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6 <br />methodologies will be developed by the Oversight Committee to achieve channel <br />development and enhancement objectives. When riparian forest or grasslands are <br />removed or modified_ for channel enhancement, the development and enhancement <br />methodologies will quantify how much of the enhanced areas will be active channel, <br />roosting and nesting habitat; seeded to native grassland species, or allowed to revegetate <br />without any further development. Potential methods to control invasive species will be <br />included in the development and enhancement methodologies, _ <br />To enhance an unobstructed width of the channel, woody vegetation will be. removed <br />from the islands and banks. Trees identified as known bald eagle Haliaeetus <br />lecocephalus) perch or roost sites will be left in place, unless the FWS and NGPC <br />provide written authorization to NPPD to remove such trees. Other trees that may make <br />high quality perch sites may be left standing if agreed to by the Oversight Committee. <br />Additionally, trees containing rookery or raptor nest may be left if agreed to by the <br />Oversight Committee. All clearing of woody vegetation will be done between July 15 <br />and February 15. Areas cleared of woody vegetation will be planted to native grassland <br />plant species, or be allowed to revegetate naturally, unless being managed as least tern <br />and piping plover nesting habitat, backwaters, sloughs or active channels. Active <br />channels will be defined as areas having a bed elevation low enough to allow flowing <br />water for at least a portion of the year. Active channels may be designed to flow water <br />on a continual basis or only during high flow events. Reshaping of the banks and <br />potential for widening of the channels will be considered and evaluated by the Oversight <br />Committee for each phase of the Plan that deals with channel areas. <br />The channel development and enhancement methodologies will identify specific tracts <br />of woody vegetation to be removed and the priority in which they will be completed. <br />Channel enhancement activities will commence after the Oversight Committee has <br />approved a methodology and all permits are acquired. <br />NPPD will obtain all required- permits. Costs associated- with obtaining permits or <br />mitigation for permits will be included in the cost of the development and enhancement <br />of the Property. _ <br />3.4 Wet Meadow, Slough, and Backwater Enhancement/Creation/Restoration With in <br />the High Banks of the River <br />Obiective: Develop and enhance areas to provide grassland foraging areas, sloughs, <br />backwaters and roosting habitat. <br />Most definitions for wet meadows require that soils be saturated at or near the soil <br />surface for at least part of the growing season. The Property contains approximately 320 <br />acres of naturally occurring grasslands on islands, which typically do not have saturated <br />soil near the surface for sufficient lengths of time to be con$idered wet meadows. The <br />Property also contains numerous backwaters and sloughs. For the purpose of this Plan, <br />backwaters will be defined as areas of permanent or semi-permanent surface water that <br />have a surface water connection to existing river channels at normal summer flow stages