Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget

I would like to confirm our desire to renew project funding for Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area, project #1991-061-00 in the Columbia Plateau Province. The FY 2005 funding is for $219,408. The proposed FY 2006 budget, $265,137, is consistent with my expectations and adequate to accomplish the expected work in 2006. However, the impacts of increased fuel and vehicle costs, inflation, medical costs and salary increases should be considerd in future allocations. The Swanson Lakes project is now at 20,000 acres, primarily for the protection of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse and the enhancement of their habitats. Staff continues to restore native habitats on land that was previously converted for agricultural uses. In spring 2005, as a result of collaborative efforts between WDFW, the province of British Columbia, the state of Idaho, and the US BLM, twenty sharp-tailed grouse were introduced from out-of-state to Swanson Lakes. This population augmentation is expected to be repeated for at least the next two years. As of mid-May 2005, we are seeing some newly introduced females nesting in our restored grasslands. We believe we can restore the sharp-tailed grouse population at Swanson Lakes to higher numbers, in the same way that Scotch Creek Wildlife Area has done this, with extensive habitat restoration and protection, and population augmentation. In addition to our activities, the US BLM owns approximately 30,000 acres of primarily shrub-steppe habitat close to, and partially contiguous with, Swanson Lakes. BLM is managing this land for sharp-tailed grouse and other shrub-steppe obligate species, which complements the work done at Swanson Lakes. Continued funding in the proposed amount will allow Swanson Lakes to carry this project forward. We ask your support in our activities to protect and increase the population of sharp-tailed grouse, as well as all shrub-steppe obligate species which exist in this area.

Accomplishments since the last review

Other work elements completed but not found on the metrics list include : Maintain facility, which includes office building, residence, and shop/equipment storage structures, and wells. Maintain roads: graded/graveled one mile of entry road to office, parking areas, and other trails on project as needed. Other: on-going vehicle/equipment maintenance; maintenance of informational signs, reader board and kiosk; administrative duties and professional development.

FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments

Other work elements anticipated but not found ont he metrics list include: Maintain facility, which includes office building, residence, shop/equipment storage structures, and wells. Maintain roads: grade/gravel one mile of entry road to office, parking areas, and other trails on project as needed. Other: on-going vehicle/equipment maintenance; maintenance of informational signs, reader board and kiosk; administrative duties and professional development.

Subbasin planning

How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?

Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area (SLWA) is predominantly composed of shrub-steppe habitat, and was acquired to promote recovery of sharp-tailed grouse, as well as to protect/provide habitat for other shrub-steppe obligate species. SLWA is addressed in Appendix C, "Swanson Lake," to the Crab Creek sub-basin plan. This appendix contains its own Assessment, Management Plan, and R,M & E Plan. Shrub-steppe obligate species including Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, and their limiting factors, are discussed in the main body of the sub-basin plan, under Overview, Terrestrial/Wildlife Resources (pp 24-38). The opening paragraph of this section is as follows: "Many of the wildlife species found in the Crab Creek Subbasin...are listed by the state of Washington or the U.S. government as sensitive, threatened, endangered or as candidates for listing. The presence, distribution, and abundance of these species has been affected by habitat losses due to several factors including hydropower, agriculture, irrigation, urbanization, road construction, legal and illegal wildlife harvest, livestock grazing, and introduction of noxious weeds." Shrub-steppe habitat's past, present and desired future status in the sub-basin is outlined in the main body of the plan under Assessment, Wildlife Assessment (pp 83-86). The management strategies for SLWA address several of the above-listed limiting factors for shrub-steppe habitat and its obligate wildlife species, including quality and availability of nesting and wintering habitat within the shrub-steppe.

How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?

The Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area project is consistent with sub-basin plan priorities. The basin-wide management plan goals and objectives are to address the limiting factors affecting the sustainability and conservation of focal species and their habitats. SLWA is addressed in its own appendix to the sub-basin plan, Appendix C, "Swanson Lake," with comprehensive comprehensive Assessment, Management, and R,M & E Plan. Shrub-steppe is listed in sub-basin plan as the dominant terrestrial habitat (Wildlife Assessment, Shrubsteppe, pg 76.)This paragraph also notes that shrub-steppe has been altered, converted, and fragmented, compared to its historic condition. The desired future condition of shrub-steppe in the sub-basin is listed in the plan, under Wildlife Assessment, Shrubsteppe (pg 85): "The general recommended future condition of sagebrush dominated shrubsteppe habitat includes expansive areas of high quality sagebrush with a diverse understory of native grasses and forbs (non-native herbaceous vegetation less than 10 percent). More specific desired conditions include large unfragmented multi-structured patches of sagebrush with shrub cover varying between 10 and 30 percent. Good-condition shrubsteppe habitat has very little exposed bare ground, and supports mosses and lichens (cryptogammic crust) that carpet the area between taller plants. Similarly, subbasin land managers will manage diverse shrubsteppe habitats to protect and enhance desirable shrub species such as bitterbrush while limiting the spread of noxious weeds and increaser native shrub species such as rabbitbrush." The SLWA management strategies are working to improve the project's shrub-steppe to the recommended future condition, which will promote the recovery and protection of all SLWA's shrub-steppe obligate species, including sharp-tailed grouse.

Other comments

Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area has continued to see declining numbers of sharp-tailed grouse, regardless of the efforts of project staff, and other landowners (including US BLM), to protect the birds and enhance their habitat. Sharp-tailed grouse numbers have also been declining in all locations throughout the state, with the exception of Scotch Creek WLA, which received a total augmentation of 63 grouse, from 1998 to 2000. As a result of extraordinary coordination efforts between several entities, we received our first augmentation of 20 grouse from B.C. and Idaho in spring 2005. With similar total augmentation at Swanson Lakes over the next two years, I believe the sharp-tails at Swanson Lakes can recover and thrive. Total acreage of public land, dedicated to managing for grouse and other shrub-steppe obligates in central Lincoln County, is now around 50,000 acres, much of it contiguous. The combination of protected and improved lekking, nesting, summer forage and wintering habitat, and possibly the improved vigor from genetically diverse birds, will have a positive effect on the sharp-tail population, not only at Swanson Lakes, but also in areas including Sagebrush Flat WLA, Scotch Creek WLA, and the sharp-tailed grouse areas within the Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) reservation. Continued funding of Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area will help with further improving conditions for the grouse, and help meet the goals and objectives of the Crab Creek Sub-Basin management plan.