The Division of Fish and Wildlife may be called during any of the
The Division of Fish and Wildlife may be called during any of the above steps to assist with snake removal or to verify compliance with this protocol. Please note that any boas killed or injured at the site will constitute a violation under the federal Endangered Species Act, which can be avoided by carefully following the preceding steps. For further information, please contact the Division of Fish and Wildlife at (340) 775-6762. VI Tree Boa: Site Clearance Protocol Tracts of wooded habitat and associated understory outside the footprint and setback of the building and not required for infrastructure should be retained as tree boa habitat. Connections with habitat on adjacent property should be left intact. All personnel will be instructed in identifying this harmless snake and photographs of the VI Tree Boa are to be prominently displayed on this notice at the site. At least 10 days prior (if under 1 acre) to the use of heavy machinery on the site, the site is to be flagged and vegetation cut by hand, saving trees where possible. …
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The Division of Fish and Wildlife may be called during any of the above steps to assist with snake removal or to verify compliance with this protocol. Please note that any boas killed or injured at the site will constitute a violation under the federal Endangered Species Act, which can be avoided by carefully following the preceding steps. For further information, please contact the Division of Fish and Wildlife at (340) 775-6762. VI Tree Boa: Site Clearance Protocol Tracts of wooded habitat and associated understory outside the footprint and setback of the building and not required for infrastructure should be retained as tree boa habitat. Connections with habitat on adjacent property should be left intact. All personnel will be instructed in identifying this harmless snake and photographs of the VI Tree Boa are to be prominently displayed on this notice at the site. At least 10 days prior (if under 1 acre) to the use of heavy machinery on the site, the site is to be flagged and vegetation cut by hand, saving trees where possible. Any stone walls or naturally occurring rock piles must be carefully dismantled by hand as these are refuges for the snake. This will allow any boas present to vacate the site without injury. If the area to be cleared exceeds 1 acre then the resting period is 14 days. Any trees with trunks greater than 7 cm diameter that are felled should be placed in a undisturbed location to allow snakes hiding in tree holes to vacate. The Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) or an on-site agent should be notified of any snakes observed or captured. If a snake is in imminent danger, the snake can be moved to undisturbed habitat outside the construction area that has been pre-approved by DFW. If no undisturbed habitat exists near the site, the landowner or agent shall identify a suitable release site in collaboration with DFW prior to any vegetation clearance. A permit from DFW under section 2(b) of the Cooperative Agreement will be required for all personnel involved in any snake handling or relocation activities. Once these measures have been completed and the hand-cleared site has been inspected for the presence of any boas, heavy machinery may be used to clear the remainder of the site. All personnel involved in site preparation and construction must be verbally instructed on the importance of snake protection and preservation and all procedures developed for that purpose. Personnel will be informed of the penalties for injury to any snake encountered. Step By Step guide for clearing in VI Tree-Boa habitat Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) (340)775-6762 1. Contact DFW for free consultation. 2. DFW will come out for an onsite discussion. We will need a copy of your building plans or at least a narrative of your intended project. 3. DFW will coordinate via email so that all developers, owners, contractors, and other agencies, can follow along and provide input. 4. DFW will conduct a short VI Tree-Boa training session for all individuals con- ducting hand clearing. This will involve discussions on what to do if a boa is encountered as well as boa identification. This can be done any time prior to hand clearing but is often preformed the first day on site. DFW staff will come to you! 5. Hand clearing is to be performed. This usually allows for chainsaws to cut vegetation down to less than 36 inches off the ground. 6. Vegetation ideally can be removed by hand to reinforce sediment fencing/ brush berms. 7. Another site visit will be preformed by DFW to confirm that hand clearing has been completed to our standards. Clock starts after inspection. 8. The site is to sit undisturbed for 10-14 days prior to the use of heavy machin- ery. However hand work may be performed during this time and any vegeta- tion may be moved by hand. 9. Heavy machinery is only permitted on the agreed upon date.