20230568 Ver 1_USFWS_RCW_Cert_Letter_20230418

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Oci�� United States Department of the Interior
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FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Raleigh ES Field Office
Post Office Box 33726
,M a ,e'� Raleigh,North Carolina 27636-3726
DATE: 3-30-23
RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER
SELF-CERTIFICATION LETTER#1
Project Name: Bamber Rays Bridge Wetland Permit ATT
Project Address (Parcel Number and Street Address if Available):
(Moore County ID#20040425) Rqy's Bridge Road Whispering Pines, Moore Count
NC
Dear Applicant:
Thank you for using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Sandhills online project review
process for red-cockaded woodpecker(RCW). By printing this letter in conjunction with your
project review package, you are certifying that you have completed the online project review
process for the project named above in accordance with all instructions provided,using the best
available information to reach your conclusions for RCW. This letter, along with your project
information, completes the review of your project for RCW in accordance with section 9 of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544, 87 Stat. 884), as amended(ESA). This
letter does not complete the review of your project for other listed species. If there are other
federally listed species that may be affected by your project, please use the Service's general
online review process at this link(https://www.fws.gov/office/eastern-north-carolina/project-
planning-and-consultation) or contact the Service for further guidance.
A copy of this letter and other project information should be kept for your records. The letter and
information do not need to be submitted to the Service for this certification to be valid.
PLEASE NOTE: This letter is not to be used for self-certification of projects that fall within the
Red Zone on the map at https://www.fws.gov/media/nc-sandhills-rcw-red-zone-and-clear-zones-
safe-harbor-agreement. This letter is for projects located in the Clear Zone and will not take
place within 50 feet of an RCW cavity tree. If your project falls within a Red Zone, or if you
can't check both boxes below,please refer to the Service's website
(https://www.fws.gov/office/eastern-north-carolina/sandhills-rcw-safe-harbor) for additional
information or contact our office at 919-856-4520.

CERTIFICATION:
To use this form to self-certify compliance with the ESA for RCW, the box in Number 1 AND
the box in Number 2 must be checked.
1. The box below must be checked:
X I have reviewed the most recent online map and the project is in a Clear Zone.
2. Read the entire letter and check this box:
X I certify that I have read this letter in its entirety and will abide by the listed Conservation
Measures herein to the extent practicable.
The red-cockaded woodpecker is endemic to open, mature, and old growth pine ecosystems in
the southeastern United States. It depends on mature live pine trees for its nesting and roosting
sites (called clusters) and for foraging habitat. The Service's Recovery Plan defines the cluster as
the aggregation of cavity trees used and defended by a group of red-cockaded woodpeckers and a
200-foot buffer of continuous forest. The Recovery plan also outlines the minimum acreage,
distribution, and stocking levels of foraging habitat(stands of southern yellow pine)required to
conserve a family group of woodpeckers. Requisite foraging habitat must be found in pine stands
contiguous with the cluster and within a 1/2-mile radius of the cluster center(foraging partition).
Property development within a cluster and associated foraging habitat, if not carefully conducted
is potentially harmful to the species and may violate the ESA if not specifically authorized by the
Service.
Recovery efforts for this species are underway and may result in groups becoming reestablished
in areas currently unoccupied by this species. The cumulative loss of foraging and nesting habitat
caused by residential and commercial construction is one of the primary threats to the continued
existence of the RCW in the North Carolina Sandhills area. The Conservation Measures listed
below will help minimize the threats to the RCW.
Recommended Conservation Measures
1. Planners and builders are encouraged to shift proposed development to avoid removing large
pine trees.
2. To maintain suitability of the habitat, take measures to prevent damage to the bole and root
system of the remaining longleaf pines.
3. Retain turpentine trees and all old growth longleaf pines that may be on the property.
4. Where cutting is necessary, large branches should be removed or trimmed as a first option
instead of complete tree removal.
5. Landscaping should use species native to the Sandhills ecosystem that do not exceed seven
feet in height. Exotic invasive plants should be avoided.
This certification letter is valid for one (1) year. However, this determination must be
reconsidered if the project design is subsequently modified, or if new information becomes
available. If an RCW constructs a cavity in a pine tree on the subject property within the one-
year time frame, this letter does not allow disturbance (within the drip line) or removal of the

cavity tree, and additional review and approval should be requested. Information about the online
project review process including instructions, species information, and other information
regarding project reviews within North Carolina is available at our website:
hlt2s://www.fws.gov/office/eastern-north-carolina/project-planning-and-consultation. If you
have any questions, please contact John Hammond at(919-856-4520).
Sincerely,
/s/Pete Benjamin
Pete Benjamin
Field Supervisor
Raleigh Ecological Services