UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240

 

March 11, 2008

 

In Reply Refer To:

6500 (230) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 03/13/2008

Instruction Memorandum No. 2008-086

Expires: 09/30/09

To:                   All State Directors (except Eastern States)

                                                                                               

From:               Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning

Subject:           Bureauwide Guidance for Raptor (Birds of Prey) Protection and

                        Conservation                                                                DD: 03/21/08

 

Program Area: Wildlife

 

Purpose: The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to collect input for draft guidance on raptor (birds of prey) protection in cases of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) permitted actions. The draft Best Management Practices (BMPs) are proposed to be the draft guidance. Attached is the draft “Best Management Practices for Raptors and their Associated Habitats On BLM.”

 

Policy/Action: In order to provide the most comprehensive guidance, input on the attached draft BMPs is requested.

 

Timeframe: The target date for responding to this request is March 21, 2008.

 

Budget Impact: None

 

Background: Raptors compose approximately 10 percent of all birds on BLM lands. They are protected by various laws, depending on their conservation status,  ranging from the Endangered Species Act to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Most of the raptor species are wide-ranging and are high-order predators whose population health can be directly correlated to the health of the landscape and other wildlife populations. Because consistent guidance for raptor conservation and protection is a high priority to the BLM, the Division of Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (WO-230) has drafted

a set of draft BMPs for field review. 

 

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: Land Use Planning

 

Coordination: All affected programs

 

Contact: Geoff Walsh, Wildlife Biologist, (WO-230) at (202) 452-5048 or gwalsh@blm.gov

 

 

Signed by:                                                        Authenticated by:

Edwin L. Roberson                                           Robert M. Williams

Assistant Director                                             Division of IRM Governance,WO-560

Renewable Resources and Planning

 

 

1 Attachment:

     1- Draft of “Best Management Practices for Raptors and Their Associated Habitats On