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with foam or black lines, may be employed by the prescribed fire manager, DOF, to define the limits of the management unit. The final, decision to use soft fire breaks is at the discretion of the DOF based on site safety concerns/hazards. The use of soft fire lines is advantageous in the long-term as they enable the land manager to rotate the size and location of the MUs with minimal site disturbances. As discussed above, variation of the size and position of the MUs, over time, should result in a mosaic of optimal vegetative structures within the scrub landscape. Restoration Burning The restoration burning approach presented horein is aggressive as compared to the general guidelines for manacling Florida scrub -jay refuges provided in Fitzpatrick et al. (1991). However, aggressive management is needed in the Scrub -Jay Habitat Compensation Areas before there is further loss of additional scrub -jay families. The MUs and proposed prescribed burn schedule are designed to insure that each scrub - jay family documented to occur on the Scrub -Jay Habitat Compensation Areas are provided with an adequate amount of suitable cover, nesting sites, and foraging habitat while the recently -burned scrub regenerates. Prescribed fire will initially be used at increased frequencies and intensities to reduce pine tree cover remaining after completion of the proposed logging operation, to reduce shrub height, and to initiate recovery of patchy open spaces of bare sand and sparse vegetation. The prescribed fires will, whenever practicable considering site and safety constraints, be conducted during the natural fire season, late spring and summer, to mimic historic fire patterns (Breininger et al 1996b; Adrian and Farinetti 1995). The schedule for implementation of prescribed fire within each MU, including a site priority ranking and recommended fire intensity, is provided in Table 8. Site-specific fire prescriptions required to achieve the stated prescribed fire management objective will be prepared by the DOF as part of their agreement with the Applicant. The DOF will also be responsible for identifying and addressing constraints to conducting the prescribed burning operation on the Scrub -Jay Habitat Compensation Areas and, with the assistance of the Applicant, for notifying the affected public. In addition, mop up procedures conducted by tile, DOF will be performed in a manner that minimizes site disturbances. As set forth in Table 8, the prescribed fire program is scheduled to be initiated within MUs 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 approximately 6 to 8 weeks following completion of mechanical treatment activities within these MUs. The recommended time lag between mechanical treatment and the prescribed fire allows for the drying of slash to provide additional fuel to the fire and to promote "hot spots" for recovery of open spaces. As discussed above, implementation of the mechanical and fire restoration activities in these MUs, which are located within the primary ITP impact area in Unit 17 of the Sebastian Highlands, serves to minimize the level of take resulting from authorization of the proposed action. i 88