By Maureen Kelly

If a conservation plan recommended by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service [USFWS] is approved this winter, land on 87 islands off the coast of Maine will be eligible for incorporation into the Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and 13 Maine islands will be recommended for wilderness status.

Presently, the refuge complex is comprised of five wildlife refuges strung along the Maine coast and includes 42 islands that provide important habitat and nesting grounds for birds considered at-risk (endangered, threatened or of special concern) by either the state or federal government. These species include bald eagles, roseate terns, common terns, Artic terns, Atlantic puffins, razorbills and harlequin ducks.

Last April, USFWS issued a draft comprehensive conservation plan and environmental impact statement for management of the complex over the next 15 years. The draft plan offers several management alternatives, but the agency prefers the option that would expand the refuge complex by 2,467 acres.

Most of the expansion would be on 87 islands and would give protection to areas that provide important nesting habitat for seabirds and bald eagles. The islands would be acquired at a rate of about six per year over 15 years. The refuge complex would also gain 153 acres of wetlands on the mainland.

USFWS would also seek wilderness designation for 13 islands in the refuge system to afford the highest level of protection for 3,125 acres of land. The islands being considered for this designation range in size from the largest, Cross Island at 1,654 acres, to the smallest, Old Man Island at 6 acres.

Under the proposed plan, seabird restoration projects would double from six to 12. According to Charlie Blair, refuge manager, future projects would likely focus on species of terns and alcids—a family that includes diving birds such as razorbills and puffins.

The plan also calls for enhancing visitor services to provide more wildlife-focused recreation opportunities, environmental education and interpretative programs. New trails would be built in the Gouldsboro Bay, Sawyers Marsh and Corea Heath areas. Petit Manan Point would be opened for deer hunting, as well.

The agency is now in the process of responding to the public comments it collected last spring and summer. Blair said that the public appears supportive of the plan favored by USFWS. The comments reflected a lot of support for a proposed seabird education center and for increasing seabird restoration projects, he said. The wilderness proposal was also well received, although it had a few detractors. The most opposition was to the opening of Petit Manan Point to deer hunting.

“We’re hoping that by the end of the year we’ll have everything finalized and approved,” Blair said.

  © 2004 The Gulf of Maine Times