DOI Project Numbers: 15 & 37; Hurricane Sandy; Provide a quantitative assessment of American black duck food resources

Wildlife Refuges in the northeast: Edwin B. Forsythe NWR in NJ, Cape May NWR in NJ, and Prime Hook NWR in DE. American black ducks are a priority species that are sensitive to available habitat in the Mid-Atlantic saltmarshes and connected impoundments. Any alteration of habitat due to Hurricane Sandy had the potential to greatly impact this species required habitat needs for long term population stability. Additionally, because this species is sensitive to saltmarsh habitat quality, they serve as an indicator species for saltmarsh health with implications for human/property protection. The restoration projects that will be evaluated were previously vetted and approved for funding by the Department of the Interior. The appropriation for this project is the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act of 2013, Public Law 113-2. Criteria for funding was based on the project¿s ability to yield the greatest return on investment by taking advantage of existing science and regional planning tools for resiliency and by working with states, cities, communities, and partners who contribute to the goals of restoring and rebuilding national wildlife refuges and other federal public assets; and to increase resiliency and the capacity of coastal habitat and infrastructure and to withstand future storms and to minimize the damage incurred. Hurricane Sandy impacted the primary wintering area for the American black duck (Anas rubripes) which has been identified as a ¿Species of Greatest Conservation Need¿ by 23 states in the Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways. According to the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture (ACJV), the coastal systems from Connecticut to Virginia support 77% of the wintering black ducks in the Atlantic Flyway. On all 3 Refuges, the proposed project would provide an opportunity to compare pre- and post-Sandy data, provide pre-restoration baseline data, and at some locations assess the initial effects of saltmarsh habitat restoration on American black duck food availability. This project is authorized by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, Public Law 113-2.