis): second revision. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta, GA. 296 pp.

  18. Contact Information • Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries • 1995 Shreveport Hwy. • Pineville, LA 71360 • Attn. Kate Heyden • (318)-487-5890 • email: kheyden@wlf.louisiana.gov

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