Project Summary

1. Project Identification

Name	Neotropical and Seabird Habitat Enhancement by Rat Eradication
Region	Alaska
State	Alaska
Location	Eareckson Air Station, Shemya Island, AK
Date of this update	March 5, 1998

2. Problem(s) addressed (check one or more)

Habitat Restoration/Protection
Wetlands
River systems
Beaches/Dunes
Offshore areas
Mangroves
Assisting Species at Risk		Neotropical Birds and Seabirds
Pollution Mitigation
Non-Point Source Pollution
Other (describe)		Enhance nesting neotropical passerine and seabirds as well as other resident and occasional bird species through the eradication of rats. Rats were devastating bird populations since vegetation is low and only nesting on the ground or in burrows is common for most of the island. Also, the rats posed human health problem and caused damage to USAF property and supplies.

3. Project Description (100 words or less. Please include qualitative information, e.g. acres of habitat restored, miles of steam reopened to migration, and legislative authorization, e.g. WRDA, ISTEA, CWA/NEP, CZMA, etc.)

Survey the extent of rat populations and eradicate the rats through available standard methods. This was to be a demonstration project to assist in eradication efforts on other Aleutian Islands where access is more difficult. Rats were accidentally introduced to Shemya Island as well as other occupied Aleutian Islands during World War II.

4. Goals/Benefits (quantify where possible using measures of success list)

Valuable information and experience was sought for use on other Aleutian Islands within the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Shemya Island’s Eareckson Air Station is within the refuge. Most other islands lack the access Eareckson AS offers for the effort. The information on rat eradication would also be useful worldwide to the scientific and health community. Literature indicates 82% of all oceanic islands have been infested with rats.

Concurrent to planning and funding the project, a decision was made to draw-down the installation and supplies were moved to a newly constructed rat proof warehouse. Many buildings were abandoned and the human population of the installation decreased drastically. The heat in most buildings was turned off for a winter. As the survey prior to eradication started it was noted an absence of rats. Very few rat remains where found, that indicated the species Rattus rattus that only lives in warm environments had been present and perished. No burrows of Norway rats were found. The project was drawn to an end and funds were used to complete other natural resources Legacy Resource Management Program projects.

Was a cost-benefit study conducted for this project? yes/no If yes, provide a summary of findings.

No, successes (cost benefit) are not quantified.

5. Partners (include each participant's responsibilities - funding, permitting, etc.)

• Federal

  Lead - U.S. Air Force, 611th Civil Engineer Squadron, Natural Resource Management - Project Management & Funding
  Others - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge - Principal Investigator

• Non-Federal

  State government
  Local government
  Private industry
  Public interest groups
  Educational Facility
  Other partnerships

6. Funding/Contributions (organization and amount)

• Cash

  Federal		$60,000
  Non Federal	State government
  	Local government
  	Private industry
  	Public interest groups
  Total		$60,000

• In-Kind Services (hours, equipment, or other forms of assistance and estimated dollar value)

  USFWS valued at approximately $5,000 for paid staff, office space, materials, supplies, and tools

• Volunteers (number of people and hours, and estimated dollar value)

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7. Legislative authorities used by each participant

1993 DoD Appropriations Act, USAF

8. Value added by Coastal America Partnership including Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals achieved through this collaboration (500 words or less)

Incomplete, an applicable example was not available

9. Project Status

Initiation date	January 1993
Completion date
Current stage	Completed

10. Contacts

• Project Manager

  Mr. Gene V. Augustine, USAF, 611 CES/CEVPN

• Participating Agency/Organization Contacts: (e.g. volunteer groups, conservation groups, state agencies, and other federal agency contacts)

  Principle Investigator:
  Mr. Joseph Meehan, USFWS, AMNWR

  Refuge Assistant Manager:
  Mr. Daniel Boone, USFWS, AMNWR

11. Any additional information/comments

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This page was last updated on Saturday, 24-Jun-2000 11:48:46 EDT
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