1999-287 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• r 3.3 South Brevard County Florida Scrub -Jay Population Status From 1993 through 1998, colorbanding and monitoring of Florida scrub -jays was accomplished just north of the City of Sebastian in southern Brevard County (Fitzpatrick et al. 1994b; Breininger and Oddy 1998), From 1997 through 1998, } investigations included colorbanding of 107 individuals in 42 breeding territories (Breininger and Oddy 1998). The study sites extended over 8 miles from the Sebastian Buffer Reserve along the southern Brevard County line to the City of Malabar (Breininger and Oddy 1998). Data were also collected on 26 territories in suburban Palm Bay and 12 territories on the Sebastian Buffer Reserve. Between 1993 and 1998, all subpopulations in southern Brevard County declined by more than 50% inclusively, due primarily to expansive decline in habitat suitability for scrub -jays (Breininger and Oddy 1998). A widespread epidemic during 1998 may have augmented scrub -jay mortality in much of Florida including this metapopulation (Breininger and Oddy 1998)• Breininger and Oddy (1998) found that almost no habitat in southern Brevard County was optimal for scrub -jays and most was suboptimal due to long-term fire suppression and resuiting habitat succession and overgrowth. The immediate mechanical cutting of trees and aggressive application of prescribed fire was determined to be an essential action at all of the south Brevard County sites to prevent extinction of this population (Breininger and Oddy 1998). This urgency to implement immediate habitat restoration activities to slow the rates of scrub -jay population decline extends over into the HCP Plan Area and is reflected in the HCP operating conservation program presented below in Section 5.0. 3.4 Documentation of the Occurrence of Federal and State Protected Species Within the HCP Plan Area The HCP Plan Area was assessed for the occurrence of other Federal or State protected species by referencing the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) December 1997 database entitled Species and Natural Community Sumtnary for Indian River County, by reviewing past studies conducted on the Scrub -Jay Habitat Compensation Areas by FloridaAffinity, Inc. and Ecotech Consultants, Inc. (1995, KK 1996, 1998), and by reviewing studies completed by the FWS. In addition, random pedestrian transect surveys to determine the presence of protected species were performed as part of the 1998 field surveys conducted in support of this HCP. Protected species are plants and animals which are listed as endangered, threatened, or species of special concern by the FWS in 50 CFR 17.11 & 17. 12, by the FWC in Rules 30-27.003&004 and 39-27.05, F.A.C., and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) in Section 581.185-187, F.S. The FWC document, Official Lists of Endangered and Potentially Endangered Fauna and Flora in 17orida, Published August 1, 1997 and compiled by Tom Ft, Logan, FWC Endangered Species 40