[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 131 (Friday, July 8, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40338-40339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-16971]


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 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


National Estuarine Research Reserve System

AGENCY: Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal 
Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Approval and Availability for Revised Management 
Plans for ACE Basin, SC National Estuarine Research Reserve and Old

[[Page 40339]]

Woman Creek, OH National Estuarine Research Reserve.

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SUMMARY: The Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal 
Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce has 
approved the ACE Basin, SC National Estuarine Research Reserve and Old 
Woman Creek, OH National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan 
Revisions.
    The revised management plan for the ACE Basin, SC National 
Estuarine Research Reserve outlines the administrative structure; the 
education, training, stewardship, and research programs of the reserve; 
and the plans for future land acquisition and facility development to 
support reserve operations. The objectives described in this plan 
address the most critical coastal issues in ACE Basin related to 
habitat conservation, water quality, community resilience, and public 
access. Since the last approved management plan in 1992, the reserve 
has become fully staffed; added a Coastal Training Program that 
delivers science-based information to key decision makers; and added 
significant monitoring of emergent marsh vegetation, water quality, and 
invasive species. In addition to programmatic and staffing advances, 
the reserve has constructed an interpretive center that houses 
educational exhibits, classrooms, offices, conference space, trails and 
dock with public access. A field station with lab facilities, research 
dock, and accommodations for visiting researchers has also been 
constructed.
    This management plan amends the boundary to include 4,687 acres of 
the Botany Bay Plantation located adjacent to the northeastern corner 
of Edisto Island in lower Charleston County, SC. South Carolina Budget 
and Control Board is the property owner and has a cooperative 
partnership with South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to 
manage the Botany Bay Plantation as a Wildlife Management Area and 
Heritage Preserve property. The undeveloped coastal habitats of the 
plantation include maritime forest, coastal shrub, wetlands, tidal 
marshes and sand beaches. The property provides important habitat for 
numerous wildlife species, including critical nesting habitat for the 
Federally threatened loggerhead sea turtle and the state threatened 
least tern. The lands contain significant cultural resources and list 
several sites on the National Register of Historic Places. This 
management plan amends the boundary by also removing 40,089 acres of 
private lands previously counted in error. In total, the ACE Basin 
Reserve includes 99,308 acres designated for long term research, 
education and stewardship. The revised management plan is available at: 
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/NERR/index.html.
    The revised management plan for the Old Woman Creek, OH National 
Estuarine Research Reserve contains the collective vision, mission, 
goals, and objectives of the reserve; updates the reserve boundary; as 
well as outlines plans for facility use and development to support 
reserve operations. The objectives described in this plan address the 
most critical coastal issues of the reserve related to water quality 
(non-point source pollution), invasive species, habitat loss and 
regional ecosystem impacts of climate change. Since the last approved 
management plan in 2000, the reserve has all core staff; added a 
Coastal Training Program that delivers science-based information to key 
decision makers; and developed partnerships to continue to restore and 
protect land and waters in the Old Woman Creek watershed. In addition 
to programmatic and staffing advances, the reserve has completed 
construction of a new dormitory, boathouse, and administrative spaces.
    This management plan includes a boundary expansion of 2.2 acres. 
This land was incorporated with the state nature preserve in 2004 and 
is subject to all protection afforded by Ohio laws governing state 
nature preserves. The additional parcel is adjacent to the reserve's 
southwestern boundary and consists of early successional habitat (e.g., 
various Cornus sp.) and will become an area dominated by mixed 
hardwoods. Incorporating these lands increases the size of the reserve 
to 573 acres. The revised management plan is available at: http://www.oldwomancreek.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tina O'Connell at (301) 563-7107 or 
Laurie McGilvray at (301) 563-1158 of NOAA's National Ocean Service, 
Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 East-West Highway, N/ORM5, 10th 
floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

    Dated: June 24, 2011.
Donna Wieting,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-16971 Filed 7-7-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-M