U.S. FWS
Environmental Conservation Online System
Conserving the Nature of America

Recovery Plan Action Status

Plan Name: Recovery Plan for the Lake Erie Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon insularum)
Plan Status: Final
Plan Date: 25-Sep-03
Lead Agency: USFWS
Lead Office: Columbus Ecological Services Field Office ( (614) 416-8993 )
Species Action Priority # Action # Action Description Action Status Est. Initiation Date Est. Completion Date Responsible Parties Work Type Labor Type Action Comments Implementation Activities
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 1.1 Develop standard monitoring protocol for censuses Complete FY 2006 FY 2006 Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research: Population Surveys Species Expert Year 1-develop protocol; Years 2-5 modify as necessary
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 1.2.1 Annually census Kelleys Island subpopulation Complete FY 2007 FY 2007 Consultants, Universities, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research: Population Surveys Species Expert, Internal Field Assistance
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 1.2.2 Annually census South Bass Island subpopulation Complete FY 2007 FY 2007 Consultants, Universities, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research: Population Surveys Species Expert, Internal Field Assistance
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 1.2.3 Annually census Middle Bass Island subpopulation Complete FY 2007 FY 2007 Consultants, Universities, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research: Population Surveys Species Expert, Internal Field Assistance
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 1.2.4 Annually census North Bass Island subpopulation Complete FY 2007 FY 2007 Consultants, Universities, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research: Population Surveys Species Expert, Internal Field Assistance
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 1.3 Census small subpopulations every 2 years Complete FY 2006 FY 2006 Consultants, Universities, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research: Population Surveys Species Expert, Internal Field Assistance
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 2.1.1 Review, revise, redistribute USFWS Lake Erie Watersnake Management Guidelines for Construction, Development and Land Management Activities Complete FY 2000 - FY 2004 FY 2011 Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Local Governments, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Management: Land Use Internal Technical Assistance Review and revise at 2-year intervals
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 2.1.2 Review and revise ODNR existing Lake Erie Watersnake Habitat Management Planning Document Complete FY 2006 FY 2006 Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Management: Habitat Maintenance and Manipulation Labor type not yet selected Review and revise at 2-year intervals
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 2.1.3 Review, revise, redistribute Coastal Guidance Sheet No. 9 Ongoing Current FY 2007 Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Other Federal Agencies, Local Governments, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Management: Land Use Labor type not yet selected Review and revise at 2-year intervals
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 2.2 Develop standard habitat restoration and maintenance guidelines for protected habitat Ongoing Current FY 2007 Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Management: Land Use Labor type not yet selected
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 2.3.1 Develop and implement habitat management plans for all ODNR island properties Complete FY 2006 FY 2006 Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Management: Planning Internal Technical Assistance Years 1 and 2- develop plans; years 2-5 implement
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 2.3.2 Implement habitat restoration and maintenance guidelines via management plans for protected habitat on NPS property Not Started U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service Work type not yet selected Labor type not yet selected Year 1-develop plans; years 2- 5 implement
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 2.3.3 Implement habitat restoration and maintenance guidelines via management plans for protected habitat on USFWS property if snakes recolonize island Not Started U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Work type not yet selected Labor type not yet selected Year 3-develop plans; years 4- 5 implement
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 2.4 Implement habitat restoration and maintenance guidelines via voluntary management plans for protected habitat on private land (ex, conservation easement) Ongoing Current FY 2007 Non-profit organizations, BSC-Lake Erie Islands Chapter of the Black Swamp Conservancy, Private landowners, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Acquisition: Management Agreement Labor type not yet selected Costs of easements, travel, coordination, drafting agreements
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 2.5 Protect habitat through land acquisition Ongoing Current FY 2007 Non-profit organizations, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Other Federal Agencies, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Acquisition: General Labor type not yet selected Land purchases are unlikely. Cost will be adjusted as priority needs are identified.
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 2.6.1 Consult with Federal agencies under section 7(a)(1) of the ESA Ongoing Current FY 1995 - FY 1999 Other Federal Agencies, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Other: Regulations Internal Technical Assistance, Internal Field Assistance
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 2.6.2 Review and comment on Section 10(a)(1)(A) permits under the ESA Ongoing Current FY 1995 - FY 1999 Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Other: Regulations Internal Technical Assistance, Internal Field Assistance
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 2.6.3 Review and comment on Section 10(a)(1)(B) permits under the ESA Ongoing Current FY 1995 - FY 1999 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Other: Regulations Internal Technical Assistance, Internal Field Assistance Cost of staff time, travel, coordination
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 2.7 Develop a system to evaluate, prioritize, and select potential protected habitat Complete FY 2006 FY 2006 Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Management: General Species Expert
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 2.8 Notify landowners of hibernacula on their property and options to protect it Ongoing Current FY 2007 Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Management: General Internal Technical Assistance, Internal Field Assistance Cost of staff time
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 3.1.1 Continue to print and distribute Lake Erie Watersnake signs Ongoing Current FY 2007 Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Other: Information and Education Internal Technical Assistance Additional printing need projected for FY3
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 3.1.2 Write, publish and distribute LEWS News Ongoing Current FY 2007 Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Other: Information and Education Internal Technical Assistance Cost of mailing, printing, designing
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 3.1.3 Participate in presentations about the snake at public events Ongoing Current FY 2007 Non-profit organizations, BSC-Lake Erie Islands Chapter of the Black Swamp Conservancy, Consultants, Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Other: Information and Education Internal Technical Assistance, Internal Field Assistance Cost of staff time, travel, materials
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 3.1.4 Post educational displays on public lands Ongoing Current FY 2007 Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service Other: Information and Education Internal Technical Assistance, Internal Field Assistance Cost of printing and designing displays
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 3.1.5 Address residents concerns about snakes on their property Ongoing Current FY 2007 Consultants, Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Management: General Internal Technical Assistance, Internal Field Assistance Cost of stafftime, travel
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 3.1.6 Facilitate media coverage of pertinent Lake Erie Watersnake issues Ongoing Current FY 2007 Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Other: Information and Education Labor type not yet selected
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 3.2 Evaluate effectiveness of public outreach in reducing intentional mortality Complete FY 2008 FY 2008 Consultants, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research: Other Information Contract Every two years
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 3.3 Address road kill mortality Complete Universities Management: Habitat Maintenance and Manipulation Species Expert Years 2-3-Cost of travel and coordination; Years 4-5- implementation
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 4.1 Research survivorship and demographic perturbation analysis Complete FY 2007 FY 2010 Consultants, Universities Research: Demographic Studies Species Expert Study began in 2003, will continue for 2 more years, final report in 2010.
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 4.2 Research foraging behavior and prey Complete FY 2005 FY 2009 Consultants, Universities Research: Dietary Studies Species Expert
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 4.3 Research impact of invasive species and contaminants Complete FY 2005 FY 2008 Consultants, Universities Research: Environmental Contaminants Species Expert In conjunction with foraging research
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 2 4.4 Identify high quality hibernation locations Ongoing Current FY 2007 Consultants, Universities Research: General Species Expert, Internal Technical Assistance, Internal Field Assistance
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 4.5 Research areas of&FRequent roadkill Complete FY 2005 FY 2007 Consultants, Universities Research: Other Information Graduate Student
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 5.1 Meet with partners and researchers to evaluate recovery progress and identify additional needs Ongoing Current FY 2007 Canadian Wildlife Service, Consultants, Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Management: General Species Expert Meet every 2 years
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 5.2 Revise plan as appropriate at 5-year intervals Not Started Universities, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Work type not yet selected Labor type not yet selected
Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) 3 5.3 Develop a post-delisting monitoring plan Complete FY 2010 FY 2010 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Universities Management: Planning Species Expert, Internal Field Assistance
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