| Popis: |
Natural resources managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CE) constitute an important national heritage that must meet constantly changing needs and priorities. However, there is presently insufficient information regarding the overall status of CE natural resources, the significance of these resources at the national and regional levels, and the ability of current programs to satisfy changing trends while continuing to meet mission objectives. A study plan is presented that provides an approach for obtaining the information necessary to assess significance and establish natural resource priorities at CE operational projects. The study is divided into three tasks that address natural resource needs: identify regionally and nationally significant resources, identify CE natural resource practices and priorities, and conduct a case study to identify the significance of CE management activities related to a specific resource. Task 1 will be accomplished by reviewing relevant assessments and other documents that evaluate the significance of selected resources. Task 2 will consist of a survey of natural resource management activities at a representative sample of CE projects. The purpose of this task is to describe natural resource management activities at CE projects, identify management opportunities for significant resources, and determine how the CE is responding to changing needs. The case study will identify and evaluate opportunities for management of threatened and endangered species on CE projects, using information derived from Tasks 1 and 2. Procedures are described for accomplishing each phase of the study. A steering committee composed of five CE District and project personnel was established to provide recommendations on the scope and direction of the study. The work unit is under the CE Natural Resources Research Program. |
