Restoration of Native Species in High Elevation Ecosystems Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The National Park Service (NPS) has released for public review and comment the Restoration of Native Species in High Elevation Ecosystems Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Restoration Plan/DEIS) for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI). The Restoration Plan/DEIS analyzes a range of alternatives for the purposes of restoring selected high elevation aquatic ecosystems within SEKI.

Due to the inability of the public to review this document electronically during the government shut down, the comment period has been extended until December 17, 2013.

The purpose of the Restoration Plan/DEIS is to guide management actions by the NPS to restore and conserve native species diversity and ecological function to selected high elevation aquatic ecosystems that have been adversely impacted by human activities, particularly the past stocking of nonnative trout, and to increase the resistance and resiliance of these species and ecosystems to human induced environmental modifications such as disease and unprecedented climate change. If approved, the Restoration Plan/DEIS would be implemented over a period of 25 to 35 years. Its implementation would affect up to 16% of fish populations in park lakes and ponds. Thus, the impact to recreational fishing would be minor. No impact to stock or recreational access would result.

Over the past 16 years, we have effectively eradicated nonnative trout in 15 lakes and ponds using gill nets and electrofishers. Eleven additional lakes and ponds have nonnative trout removals in-progress, and are expected to be completed by 2016. The removal of nonnative trout has been shown to be beneficial for native species. However, we have not had the tools necessary to restore habitats on a larger scale. This Restoration Plan/DEIS proposes the use of additional tools, such as the use of piscicide, for conducting high elevation aquatic ecosystem restoration at the landscape scale in the parks.

Document Content:

Executive Summary   (814.2 KB, PDF file) Table of Contents, Acronym List and Glossary   (317.4 KB, PDF file) Chapters 1 through 5   (4.6 MB, PDF file) List of Appendices   (539.9 KB, PDF file) Appendix A - Wilderness Minimum Requirement Analysis   (1.2 MB, PDF file) Appendix B - Fish Eradication Basin Maps   (4.0 MB, PDF file) Appendix C - Effects of Nonnative Fish   (106.7 KB, PDF file) Appendix D - Management Directive 49   (5.6 MB, PDF file) Appendix E - Public Scoping Materials   (949.1 KB, PDF file) Appendix F - Sensitive Species List   (234.6 KB, PDF file) Appendix G - Background and Effects of Rotenone   (423.6 KB, PDF file) Appendix H - Human Health Risk Assessment   (178.4 KB, PDF file) Appendix I - Site Assessment Example   (906.3 KB, PDF file) Appendix J - Life History of Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs   (415.0 KB, PDF file) Appendix K - Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Section 7a Determination   (1.1 MB, PDF file) List of Area Libraries where Print Copies are Available   (20.2 KB, PDF file) Frequently Asked Questions   (278.9 KB, PDF file) Public Meeting Participant Guide   (722.8 KB, PDF file) Public Meeting Presentation   (1.9 MB, PDF file) Map provided at Public Meeting   (787.6 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.