NOTICES
WILD RESOURCE CONSERVATION FUND
1999 Annual Report
[29 Pa.B. 4400] The Wild Resource Conservation Act (32 P. S. §§ 5301--5314) (act), signed June 23, 1982, by Governor Thornburgh, was the outgrowth of a realization that Pennsylvanians must take a more active role in protecting their rare and endangered species of flora and fauna and those habitats, which are critical to their survival.
The act provides for the protection of protected wildlife and native wild plants. The act also established the Wild Resource Conservation Fund as the sole means of financing management work to be carried out under this program. The moneys to support the program may only be raised through private contributions, as no general fund revenues from the State Treasury may be used for any purposes of this act. A seven-member Wild Resource Conservation Board was established to administer the conservation program and select the projects and studies, which are to be funded.
The Board's members represent those State government agencies, which are responsible for managing the Commonwealth's flora and fauna. The members are: Secretary, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Executive Director, Fish and Boat Commission; Executive Director, Game Commission; Majority and Minority Chairpersons of The House Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy and the Minority and Majority Chairpersons of The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. The Chairmanship of the Board rotates on an annual basis between the members.
The centerpiece of the legislation is the establishment of a special fund which, for the first time, enables Pennsylvania's citizens to support the protection of wild plants and protected wildlife through voluntary, tax deductible contributions. The most creative source of funding is the opportunity for Pennsylvania's taxpayers to donate all or a portion of their State income tax refund to the Wild Resource Conservation Fund. Those who do not receive a State tax refund may also support this conservation program with a direct contribution.
Pennsylvania was 18th on the growing list of states providing tax checkoff funding for protected wildlife programs. While the list now numbers 34 states, Pennsylvania's law is unique in that it also focuses on protecting the Commonwealth's native wild plants. Tax checkoffs are a relatively new concept in raising funds for wildlife, with Colorado being the first to initiate such a program in 1977.
Program Objectives The research and management programs funded and authorized by the Wild Resource Conservation Board will be carried out by Pennsylvania's three natural resource agencies: the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR); the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC); and the PA Game Commission (PGC). Professional and technical staff members from each of the agencies are responsible for developing comprehensive management programs to ensure the future welfare of wild plants and nongame wildlife. Previously, moneys for this area of wildlife management were either nonexistent or very limited. The fund represents a major source of revenue focused on this specific area of long neglected wildlife management.
Among the Wild Resource Conservation Board's activities will be programs dealing with those species of nongame wildlife and wild plants which are classified as being either endangered or threatened. The three agencies have combined their efforts in a program to identify all such species found in Pennsylvania. The DCNR, PFBC and PGC have been working with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, Morris Arboretum and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History on this study entitled, Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory (PNDI). The species of flora and fauna found to be endangered or threatened have been classified as special concern and it is this special concern group which will receive the immediate attention of the Board.
The act requires the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to conduct investigations on wild plants to ascertain information relating to populations, distribution, habitat needs, limiting factors and other biological and ecological data to classify plants and to determine management measures necessary for their continued ability to sustain themselves successfully.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, through the PNDI, has developed a computerized database containing location and ecological information about Pennsylvania's rare native plants; unique plant communities; special concern animals reptiles, amphibians and fish; and significant geologic features. The system can be quickly and precisely queried to show the number and location of significant biological resources.
The plant information contained in the PNDI will be of great assistance in classifying plants as endangered, threatened or vulnerable as outlined in the act. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has promulgated regulations based on the PNDI findings. The regulations established limitations relating to taking, possessing, transporting, exporting, processing, sale or offer for sale, or shipment of endangered, threatened or vulnerable classified native wild plants.
The Game Commission has always been involved, either directly or indirectly, with protected wildlife management. Game management practices, game land holdings, regulated hunting seasons and other factors have aided Pennsylvania's protected wildlife species. The Game Commission has, historically, aimed the greater majority of its management programs at game species to meet the desires and needs of sportsmen who support these programs through license fees. The Game Commission is broadening its protected wildlife management involvement through its Working Together for Wildlife Program and with moneys available from the Wild Resource Conservation Fund.
The Fish and Boat Commission is charged with managing Pennsylvania's reptiles and amphibians in addition to its work with game fish and the protection of our waterways. The Fish and Boat Commission has organized itself to address the needs of this group of animals which have not received the attention shown other nongame animals such as raptors and song birds. Reptiles and amphibians, too, have seen drastic changes in their environment, which have led to their decreasing numbers. The continual loss of wetland habitat is the factor most responsible. To help solve this problem, the Board has the authority to allocate moneys from the Wild Resource Conservation Fund to purchase habitat deemed critical to the survival of endangered or threatened species.
Wild Resource Conservation Fund
1998--1999 Projects $187,500 was approved for funding by the Wild Resource Conservation Board. The Board met on March 17, 1999, for their annual meeting and approved funding for 16 projects. A total of 29 applications were received requesting $452,009 in funding. The money allocated was received from taxpayers donating their State tax refunds to the Wild Resource Conservation Fund and wildlife license plate sales. The following projects will protect and help manage the Commonwealth's nongame and wild plant species:
Project Sponsor Amount * Herpetology/Fish Research Assistant The Nature Conservancy $42,000 * Herpetological Atlas Pilot Indiana University--Arthur Hulse $18,000 * Herbarium & Field Studies of PA Plants of Special Concern Carnegie Museum $10,000 * Field Studies of Plants of Special Concern in PA The Nature Conservancy $10,000 * Field and Herbarium Studies of PA TU Plant Species/Plant Field Surveys for Env. Review/Botanical Key Preparation for the Flora of PA--Morris Arboretum $15,000 * Databasing the PA Vascular Collection at Youngstown Ohio University Carl Chuey, YOU $ 5,400 * Rare Plant & Natural Community Inventories of Northwest PA Cleveland Museum $ 9,600 * Botanical Studies for Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory Western PA Conservancy $10,000 * Wild Action Grant Program Theresa Alberici PA Game Comm. $ 4,000 * Denning & Resting Habitats used by Fishers & Otter Population Surveys Frostburg State Univ.--T. Serfass $11,500 * Habitat Use and & Selection by Neotropical Migratory Songbirds Margaret Brittingham--Penn State $13,000 * Maintenance of the official list of birds of PA PA Ornithological Records Committee $ 2,000 * Fact Sheets on PA Wildlife Penn State--M. Brittingham $11,000 * Special Concern Mammal Species Research The Nature Conservancy $10,000 * Pennsylvania Bio-Blitz PA Biological Survey $ 8,000 The following project involved two or more of the State agencies and is therefore considered a Special Administrative Project. * Promotion and Public Relations Bob Clark $ 8,000 Wild Resource Conservation Board Members
John Oliver, Secretary
Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesHonorable Peter A. Colangelo, Executive Director
Fish and Boat CommissionHonorable Vern Ross, Executive Director
Game CommissionHonorable Raphael J. Musto
Majority Chairperson
Senate Environmental Resources & Energy CommitteeHonorable Mary Jo White
Minority Chairperson
Senate Environmental Resources & Energy CommitteeHonorable Arthur D. Hershey
Majority Chairperson
House Committee on Environmental Resources & EnergyHonorable Camille ''Bud'' George
Minority Chairperson
House Committee on Environmental Resources & EnergyThe Balance Sheet and Statement of Unreserved Fund Balance provided were prepared by the Comptroller's Office on a cash basis of accounting, combined with an encumbrance budgetary system. They were not prepared in accordance with General Accepted Accounting Principles.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Wild Resource Conservation Fund
Statement of Unreserved Fund Balance
for the period ended June 30,1999
Unreserved Fund Balance, Beginning $797,943.49 Revenue Received: Income Tax Check-offs $307,264.81 Voluntary Donations 22,318.59 Income from ''Osprey'' Film 5,594.00 Wild Plants License/Permits 1,756.00 Sale of Publications 20,123.30 Wild Resource License Plate 50,721.53 Wild Resource Tee Shirts 3,809.00 Interest on Securities 66,392.49 Total Revenue Received $477,999.72 Prior Year Commitment Liquidation's $405,582.05 Total Funds Available $1,681,525.26 Deductions: Administrative Expenses $297,911.75 Administrative Commitments (1) 39,946.25 Project Expenses (2) 310,350.36 Project Commitments (3) 456,977.41 Total Deductions $1,105,185.77 Unreserved Fund Balance, Ending $576,339.49 (1) This figure does not include administrative commitments of $112,732.13 contingently committed against future years spending authorizations.
(2) This figure does include $53,073.02 in expenses from special projects approved by the WRCF Board.
(3) This figure does not include project commitments of $40,372.50 (of which $27,000.00 are special projects) contingently committed against future years spending authorizations. This figure does include $62,704.14 in special projects approved by the WRCF Board
(PREPARED BY COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE)
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Wild Resource Conservation Fund
Balance Sheet
June 30, 1999
ASSET Cash $476.69 Temporary Investments $1,073,000.00 Total Assets $1,073,476.69 LIABILITIES AND FUND EQUITY LIABILITIES Vouchers Payable $213.54 Total Liabilities $213.54 FUND EQUITY Unreserved Fund Equity $576,339.49 (1) Reserved for Administrative Commitments 39,946.25 (2) Reserved for Wild Resource Projects 456,977.41 Total Fund Equity $1,073,263.15 Total Liabilities and Fund Equity $1,073,476.69 (1) This figure does not include administrative commitments of $112,732.13 contingently committed against future years spending authorizations
(2) This figure does not include project commitments of $40,372.50 (of which $28,000.00 are special projects) contingently committed against future years spending authorizations. This figure does include $62,704.14 in special projects by the WRCF Board.
(PREPARED BY COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE)
Public Hearing The Wild Resource Conservation Board has scheduled a public hearing for Wednesday, September 16, 1999, 1 p.m. at the Game Commission Office, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. The purpose of the hearing is to provide individuals and organizations the opportunity to comment on the recommendations and programs funded with moneys from the Wild Resource Conservation Fund. The Wild Resource Conservation Board is interested in hearing from any individual or organization that wishes to make comment on the projects submitted for funding to the agencies, Game Commission, Fish and Boat Commission or the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources list published in this issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Agencies project recommendations for funding will be presented at the public hearing.
Only comments from the general public regarding the projects received will be heard at the September 16, 1999 public hearing.
The Board will then evaluate all recommendations submitted for its consideration and final funding decisions will be approved at the annual meeting on November 18, 1998.
Annual Meeting The Wild Resource Conservation Board annual meeting will be scheduled at a later date if funds are available for distribution, if no funds are available a meeting will be called at the discretion of the Chairmanship. A full report will be presented on the allocation of moneys from the Wild Resource Conservation Fund. The Board will consider all presentations made at the public hearing and the plans outlined by the professional technical staffs of the Fish and Boat Commission, Game Commission and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The recommendations funded by the Board will be administered by the Fish and Boat Commission, the Game Commission and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The recommendation selections will be based on their individual contribution to the management goals of three agencies and those outlined in the Wild Resource Conservation Act.
The following list includes the project recommendations requesting funding for 1999-2000 received by the Wild Resource Conservation Board. The public is invited to offer comment at the public hearing on September 16, 1999. The public hearing will be held at the Game Commission Headquarters, 2001 Elmerton Ave. at 1 p.m. Please limit comments to 5 minutes and provide eight copies for the Wild Resource Conservation Board.
Project Submissions to DCNR for WRCF Funding in 1999 * Title: Herbarium and Field Studies of the Pennsylvania Plants of Special Concern
Objective: Data recording and specimen verification discover and document new taxa for Pennsylvania, field surveys for POSCIP species, provide herbarium services to the Heritage Program.
Justification: Monitoring and conserving Pennsylvania's plant diversity is dependent on the most complete and accurate information possible, including data from current field surveys, historical collections and literature reviews. Correct identification of historical specimens is critical to the reliability of the PNDI database as a tool for environmental review as well as to current monitoring efforts.
Sponsor: Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Cost: $20,019
* Title: Field and Office Studies of Plant Species of Special Concern in Eastern PA
Objective: Conduct field surveys in eastern Pennsylvania to attempt to locate denovo populations and confirm extant or historical populations of plant species of special concern having state suggested status of endangered, threatened, rare or undetermined. The surveys will involve a minimum of 25 species on the Plants of Special Concern in Pennsylvania (POSCIP) list.
Justification: Field work is necessary for the proper conservation of wild plant resources in Pennsylvania without the new and revised data that field surveys provide the completeness and reliability of the PNDI database, and therefore plant conservation, would be compromised.
Sponsor: The Nature Conservancy
Cost: $25,000
* Title: Upgrades and Modifications to the data management system for the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory - East
Objective: Develop methods to record, store and map negative data, and develop protocols for releasing the data.
Justification: Negative data, indicating where rare elements have been searched for unsuccessfully, could be an important component of site surveys and Environmental Reviews. At present, the only negative data we record is for previously known occurrences searched for but not found. The Biological Conservation Database has no capability for storing or managing negative data for new sites. Our goal is to establish a way to record and manage information for cases in which new locations are searched but no species or community is found. Therefore, we will design and implement a secondary database and mapping system for negative data.
Sponsor: The Nature Conservancy
Cost: $21,900
* Title: Field, Herbarium and Literature Surveys, Taxonomic Studies, PA Flora Project Web Site and Environmental Review
Objective: The field, herbarium and literature surveys are intended to continue to collect the information necessary to refine the classification of plants currently listed as temporarily undetermined (TU) on the POSCIP list and other plants recommended for consideration for listing by the Vascular Plants Technical Committee. Funding to support updates at website of Pennsylvania Flora Database, provide environmental review services to Bureau of Forestry.
Justification: The Plants of Special Concern list is still being reviewed and updated to assure that the status of each listed plant is well documented and justified, and that all plants that require protection are appropriately classified.
Sponsor: Morris Arboretum
Cost: $24,000
* Title: Refining the Classification of Natural Communities on PA Through Zoological Studies on State Forest Lands
Objective: Bureau of Forestry and PNDI staff review the classification of natural communities and select a list of several types for which zoological data would be most useful. Determine which groups of animals are the most useful in terms of adding relevant descriptive information to the classification system.
Justification: The classification of PA's natural communities is an important endeavor for science and conservation. Resource management and regulatory agencies in PA recognize the need for ecological classification, including natural communities.
Sponsor: Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Cost: $40,000
* Title: Pennsylvania Aquatic Community Classification Project
Objective: Further the Pennsylvania Natural Community Classification project for aquatic systems within the Susquehanna River watershed, develop comparative data on species diversity among high-quality aquatic communities, provide data on high quality aquatic systems to government and private conservation groups, identify potential biotic indicators of community integrity and/or impairment (both floral and faunal), compile a database of information for future monitoring/mitigation-assessment projects.
Justification: The regulator and conservation communities will enter any site-specific data into the PNDI database for use. They can use the information to protect the highest quality water bodies and their watersheds in the State.
Sponsor: The Nature Conservancy
Cost: $5339
* Title: The re-evaluation of potentially dated Plant Community Element Occurrence records in the PNDI-East Biological and Conservation Database (BCD)
Objective: Updating plant community information in the PNDI-East BCD. BCD plant community data will be analyzed and all sites >5 years old will be prioritized based on time since last observation and ecological importance. The 20 highest priority sites will be revisited during calendar year 2000 and current site and plant community data collected.
Justification: The PNDI Biological and Conservation Database is used to track the status of rare plant and animal species as well as rare and unique plant communities within Pennsylvania. The database is relied upon by Pennsylvania State agencies such as DCNR and DEP for the environmental review of proposed public and private projects. To accurately access impacts, the BCD must be kept reasonably current.
Sponsor: The Nature Conservancy
Cost: $17,000
Project Submissions to the PA Fish and Boat Commission for Funding in 1999 * Title: Conservation and Management of Fish, Herptiles and Aquatic Species--Special Projects.
Objective: Complete a series of specific projects related to the monitoring and management of nongame fish, amphibians, reptiles and aquatic organisms.
Justification: 46 fish, 12 amphibians, and 2 freshwater mussels are presently on the Pennsylvania Endangered and Threatened and/or Candidate Species Lists. Project views, special studies and data management to adequately address the conservation of these species will be accomplished by the special projects.
Sponsor: The Nature Conservancy
Cost: $44,180
* Title: Assessment of Genetic Variation and Gene Flow Among Populations of the Timber Rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus, in Eastern and Northcentral Pennsylvania
Objective: Assessing the level of genetic variation present in populations of timber rattlesnake, Crotalus homidus. in eastern and northcentral Pennsylvania. Collect tissue samples, which will allow us to expand our analysis of genetic variation of timber rattlesnakes to six populations in the Northeastern, Southeastern and Northcentral regions of PA.
Justification: This project will provide information about the gene flow among these populations of timber rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania.
Sponsor: Beaver College
Cost: $20,015
Project Submissions to the PA Game Commission for Funding in 1999 * Title: Wild Action Grant Program
Objective: Provide financial support for 25 schools and/or youth groups to improve habitat for wildlife on school and community grounds and incorporate these habitats into classroom curriculum and club programming.
Justification: To ensure habitat conservation for native plants and wildlife both now and in the future, it is essential that habitat conservation education programs be implemented in our schools and youth organizations.
Sponsor: Game Commission
Cost: $4,000
* Title: Special Concern Mammal Species Research and Management
Objective: Continue research on the least shrew in Franklin, Lebanon and Schuylkill Counties, coordinate all summer bat maternity concentration survey programs, research in Wyoming State Forest concerning the rock vole and rock shrew, coordinate the important mammal areas project for the PA Biological Survey's Mammal Committee
Justification: The continuation of inventories of the various special concern species coupled with long term research of communities and populations will result in the information needed by wildlife management professionals as the formulate strategies. These continued inventories would also permit us to create a picture for future referral in assessing the success of our wildlife management programs.
Sponsor: The Nature Conservancy
Cost: $30,000
* Title: Maintenance of the Official List of Birds of Pennsylvania
Objective: To maintain the official list, review status of all species, archive copies of slides, review new records, publish results, to hold committee meetings.
Justification: Until recently no formalized system of reviewing current and historical bird records in Pennsylvania had been established. The ornithological and birding communities usually accepted published historical records, without question. To achieve a system of review and records the Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee was founded and a system established.
Sponsor: PA Ornithological Records Committee
Cost: $2,000
* Title: Bat Maternity Condo at Blue Marsh Lake
Objective: The construction of a bat maternity condo to provide supplemental and eventually permanent roosting of an existing population of 1,500+ little brown bats who currently roost in a barn whose future is uncertain. The condo will be located at a watchable wildlife station in Blue Marsh Lake Recreation Area.
Justification: The condo will be located at watchable wildlife station at Blue Marsh Lake and used to educate the public on the importance of bats and their habits/life cycles. Annual surveys of the bat population will be conducted and the condo will be registered as a study site with the Pennsylvania Bat Concentration Survey.
Sponsor: US Army Corps of Engineers
Cost: $2,000
Project Submissions which Cover Multi-Agencies for Funding in 1999 * Title: Wildlife in the Classroom
Objective: Get persons of all ages involved in outdoor Pennsylvania, provide appropriate standards with suggestions on how to use them to teachers in both public, private and home school arenas, supply needed additions to curriculum for educators especially in science/technology, environment/ecology by publishing Keystone Conservationist which will have the ''Wildlife in the Classroom: A Teacher's Guide'', teacher's in-services workshops, and calendar with pertinent information to educators.
Justification: Use Keystone Conservationist magazine to develop environmental curriculums in distressed school districts especially intercity schools where lack of funding is prevalent.
Sponsor: Penn-Wild Publications Inc.
Cost: $14,950 for 1000 magazine subscriptions
* Title: Butterflies of Pennsylvania
Objective: Provide a publication to facilitate rapid identification of most Pennsylvania butterflies, increase public awareness of the critical link between habitat and host-plant requirements for maintaining butterfly biodiversity in Pennsylvania, provide introductory information on butterfly observation, collecting, conservation, and the importance of Pennsylvania's natural areas for butterfly biodiversity.
Justification: Butterflies provide an important gateway for the general public to begin an appreciation of the many thousands of insects and other small animals that contribute to the health and function of our natural environment.
Sponsor: Penn State
Cost: $30,000
RAPHAEL J. MUSTO,
Chairperson
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 99-1353. Filed for public inspection August 13, 1999, 9:00 a.m.]
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