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as compensatory mitigation for the take of Florida scrub-jays incidental to <br />implementation of the County Road 512 improvements project. Only 38± acres of <br />potential scrub-jay habitat located on the Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area is being <br />proposed as part of the Scrub-Jay Habitat Compensation Areas proposed under this <br />f HCP (see Table 5). This compensation area is identified as Polygon Nos. 48, 50, and <br />51 on Table 5 and Figure 9.,' Figure 9 shows Polygon 55 as occupied by Florida <br />scrub-jays for informational purposes only and is not intended to indicate inclusion as <br />a compensatory mitigation area. <br />'I <br />The assessment of the extent of existing (occupied) scrub-jay habitat on the <br />compensation area was based on the presence of suitable scrub-jay habitat features <br />(Breininger et al 1995, 1995; Breininger and Oddy 1998), in conjunction with the <br />documented presence of scrub-Jay territories, pursuant to the 1998 scrub-jay census <br />conducted in support of this HCP. Using the habitat-based assessment procedure, <br />which is consistent with the methodology applied to quantify the amount of incidental <br />take proposed under this HCP, 195.5+ arses of suitable, occupied scrub-jay habitat <br />were determined to occur within the Scrub-Jay Habitat Compensation Areas (see <br />Table 5). <br />4.1.4 IXcrea a of,Unoccupied, Restorable Scrub-Jay Habitat on the Scrub Ajay Habitat <br />Compensation Areas <br />The acreage of unoccupied, restorable scrub-jay habitat occurring within the Scrub- <br />Jay Habitat Compensation Areas is based on a review of historical imagery dating <br />back to 1943, presence of restorable scrub-jay habitat features, and consideration of <br />the influence of matrix habitats to the demographic success in scrub-jays, <br />As presented in Table 5, 128.5±acres of unoccupied, restorable scrub-jay habitat <br />was determined to occur within the ScrUb-Jay Habitat Compensation Areas. <br />4.2 Estimated Amount or Extent of Take <br />Based on existing data collected from the City of Sebastian and a survey conducted <br />in the ITP impact area in the summer fall 1998, issuance of the Sebastian HCP ITP <br />is anticipated to result in the taking of 79.3± acres (317 lots) of habitat currently <br />identified by the FWS as occupied and potentially occupied by scrub-jays. Two <br />scrub-jay clusters are presently documented within the affected habitat area. These <br />clusters, which are part of the South subpopUlation, are comprised of a total of 7 <br />scrub-jay families concentrated primarily within Units '10 and 17 of Sebastian <br />Highlands. Restoration and long-term management of the Unit 17 compensation <br />areas, comprising 21 ± acres of historically optimal scrub-jay habitat adjoining, and <br />within 1000 ft. (305m) of 5 scrub-jay families (Unit 17 cluster) potentially affected <br />by the proposed action is proposed tinder this HCP. This action is expected, over <br />tithe, to minimize impacts to the affected Unit 17 scrub jay cluster by maintaining <br />suitable nesting and foraging habitat conditions for use by these srrul,)-jays. Under <br />61 <br />