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C. Enhance the recovery potential o/tile North Indian River CVu//wSooth <br />Brevard Cnun/ym,mpn»mation, tim fourth largest Florida scrub -jay <br />� me*mopulation and moa/ important metapopul0tiOo tor spooAm <br />~~ <br />recovery along the Florida's Aoboot Coast 0Braininyar and Ondy <br />/998/' by increasing` the population »amnis,onxa probability of the <br />i� <br />Sebastian scrub -jay xu/too»wkitions. <br />p� <br />This will be aormnpUuhad by eomhnU and maintaining optimal oomb' <br />�J ioy habitat conditions within /he combined 418± oqm Scrub -Jay <br />Habitat Compensation Aromx' inclusive of the 94± acre moyic <br />f|o/wmoddispersal corridor located oil the Sebastian Airport properties. <br />This corridor will function to reduce (hv negative effects of habitat <br />� <br />fragmentation by providing ovital open |aodoonpo linkage hotmmon the <br />� <br />Sebastian scrub -jay ouhpppu|adonnand the St. Sohmuhnn River Buffer <br />^ <br />Reserve/South Brevard County core scrub -jay population, This <br />dispersal corridor will also function to benefit other species of <br />conservation concern moving through this area. <br />Habitat loss and fragmentation, and the degradation ofhabitat quality asa result Of <br />Om exclusion, are tba primary famove which endanger tho |nog'tevn persistence of <br />the Florida scrub -jay population occupying the Atlantic Coast Subregion (B,oinin0prer <br />'~ ml. 1896n; Stith */ ol 1936; Fitzpatrick et al. 1994u; Swain et al, 1995; 8,oiningo, <br />+~ and oddv 139E). The Sebastian HCP in designed to address these factors which <br />currently threaten the persistence of the Sebastian Florida scrub -jay subpOpUlations. <br />' <br />Tile FVYSrecognized, anearly an19g1. that regulation of occupied scrub -jay habitat <br />located within the 14'000:j: platted one -quart,, acre residential lots or the Sebastian <br />Highlands subdivision on an individual lot -by -lot basis results it) increased <br />fragmentation arid degradation o(Suitable scrub -jay habitat in this area due msmall- <br />scale nihWuhon resolution an(] absence o/ large-scale habitat management. In <br />addidon, this regulatory approach significantly encumbers tho land use Of multiple <br />private lot owners by ,nqoidoy p,ocv,emen\ of individual HCPe v,in, to ,oam*,tip| <br />development. <br />Remnant Atlantic Coastal ao/uU habitat remains in the Sebastian Highlands <br />subdivision in amvom|v fragmented va,oxeo within u highly developed suburban <br />myidando\ |undaoepa matrix. The odvo,no influences of (ho expansive urbanization, <br />including habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and increased vulnerability tn predation, <br />on ,ho dmnoompkio xuvnony of the Florida xomt-jay families persisting in Ue <br />G*hunhan Highlands subdivision aro emphasized by U`e ouvnra mon/b'|ay population <br />decline documented in this area. Demographic studies of uo|orVandad scrub -joys in <br />known territories oondootod Within tile incorporated limits of o`e City of Sohnshuo' <br />` <br />comprised primarily of tile SwhaaVa" Highlands residential oohd\vioioo, during the <br />seven year p"hud. 1991 to 1998. doovmon*da 5496decline |mm 35 breeding pairs <br />to l6brooding pairs (To|anuun»oh|. dotu). <br />` <br />