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Gopher Tortoise Stakeholder Meeting Report
15 September 2006 10AM - 4 PM (Draft 20 Sept)
Citrus County, Lecanto Government Building, 3600 W. Sovereign Way, Lecanto FL 34461
We thank Citrus County for meeting arrangements at the Lecanto Government Building.
The meeting started promptly at 10.00 am with a full quorum, see participant list following.
Introduction, review agenda. A revised agenda was presented and approved. Dr. Margareth Gunzburger was introduced as proxy for M.C. Davis. Jen Hobgood was designated proxy for Sherry Silk.
Report public comment on management plan. FWC received 680 comments from the public. These are being carefully read and reviewed and staff are integrating many of the suggestions received into the draft management plan. A first draft should be available for public review in November.
Biological objectives. Despite discussion and presentation since February 2006, no concrete changes to the draft biological goals and measurable objectives has been offered by stakeholders. Several stakeholder reviewers who were initially critical have reverted to the FWC draft. At this stage, FWC staff intends to proceed with the draft Biological goals as currently written. We will continue to consider any concrete proposals submitted by stakeholders. Ray Ashton proposed that wording addressing the need for adequate funding be added and Steve Shea offered the following: The stakeholder group requests that the FWC staff develop budget and funding sources adequate to effectively implement the management plan. Bernie Kaiser suggested that the proposed acreage acquisition goals could be met if it is specified that this includes both pristine and modified habitat such as pasture. Doug Rillstone and Laurie Macdonald offered to submit their revisions following the meeting. Mike Palmer offered secretarial assistance to the FWC staff if that would assist get the management plan more quickly available.
Proposal for effective relocation. Perran Ross on behalf of FWC staff, presented an overview of the proposed structure for relocation of tortoises including a recipient site certification process, the biological and conservation issues discussed earlier, a hierarchical structure of relocation and humane rescue sites, criteria by which sites would be judged, and the relationship of relocation sites to the proposed permit flow process. After discussion the stakeholders offered the following comments and suggestions to the restocking proposals:
- Additional detailed survey of herbaceous vegetation following methods recommended by Ashton and Ashton would provide better evaluation of site suitability and carrying capacity.
- FWC staff should confirm that earlier studies by McCoy and Mushinsky, Kautz and Macdonald are adequately cited and used.
- The demographic structure of resident tortoises should be evaluated in addition to their density when estimating restocking rates.
- Check title of criteria document- is it only private lands or includes public under same criteria?
- Limitation of poorly drained/shallow soil to south of State Rd 70 is inaccurate- apply statewide.
- Consider multi-species relocation recipient sites but recognize different management needs of different imperiled species (e.g. scrub Jays).
- Evaluate wetland mitigation and similar existing processes for economic incentives and structure.
- Economic structure and conservation contributions need careful evaluation by private sector and FWC should be cautious about intervening in or distorting market processes
Influencing FWC staff. Some people have contacted FWC staff and requested that current permit evaluation include considerations still under discussion in draft form by GT-2 and the stakeholder group.. Staff not fully informed and don’t have he authority to change things. If you feel that the staff does not serve your needs, as stakeholders we can talk about it here. But please do not try to introduce draft considerations into current permit applications. Stakeholders responded that GT-2 needs to consider in management plan staffing needs.
Humane issues and Incidental take. Jennifer Hobgood introduced a draft discussion document prepared by a stakeholder drafting group, which had received extensive discussion by e-mail prior to the meeting. In view of the diversity of views expressed, the document was withdrawn as a direct topic of discussion or decision in favor of discussion of general principles concerning Incidental take. The group quickly came to agreement that take that was accidental and incidental to an approved relocation activity was adequately covered under current permit procedure. FWC was asked to retain and clarify this process and wording in any permit revisions.
Serious disagreement was encountered in further discussion of what if any additional take should be allowed by permit that allowed development to proceed with the result that tortoises were buried and died.
The steering committee is engaged in detailed additional discussion on this topic and the outcome of their discussions will be inserted into this report.
Next meeting. Meeting October 20 is confirmed in Gainesville. Location and maps will be posted on the Sharepoint. There will be no meeting in November.
Anyone may offer a suitable (free) venue for the Group to consider.
Being no further business, the meeting closed at 4.15pm.
Participants
Perran Ross, Facilitator assisted by
Adam Wilcox and Florence Sergile, WEC/UF
Steering Committee
Primary Industry: R. Concoby (Mosaic Mining), Joe McGlincy (Fl Forestry Assoc.) M. A. Gosa (FL Farm Bureau)
Conservation organizations: L. McDonald(Defenders Wildlife), Boyd Blihovde (Gopher Tortoise Council)G. L. Heinrich (FL. Turtle Conservation Trust)
Land Development: D. Rillstone(Broad and Cassell/Fl Chamber Commerce), S. Godley (Fl Homebuilders assoc.);
Government Agencies: B. Burgeson (Collier Co.), B. Kaiser (Hillsborough Co.), S. Farnsworth (Citrus Co.)
Research and Academic: M. Aresco (Nokuse Plantatn),
Commercial Service (consultants): M. palmer (King Engineering) D. Gordon (Quest Ecology) , R. Clementi (S.E.S. Consultant)
Private land owners: S. Shea (St Joe), Margareth Gunzburger (Nokuse Plantation)
State land managers: C. Becker (FL Park Service)
General Public: R. Ashton (GTCI), R. Eagan, J. Bierly
Animal Welfare: J. Hobgood (HSUS)
Elaine Akers (Tortuga Consulting)
M. Barnwell (SWFWMD)
M. Czerwinski (Environmental Consultant)
A. Dierolf (Progress Energy)
J. Dierolf (Sarasota County)
M. Fricke
C. George (Florida Forestry Association)
W. Katz (Coastal Wildlife Club, Inc.)
T. Logan (DennisBreedlove Inc.)
D. Miller (MSCW)
M. Rizzo (Volusia County Land Management)
W. Thomson (TNC)
K. Trebatoski (Lee County)
J. Hill FWC
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