[NEW] - US Fish and Wildlife Service Letter Regarding the Golf Course Rehabilitation

The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has issued a determination regarding threatened and endangered species and the Rock Creek Park Golf Course rehabilitation. In their letter of November 26, 2024, USFWS concurred with the National Park Service's determination that the rehabilitation "may affect but is not likely to adversely affect" the northern long-eared bat and Hay's Spring amphipod, two endangered species that are known to occur in Rock Creek Park.

Regarding the northern long-eared bat as well as the tricolored bat, which is proposed for listing as endangered, USFWS stated that tree removal for the project is occurring along an edge of Rock Creek Park, and is not fragmenting the park's larger forest stand, which will continue to offer quality forest habitat to the bats. In addition, USFWS determined that the lighting of the driving range will not extend beyond nearby trees, and that the tree planting associated with the project will further reduce light impacts in areas beyond the driving range. Mitigation measures that will be implemented include cutting the trees outside of bats' summer occupancy period; planting trees that will, over the long term, reconnect two treed areas with the larger forest fragment, potentially replacing several acres of removed habitat; minimizing lighting throughout the project; and planting meadows with native plants in areas adjacent to the forest, which will provide foraging habitat for the bats.

Regarding the Hay's Spring amphipod, while the endangered crustacean is found in springs nearby the golf course, USFWS determined that there is no impact to these springs from the rehabilitation, as their catchment and buffer areas are not within the project's limits of disturbance. In addition, USFWS determined that no evidence exists to suggest that amphipod habitat is present within the golf course or in places where trees will be removed, given the lack of forest canopy and elevation characteristics that support this type of habitat.

In their letter, USFWS also provided guidance to the National Park Service and National Links Trust on protecting the Monarch butterfly, which is a candidate for being listed as endangered. USFWS noted that any impacts to the butterfly from the rehabilitation project would be temporary in nature, and that the creation of meadow habitat would be beneficial for the Monarch.

Document Content:

2024-11-26 USFWS Consultation ROCR Golf Course 002.pdf   (378.3 KB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.