Assessment of Training Noise Impacts on the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker: Final Report
Abstract
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires that all Federal Agencies carry out programs to conserve Threatened and Endangered Species (TES) and to evaluate the impacts of federal activities on listed species (Scott et al. 1994). TES management on military installations, particularity that involving the REd-cocaded Woodpecker (RCW; Picoides borealis), has raised questions about the interaction between Army training and the conservation of RCWs on military lands. The goal of RCW management on Fort Stewart is to recover the population while eliminating conflicts with the training mission by eliminating the need for training restrictions (Fort Stewart Endangered Species Management Planning Team (ESMPT! 2001). A brief summary of legal requirements is presented in Appendix A. Because noise management has traditionally focused on minimizing human annoyance, loud activities have often been relocated to sparsely populated areas where wildlife resides. This has led to increased interactions between military activity and wildlife (Holland 1991). Increasing importance has been placed on determining the extent of human-based impacts on wildlife (Bowles 1995), especially TES (Pater et al. 1999; Delaney et al. 1999, 2000, 2001; Hayden et al. in press). Red-cockaded Woodpeckers inhabit mature, open pine forests on the southeastern United States (Jackson 1994; Figure 1).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA408255
Entities
People
- Bruce A. Macallister
- David K. Delaney
- Larry L. Pater
- Robert H. Melton
- Robert J. Dooling
Organizations
- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory