[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70602-70603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5974]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Recovery Plan for Hackelia venusta (Showy Stickseed)
AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the
availability of the Recovery Plan for Hackelia venusta (Showy
Stickseed).
ADDRESSES: Copies of the final recovery plan are available by request
from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Central Washington Field
Office, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, Washington 98801. Requests for
copies of the final recovery plan and materials regarding this plan
should be addressed to the Supervisor, Central Washington Field Office,
at the above Wenatchee address. An electronic copy of the final
recovery plan will also be made available online at http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ecoservices/endangered/recovery/plans.html. Printed copies of
the recovery plan will be available for distribution in 4 to 6 weeks.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim McCracken, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, at the above address, by calling 509-665-3508, extension 17,
or by electronic mail to: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their
ecosystems is a primary goal of our endangered species program. The
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (ESA) requires the
development of recovery plans for listed species unless such a plan
would not promote the conservation of a particular species. Recovery
plans help guide the recovery effort by describing actions considered
necessary for the conservation of the species, establishing criteria
for downlisting or delisting listed species, and estimating time and
cost for implementing the measures needed for recovery.
Section 4(f) of the ESA requires that public notice, and an
opportunity for public review and comment, be provided during recovery
plan development. The Draft Recovery Plan for Hackelia venusta (Showy
Stickseed) was available for public comment from March 13 through May
12, 2006 (71 FR 12711). All information presented during the public
comment period has been considered prior to approval of this final
recovery plan, and is summarized in an appendix to the recovery plan.
Some substantive technical comments resulted in changes to the recovery
plan. Some substantive comments regarding recovery plan implementation
did not result in changes to the recovery plan, but were forwarded to
appropriate Federal or other entities so that they can take these
comments into account during the course of implementing recovery
actions. Individual responses to comments were not provided.
Hackelia venusta is an attractive perennial plant with showy white
or blue-tinged flowers in the forget-me-not family (Boraginaceae). The
species is a narrow endemic, being known from only 1 population of
roughly 600 individuals in Chelan County, Washington. It occurs
primarily on Federal lands, but a very small portion of the population
is on private lands. Within its limited range, Hackelia venusta is
found in open areas of steeply sloping, highly unstable granitic sand
and granite cliffs. The common feature to its habitat appears to be the
relatively sparse cover of other vascular plants and low canopy cover.
Hackelia venusta was listed as an endangered species in 2002 (67 FR
5515). The major threats to Hackelia venusta include: collection and
physical disturbance to the plants and habitat by humans; mass wasting
(landslides); nonnative noxious weeds; competition and shading from
native trees and shrubs due to fire suppression; some highway
maintenance activities; and low seedling establishment. The small
population size and limited geographic extent of the species
exacerbates all of these threats, and renders Hackelia venusta highly
vulnerable to extirpation or extinction from either human-caused or
random natural events.
The objective of the recovery plan is to reduce the threats to
Hackelia venusta sufficient to accomplish increases in population size
and geographic distribution across its estimated historical range so
that the species is no longer in danger of
[[Page 70603]]
extinction. The first step in the recovery strategy for the species is
to protect and stabilize the existing population. This includes
management to maintain an open habitat; noxious weed control;
minimizing the damage of collection and trampling within the
population; seed collection and long-term seed banking to protect the
genetic resources of the species; and the development and
implementation of management plans. In addition, to reduce the
potential for extinction due to loss of the single population, recovery
actions will likely require establishing additional populations within
the estimated historical range of the species.
The recovery of Hackelia venusta is complicated by the very small
size and limited distribution of the single population, as well as by
the extreme instability of the habitat where it occurs. Monitoring
activities have the potential to destabilize the habitat and damage or
even kill plants, particularly young germinants; therefore the need for
monitoring and data collection must be carefully weighed against the
possible negative impacts of such actions.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: November 15, 2007.
Ren Lohoefener,
Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 07-5974 Filed 12-11-07; 8:45 am]
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