APPENDIX B 

 CORIELL ISLAND DRAFT MANAGEMENT PLAN 



December 18, 1995 - 



I. PURPOSE 



The goal of this management plan is to describe how the 73 + acre island, referred to as 

 Coriell Island after Dr. Coriell from Poison, MT., will be managed by FWP, should diis 

 project be approved by the FWP Commission. The Coriell Management Plan describes the 

 history and wildlife values of this island, outlines management goals and objectives, specifies 

 various actions FWP plans to implement over the next 2 years, and gives interim guidance on 

 public recreation management until more accurate data can be collected. 



If the Coriell project is approved, the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) would 

 include the Coriell Island into Wildlife Division's network of approximately 40 Wildlife 

 Habitat Protection Areas (WHPA's) across the Montana. WHPA's are usually small parcels of 

 land, often donated or sold to FWP below market value, which hold exemplary wildlife 

 habitats or special wildlife use areas such as nesting islands. FWP manages several WHPA's 

 in the Flathead basin including 2 islands within Flathead Lake. 



The management philosophy behind the management of WHPA's is focused on protecting the 

 wildlife habitat and special wildlife uses of the property. Recreation can occur on most 

 WHPA's; however, only low impact types of uses are encouraged. Recreation is often 

 discouraged during critical periods of wildlife use (e.g. during spring waterfowl nesting). 



II. MANAGEMENT GOALS 



The management goal for Coriell is: " to protect and maintain the riparian/wetland values and 

 special wildlife uses associated with this island property and to allow recreation uses which do 

 not undermine or impact diese natural values". 



There is a potential for including the Coriell property into die Montana Natural Areas 

 Program. This potential will be evaluated during implementation of this management plan. 



The Management Plan is organized by the following objectives: 1. Maintain Habitat Values; 

 2. Provide Public Recreational Opportunities; 3. Monitoring/Adaptive Management. 



III. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION 



The Coriell property occupies most of an island within the main channel of the Flathead 

 River. The property is comprised of both riparian and wetland habitats in nearly pristine 

 condition. The natural vegetation consists of mature cottonwoods, deciduous shrublands, and 

 herbaceous communities typical of river systems. It is bisected by a primary river channel as 

 well as other backwater channels. The island lies within an active or "delta" section of the 

 Flathead River just upstream of its confluence with the Stillwater River at which point the 

 Flathead mainstem becomes a slow meandering river. This highly braided section exists 

 because of the change in gradient between the upper and lower Flathead River systems and 



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