Report Results

Recovery Plan Ad Hoc Report results

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Entity ID=36

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Document ID=600004

Plan Title	Plan Stage	Plan Lead Region (FWS)	Plan Lead Office (FWS)	Species Common Name	Species Scientific Name	Action Priority	Action Number	Action Description	Action Status	Estimated Initiation Date	Estimated Completion Date	Action Lead Agencies	Responsible Parties	Work Types	Labor Types	Comments
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	1	1.1	Identify key recovery blocks and key corridors.	Ongoing Current	FY 2000 - FY 2004	FY 2000 - FY 2004	Other	National Wildlife Refuge , Lower Mississippi Valley Ecosystem Plan (USFWS) , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , Natural Resources Conservation Service , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Texas Parks and Wildlife, East Texas Black Bear Task Force	Acquisition: Easement, Acquisition: Management Agreement, Acquisition: Fee Title, Management: Planning	Internal Technical Assistance	This is accomplished using current GIS information on bear distribution to map the general occurrence of bears and delineate breeding areas, habitat areas under permanent protection, and areas that would be important for Louisiana black bear recovery. The identification of habitat necessary to achieve the recovery criteria for the Louisiana black bear was started as part of a WRP pilot program in 1990 and in 2000 resulted in the development of the "Louisiana Black Bear Habitat Restoration Planning Maps" (HRP). Those maps, developed by a collaborative multi-agency and organization group (Federal, State, local government partners, and nonprofit organizations including but not limited to: NRCS, LDWF, BBCC, Louisiana State University, the Louisiana Nature Conservancy, and the Service), are designed for use with conservation programs, many of which encourage reforestation of marginal and nonproductive cropland in Louisiana (e.g. WRP). The maps, using a 3-tiered point system, establish higher point zones (indicating higher importance for bear recovery) around breeding bear habitat, large forested areas, and various natural habitat corridors connecting bear populations from the northern to southern portion of the state. Areas that would benefit breeding populations and corridors thus receive the highest priority and landowners competing for WRP enrollment would receive higher rankings in those areas. Landowners enrolled in the WRP sign permanent easements protecting the land from future conversion or development. Other land conservation entities also use these maps when considering protection or purchase. The Louisiana HRP maps are regularly updated, with the most recent update in the spring of 2015. Similar maps have been developed and are in use in Mississippi that align with the Louisiana map at the states’ shared border. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Partners have developed Land Conservation Priority Maps for east Texas. A Hardwood Habitat Cooperative offers a cost-share program to landowners in East Texas that want to restore or enhance hardwood habitat in that area. Most recently, Kaminski et al. (2014) used Habitat Suitability Indices (HSI) for black bears in east and southeast Texas and identified 4 potential Louisiana black bear recovery units capable of sustaining viable back bear populations. Public ownership in two of those units, the Middle Neches and Sabine River units, ranged from 22% to 30 %, respectively.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	1	1.2	Develop landowner protection of bear habitat.	Ongoing Current	FY 2000 - FY 2004		Other	National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , Private land or timber land owners and land managers , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Natural Resource Conservation Service, East Texas Black Bear Task Force	Management: General	Internal Field Assistance	This is accomplished through use of conservation agreements with private landowners (e.g., WRP, PFW, etc.) by various public and private groups/programs and land acquisition and management by public agencies in conjunction with the maps developed in Task 1.1. Since 1993-94, in Louisiana, over 148,000 ac (60,055 ha) have been protected and/or restored within the Black Bear Habitat Restoration Planning Areas (HRPA) (identified by the HRP maps) via the NRCS’ Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), mostly in the Tensas River and Upper Atchafalaya River Basins with approximately 96,698 ac (39,132 ha) directly benefitting breeding populations in Louisiana. When added to other permanently protected lands within the Louisiana HRPA (National Wildlife Refuges, State Wildlife Management Areas, Army Corps of Engineers, Farmer’s Home Administration easements, and mitigation banks), there are now 638,000 ac (258,200 ha) of permanently protected habitat within the HRPA versus the 227,200 ac (91,945 ha) estimated to exist in 1991. In Mississippi, approximately 110,000 ac (41,000 ha) of private land in counties adjacent to the Mississippi River have been enrolled in WRP 99-year and permanent easements within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley Black Bear Priority Units (MAVU). When WRP permanent easement lands are added to the habitat protected on Federal and State NWRs or WMAs, other Federal- and State-protected lands, and privately owned protected lands, approximately 868,000 ac (440,000 ha) have been permanently protected and/or restored within the MAVU in Mississippi. Over 500 acres of potential black bear habitat have been restored and 1,550 acres have been enhanced in East Texas.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	1	1.5	Protect habitat to support long-term survival of bear populations.	Ongoing Current	FY 2000 - FY 2004		Other	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Wildlife Refuge , Reality (USFWS) , Lower Mississippi Valley Ecosystem Plan (USFWS) , Black Bear Conservation Committee , State Wildlife Management Area (LDWF) , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , Private land or timber land owners and land managers , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Natural Resource Conservation Service, East Texas Black Bear Task Force	Acquisition: General	Internal Field Assistance	Incorporates Tasks 1.1, 1.2, 3.1 and use results of 4.2. See Tasks 1.2 and 1.3 for a summary of accomplishments. Regulatory mechanisms and existing management plans currently protect Louisiana black bear habitat through conservation easements (WRPs) or ownership by State and Federal agencies (WMAs, NWRs, FmHAs, and Corps easements in the Atchafalaya and Morganza Floodways).
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	1	2.1	Disseminate bear status, recovery, and management information.	Ongoing Current	Prior to FY 1995		Other	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , Natural Resources Conservation Service , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Texas Parks and Wildlife, East Texas Black Bear Task Force, BeaR Education and Restoration Group of Mississippi	Management: General, Other: Information and Education	Contract	The BBCC, BEaR group of Mississippi, and the East Texas Black Bear Task Force, the three state agencies (LA, MS, TX) and the Service actively conduct public education activities and distribute information through such events as workshops, public speaking, brochures, festivals, and websites throughout the year.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	2	1.3	Enhance, restore, and manage bear habitat.	Ongoing Current	Prior to FY 1995		Other	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Wildlife Refuge , Reality (USFWS) , Lower Mississippi Valley Ecosystem Plan (USFWS) , Black Bear Conservation Committee , State Wildlife Management Area (LDWF) , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , Private land or timber land owners and land managers , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife, East Texas Black Bear Task Force	Acquisition: General, Acquisition: Easement, Acquisition: Management Agreement, Acquisition: Fee Title	Internal Field Assistance	This is accomplished via a combination of private and public lands. Private land restoration is accomplished via Tasks 1.1 and 1.2 and the use of the BBCC Black Bear Management Handbook (completed in October 1992 and periodically updated) as a guide for private landowners. It was last updated in 2015 and is widely distributed to private landowners to assist them in managing their lands for bears. Federal and state landowners make up another important component of this task. Currently, in Louisiana there are approximately 480,000 acres of public lands (e.g., National Wildlife Refuges [NWR], State Wildlife Management Areas [WMA]), and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [Corps] lands) that are managed or maintained in a way to benefit wildlife (including benefits to bears). Approximately 250,000 ac (101,172 ha) of those lands directly support Louisiana black bear breeding populations. Approximately 4,383 acres of NWRs Mississippi occur within the black bear habitat restoration planning area. Although not permanently protected, over 122,000 ac (49,432 ha) of 15-year Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands are located within the Louisiana HRPA and approximately 328,000 ac (132,737 ha) were enrolled in the CRP within the MAVU.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	2	1.4	Develop, implement, and evaluate habitat restoration plan	Ongoing Current	Prior to FY 1995	FY 2000 - FY 2004	Other	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge , Reality (USFWS) , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , Natural Resources Conservation Service , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Private land or timber land owners and land managers , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Texas Parks and Wildlife	Management: General	Internal Administrative	Implemented through incorporation of Task 1.1. Black Bear Habitat Restoration Planning Maps adopted for use in 2000 and periodically updated with the last update in 2015. The BBCC Black Bear Management handbook for private landowners was completed in 1997, updated in 2005 and most recently in 2015. The BBCC Black Bear Restoration Plan, completed in 1997 and updated in 2007, is widely distributed throughout the bear’s range to both public and private entities. . Restoration areas are prioritized, as described in Task 1.1, through a ranking process depending upon the location of the tracts (i.e., in or adjacent to breeding habitat and areas providing for connectivity have the highest ranking) to focus habitat restoration in areas important for Louisiana black bear recovery.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	2	2.2	Reduce illegal killing through education.	Ongoing Current	Prior to FY 1995		Other	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Animal Damage Control (USDA) , National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Region 4 - Law Enforcement, Texas Parks and Wildlife, BeaR Education and Restoration Group of Mississippi	Management: Other, Other: Information and Education	Contract	Public education on living and hunting around bears is conducted by both private and public entities. The BBCC conducts public education through such activities as participation at festivals and other outdoor events, workshops, and various publications such as the Management Handbook brochures. The LDWF implements that public education through activities such as hunter training, public meetings and teacher workshops. The LDWF, MDWFP and TDPW have developed and distribute hunter and homeowner educational brochures about hunting and living in and around bears. As part of conflict management, private individuals are educated on a one to one basis regarding living around bears as the opportunity arises by all partners. Two festivals, held annually in Mississippi and Louisiana provide public education regarding the LA black bear. The Ellen Trout and Houston Zoo each hold an annual Bear Awareness Day in Texas. FWS Refuges in Louisiana and Mississippi also educate the public at their headquarters and during annual public events such as Wild Things.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	2	2.4	Identify bear management incentives for private landowners and distribute.	Ongoing Current	Prior to FY 1995		Other	National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , Natural Resources Conservation Service , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Texas Parks and Wildlife, East Texas Black Bear Task Force, BeaR Education and Restoration Group of Mississippi	Management: Other, Other: Information and Education	Internal Field Assistance	Private organizations such as the BBCC, through its Private Lands Program, workshops and management handbook, and similarly the MS BEaR group and the East Texas Black Bear Task Force, disseminate information on management incentives to private landowners. Public agencies such as the NRCS via the WRP and other programs; the FWS through its Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, and the state agencies, LDWF, MDWFP and TPWD through their private landowner programs, also disseminate information on management incentives to private landowners.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	2	3.1	Enforce legal protection of bears.	Ongoing Current	Prior to FY 1995		Other	Animal Damage Control (USDA) , National Wildlife Refuge , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Region 4 - Law Enforcement	Other: Information and Education, Other: Law Enforcement	Internal Field Assistance	Use existing program funding.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	2	3.3	Develop and implement road management guidelines.	Ongoing Current	FY 2000 - FY 2004		Other	National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Region 4 - Ecological Services, USGS Southern Appalachain Field Laboratory at UT	Management: Other	Internal Administrative	Road guidelines have been developed on a case by case basis for specific road locations and development projects and are modified as new data or the opportunity to offer recommendations (i.e., project reviews) becomes available. The LDWF, Service and partners (e.g., BBCC, NRCS) are currently working with state and federal highways departments and public and private land managers to explore ways to reduce these deaths in specific areas. In addition, the LDWF and LDOTD have installed bear crossing signs on Interstate 20, and Louisiana Highways 17, 65, and 90. In 2013, the LDWF worked with Lamar advertising to install billboards along Interstate 20 to alert drivers of the presence of bears in the area between Tallulah and Delhi.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	2	4.1	Develop population monitoring techniques or indices.	Ongoing Current	Prior to FY 1995		Other	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Private land or timber land owners and land managers , Region 4 - Ecological Services, USGS Southern Appalachain Field Laboratory at UT	Research: General	Contract	As part of ongoing research activities, the USGS (contracted by LDWF and using LDWF and Service funding) has developed a scientifically based bear hair survey methodology (non-invasive DNA sampling) to estimate bear population numbers and other vital statistics. Data collected during ongoing population and movement studies provided information to develop and refine those surveys. The methodologies are described in Laufenberg (2014) and Laufenberg and Clark 2014.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	2	4.2	Conduct population viability analysis.	Ongoing Current	Prior to FY 1995	FY 2013	Other	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Region 4 - Ecological Services, USGS Southern Appalachain Field Laboratory at UT	Research: Demographic Studies	Graduate Student, Contract	Hooker (2010) estimated a mean population abundance of 294 bears (standard error of 31) for the Tensas River Basin subpopulation (TRB). Laufenberg and Clark (2014), used two models to provide separate estimated mean abundance for the TRB subpopulation. Their current estimated number of females from those two models ranged from 133 to 163 and estimated mean annual survival rate for radio-collared adult female bears in the TRB subpopulation were 0.99 (95% CI= 0.96–1.00) when data for bears with unknown fates were censored and 0.97 (95 % CI = 0.93–0.99) when unknown fates were treated as mortalities. Their estimated probability of persistence over 100 years for the TRB subpopulation ranged from 1.00 and 0.96 for process-only and all-uncertainty projections, respectively and was 1.00 and 0.96 for process-only and all-uncertainty projections. Lowe (2011) estimated a mean population abundance of 56 bears (standard error of 4.5) for the Upper Atchafalaya River Basin subpopulation (UARB). O'Connell-Goode (2014) estimated a mean UARB population abundance of 63 bears and mean average male and female survivorship to be 0.77 (SE = 0.08) and 0.89 (SE = 0.04), respectively. Laufenberg and Clark (2014) estimated female abundance ranging from 25 to 44 (50 to 88 total population of males and females, combined), regardless of treatment of capture heterogeneity. Their estimated annual per-capita recruitment was between 0.00 and 0.41, and apparent female survival was between 0.88 and 0.99 (Laufenberg and Clark 2014). The estimated mean growth rate for this subpopulation ranged from 1.08 (range = 0.93–1.29) to 1.09 (range = 0.90–1.35) indicating a stable to increasing population (Laufenberg and Clark 2014). The estimated probabilities of the persistence over 100 years were greater than 0.99 for all process-only projections, and greater than 0.96 for model 1 all-uncertainty projections. Persistence probabilities were lowest for the most conservative estimation methods (Model 2, all uncertainty projections) at 0.93 and 0.85, respectively (Laufenberg and Clark 2014). Troxclair (2013) obtained a population estimate of 138 bears for the Lower Atchafalaya River Basin subpopulation (LARB), a substantial increase over previous estimates. The estimated growth rate of 1.08 indicates that the subpopulation is growing. Laufenberg and Clark’s (2014) abundance estimate for the LARB ranged between 78 (95 percent CI = 69-103) and 97 females (95 percent CI = 85-128) from 2010 to 2012 based on Model 1 and between 68 (95 percent CI = 64-80) and 84 (95 percent CI = 79-104) based on Model 2 (we estimate the total combined population of 156–194 or 136–168, respectively). Estimates of apparent female survival ranged from 0.81 to 0.84 (Laufenberg and Clark 2014), which are the lowest of all the subpopulations. Long term population persistence could not be calculated for the LARB subpopulations because there are only three years of data. Abundance estimates for the Three Rivers Complex (TRC) subpopulation are currently unknown. The mean annual estimated female survival rate (2002–2012) for the TRC subpopulation ranged from 0.93 (95 percent CI = 0.85–0.97) to 0.97 (95 percent CI = 0.91–0.99) (Laufenberg and Clark 2014). Calculations of telemetry-based population persistence for the TRC ranged from 0.295 to 0.999 for 100 years depending on the model used (Laufenberg and Clark 2014). Laufenberg and Clark (2014) also estimated the overall probability of persistence for the Tensas, Upper Atchafalaya and Three Rivers metapopulation to be 0.996, assuming dynamics of those subpopulations were independent and using the most conservative (i.e., pessimistic) population-specific persistence probabilities (i.e., 0.958, 0.295, and 0.849, respectively) (Laufenberg and Clark 2014).
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	2	4.3	Define viable subpopulation goals.	Ongoing Current	FY 2006	FY 2013	Other	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Region 4 - Ecological Services, USGS Southern Appalachain Field Laboratory at UT	Research: Population Assessment, Research: General	Graduate Student, Contract	Current subpopulation viability has been estimated for the TRB, UARB and TRC subpopulations using the definitions in the recovery plan (see Task 4.2 and Laufenberg and Clark 2014).
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	2	4.5	Develop corridor guidelines.	Ongoing Current	FY 2000 - FY 2004		Other	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Region 4 - Ecological Services	Management: Planning	Contract, Internal Technical Assistance	These guidelines have been developed as part of Task 1.1. The results have been incorporated as refined into tasks 1.1 and 3.3. Additional information collected during movement studies will included as appropriate (Task 4.6).
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	3	2.3	Reduce human-bear conflict through education.	Ongoing Current	Prior to FY 1995		Other	Animal Damage Control (USDA) , National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Region 4 - Law Enforcement, Texas Parks and Wildlife, East Texas Black Bear Task Force, BeaR Education and Restoration Group of Mississippi	Other: Information and Education	Species Expert, Contract, Internal Technical Assistance, Internal Field Assistance, Internal Administrative	A Multi-Partner Nuisance Bear Contingency Plan (signed in October 1994) was used as guide for nuisance response until 1999. At that time, the LDWF assumed the lead for conflict management in LA. MS DFPW has also assumed the lead for conflict management in their state. Texas Parks and Wildlife is developing a conflict response plan although there are very low numbers of bears observed in East Texas. USDA Wildlife Services assists biologists in LA and MS in nuisance response as needed. In 2007, St. Mary Parish instituted the use of bear-proof garbage containers; a significant step in addressing nuisance bear conflict in the lower Atchafalaya Basin population. Beginning in 2009, the LDWF has been assisting St. Mary in implementing nuisance bear abatement through a community development and education program that included purchase of bear proof dumpsters and helping fund a parish conflict officer. That person insures that garbage cans are being used properly and works with local citizens to reduce bear attractants. This has been very successful in reducing nuisance activity and increasing public education and awareness. A recent study in Florida has demonstrated the success of public education in reducing conflicts (Pienaar et al. 2015).
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	3	3.2	Coordinate record keeping of bear deaths.	Ongoing Current	FY 2000 - FY 2004	FY 2008	Other	Animal Damage Control (USDA) , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Region 4 - Law Enforcement, Texas Parks and Wildlife	Management: Other	Internal Technical Assistance	All three states maintain records of bear sightings, captures and mortalities. The Service, USGS and LDWF, are cooperating to implement a web-based data management system for LDWF bear sightings and mortalities. Historical and current data entry is complete and that data is being verified and checked for accuracy. The next phase, creating an application to generate reports and maps is underway.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	3	3.4	Develop and implement bear management plans.	Obsolete			Other	National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Private land or timber land owners and land managers , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Texas Parks and Wildlife, East Texas Black Bear Task Force	Work type not yet selected	Internal Administrative	Plans for Bear Management Units (BMUs), based on geographic locations of populations, were described in the BBCC Black Bear Restoration Plan and included in the recovery plan. Initial BMU meetings were held in the Tensas and Atchafalaya areas but participation was not as high as expected and the BMU concept described in the plan did not work as envisioned. Ultimately, state agencies took the lead for restoration and conservation activities within their state. In a 2006 supplement to the 1997 Habitat Restoration Plan, the BBCC decided not to pursue them further but rather to support ongoing state efforts. The activities described as part of the BMUs have been replaced by existing state-wide black bear management plans. Implementation and monitoring of statewide plans is ongoing.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	3	3.5	Monitor results of bear management plans.	Obsolete			Other	National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , Private land or timber land owners and land managers , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Texas Parks and Wildlife	Management: Other	Internal Administrative	Ongoing activities are monitored by the state agencies for their respective plans. No monitoring is occurring for BMUs as described in the recovery plan.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	3	3.6	Review bear management plans.	Discontinued			Other	National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Private land or timber land owners and land managers , Region 4 - Ecological Services, Texas Parks and Wildlife, East Texas Black Bear Task Force	Management: Other	Internal Administrative	The BBCC Restoration Plan was updated in 2007. Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas have black bear management plans in place.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	3	4.4	Evaluate population indices and goals.	Ongoing Current	FY 1995 - FY 1999	FY 2013	Other	National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Region 4 - Ecological Services, USGS Southern Appalachain Field Laboratory at UT	Research	Graduate Student, Contract	Population indices (or measures of population health) have been developed for the Louisiana population by the USGS population and demographic studies as described in Tasks 4.1 and 4.2 (see also Laufenberg and Clark 2014). Those analyses take into account information collected as part of the ongoing movement studies, den checks data collections.
Louisiana Black Bear	F	4	Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office (337) 291-3100	Louisiana black bear	Ursus americanus luteolus	3	4.6	Study bear biology and limiting factors.	Ongoing Current	Prior to FY 1995		Other	National Wildlife Refuge , Black Bear Conservation Committee , Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries , Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks , UNIVersity (Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, UNIVersity of Tennessee, Louisiana State UNIVersity, Mississippi State UNIVersity, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) , Region 4 - Ecological Services, USGS Southern Appalachain Field Laboratory at UT	Research: General, Research: Habitat Requirements	Graduate Student, Contract	Numerous studies have been published on the biology of bears and habitat in Louisiana since 2001. They include but are not limited to studies of: the TRB population (Boersen at al 2003; Hooker 2010, Laufenberg 2014); UARB population (Lowe 2011, O’Connell 2013); the LARB population (Troxler 2013); aspects of the repatriation project (Benson 2005; Benson and Chamberlain 2007; Van Why 2003); the effectiveness of aversive conditioning (Leigh 2007) and conflict resolution (Cotton 2008); den site selection and use (Crook and Chamberlain 2010); the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on coastal Louisiana black bear habitat (Murrow and Clark 2012); opening of the Morganza Floodway on bears (O’Connell-Goode at al 2014). In Mississippi published studies include: bear movements, and habitat use in MS (Waller et al. 2013); den site selection (Waller et al. 2012) and the history and status of black bears in Mississippi (Simek et al. 2012). Several studies have been conducted on human attitudes towards bears: Bowman et al. (2001); Keul 2007, Peterson (2011), Duda et al. (2013), and Williams et al. (2011). The first assessment of region-wide habitat suitability within the historic distribution of the Louisiana black bear in east and southeast Texas was conducted by Kaminski (2011 and 2014) who identified potential recovery areas. As part of the Louisiana population studies initiated by LDWF, USGS and UT researchers in 2006 Laufenberg (2014) and Laufenberg and Clark (2014) developed estimates of population abundance and viability (discussed above in Tasks 4.1 and 4.2). In addition, the results from the GPS and DNA studies were used to provide insight to the important elements of a functional movement corridor for the Louisiana black bear. Genetic results indicate evidence for interchange among the TRB and the UARB subpopulations via bears from the TRC subpopulation (Laufenberg and Clark 2014). There is also evidence of genetic interchange from the UARB to the TRC subpopulation and from White River bears to the TRB subpopulation. Female interchange between subpopulations was low to non-existent and overall subpopulation interchange was asymmetrical (i.e., no interchange from TRB or TRC subpopulations to the UARB subpopulation). There was evidence of interchange of bears between the TRB, UARB, TRC, WRB, and Mississippi subpopulations; however, the current potential for interchange between the LARB and other subpopulations is low. Those movement studies indicated that bear movement was enhanced if there was natural cover, some distance from roads and near agriculture, and the current habitat matrix is capable of supporting male exchange (Laufenberg and Clark 2014).