Public Comment Sought Regarding Feral Cat Management Plan

Date: May 8, 2011
Contact: Lauren Gurniewicz, 580-622-7282
Contact: Steve Burrough, 580-622-7261

The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing to develop a management plan for Feral Cats at Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur, Oklahoma.Feral Cats are non-native species and pose concerns for resource managers in the park. Feral Cats often scatter garbage, serve as a disease vector, and can kill or injure native wildlife.According to the 2006 NPS Management Policies, management action is required to address issues associated with living organisms that interfere with the purposes or management objectives of a specific site within a park or that jeopardize human health and safety.

The NPS is proposing to manage Feral Cats using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, which employs a variety of control methods to reduce impacts. Some non-lethal methods may include education and law enforcement (issuing fines for feeding feral cats), habitat modification, repellents and trapping and live-capture with removal. More extreme methods will also be considered, but only utilized as a last resort.

By using an IPM approach, NPS hopes to 1) reduce the impacts to the natural resources caused by Feral Cats; 2) identify and employ environmentally sound, cost effective management strategies that pose the least possible risk to people, park resources, and the environment; 3) enhance visitor use and experience and public education.

The NPS is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for managing Feral Cats in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide the decision-making framework that 1) analyzes a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives, 2) evaluates potential issues and impacts to park resources and values, and 3) identifies mitigation measures to lessen the degree or extent of these impacts.This project will also be conducted in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and other applicable laws, regulations, and policies.

The NPS encourages public participation throughout the NEPA process during which the public has two opportunities to formally comment on the project; once during initial project scoping and again following public release of the EA.The park is currently in the scoping phase of this project, and invites you to submit your written comments to park managers.

Written comments may be sent to the park Superintendent via email, e-mail us, or by US mail to the address below:

Superintendent, Chickasaw National Recreation Area
1008 West 2nd Street
Sulphur, OK 73086

For more information, contact Chief of Resource Management Steve Burrough at 580 622-7261 or [e-mail].