Karner Blue Butterfly Assisted Migration in Western Wisconsin

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Karner blue butterfly (KBB)populations are exposed to various stressors, including: loss of habitat, succession due to limited or lack of management, lack of connectivity between areas of suitable habitat and changes associated with climate change. Collectively, these stressors would be addressed by this proposed project. The overall project will add a new subpopulation within the historic KBB range by using a modified version of the Egg Salvage Protocol (WDNR 2014) to translocate KBB eggs into restored habitat, will enhance habitat within a buffer around this new subpopulation to ensure sufficient connectivity of suitable habitat between new subpopulations and currently occupied population, and will enhance existing KBB-occupied habitat. This specific funding opportunity will enhance existing Karner Blue Butterfly populations on managed public land so that vegetation with KBB eggs can be moved to new locations from this source population. This is a notice of intent to award a single source Cooperative Agreement to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources under justification 505DM2.14B(4). Competition for this award is not practicable as it was developed in conjunction with staff at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Karner Blue Butterflies are only located on the Glacial Lakes Grantsburg Wildlife Management Area Complex and therefore this is the only location that works for translocation efforts in the St. Croix Wetland Management District. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will be substantially involved in projects under this funding opportunity. In particular, the Service will be responsible for the following: 1. Work closely with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to coordinate Karner Blue Butterfly translocation efforts between the Glacial Lakes Grantsburg Wildlife Management Area Complex and Waterfowl Production Areas on the St. Croix Wetland Management District. 2. Work closely with the Wisconsin DNR to identify timing of management activities and timing of Service led efforts to locate and move Karner Blue Butterfly eggs. 3. Provide a representative to serve on the coordination team for implementation of this project.

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