[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 197 (Friday, October 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58111-58112]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20159]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Recovery Plan for Silene spaldingii (Spalding's Catchfly)
AGENCY: 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 Silene spaldingii (Spalding's
Catchfly). Silene spaldingii is a plant native to portions of Idaho,
Montana, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, Canada. We listed
this species as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act
in 2001.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the final recovery plan are available by request
from the following offices: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Snake River
Fish and Wildlife Office, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Suite 368, Boise, Idaho
83709 (telephone: 208-378-5243; fax: 208-378-5262); U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Helena Field Office, 585 Shepard Way, Helena, Montana
59601 (telephone: 406-449-5225; fax: 406-449-5339); U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, La Grande Field Office, 3502 Highway 30, La Grande,
Oregon 97850 (telephone: 541-962-8584; fax: 541-962-8581); and U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Columbia Fish and Wildlife Office,
11103 East Montgomery Drive, Suite 2, Spokane, Washington 99206
(telephone: 509-891-6839; fax: 509-891-6748). Requests for copies of
the document should be addressed to the Field Supervisor at the above
offices. An electronic copy of the recovery plan will also be made
available online at http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans
and at http://idahoes.fws.gov. Printed copies of the recovery plan will
be available for distribution in 4 to 6 weeks.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Duke, Division Chief, at the
above Boise address (telephone: 208-387-5345; e-mail: [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.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531, et
seq.) (Act), requires the development of recovery plans for listed
species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a
particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act as amended in 1988 requires
that public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment be
provided during recovery plan development. The Draft Recovery Plan for
Silene spaldingii (Spalding's catchfly) was available for public
comment from March 16 through May 15, 2006 (71 FR 13625). Information
presented during the public comment period has been considered in the
preparation of this final recovery plan, and is summarized in an
appendix to the recovery plan. We will forward substantive comments
regarding recovery plan implementation to appropriate Federal or other
entities so they can take these comments into account during the course
of implementing recovery actions.
Silene spaldingii (Spalding's catchfly) is a long-lived perennial
forb in the pink or carnation family (Caryophyllaceae) with four to
seven pairs of lance-shaped leaves and small greenish-white flowers.
The green portions of the plant are covered in sticky hairs that often
catch debris and small insects, hence the common name of the plant,
``Spalding's catchfly.'' Silene spaldingii is currently known from 99
primarily small populations; only 10 of these have more than 500
individuals, and an additional 23 populations have at least 100
individuals. Occupied habitat includes five physiographic regions in
Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, and British Colombia. These regions
are as follows: the Palouse Grasslands in west-central Idaho and
southeastern Washington, the Channeled Scablands in eastern Washington,
the Blue Mountain Basins in northeastern Oregon, the Canyon Grasslands
of the Snake River and its tributaries in Washington and Idaho, and the
Intermontane Valleys of northwestern Montana and southern British
Columbia.
Silene spaldingii is impacted by habitat loss due to human
development, habitat degradation associated with domestic livestock and
wildlife grazing, and invasions of aggressive nonnative plants. In
addition, a loss of genetic fitness is a problem for many small,
fragmented populations where genetic exchange is limited. Other impacts
include changes in fire frequency and seasonality, off-road vehicle
use, and herbicide spraying and drift.
The objective of this recovery plan is to recover Silene spaldingii
by protecting and maintaining reproducing, self-sustaining populations
in identified key conservation areas in each of its five distinct
physiographic regions. Under the recovery plan this would be
accomplished by developing habitat management plans at those key
conservation areas that provide a strategy for managing Silene
spaldingii and effectively address the threats to the species. Key
conservation areas would need to support at least 500 reproducing
individuals of Silene spaldingii, be composed of at least 80 percent
native vegetation, have adjacent habitat to support pollinating
insects, and are not small or fragmented (intact habitat, preferably at
least 40 acres [16 hectares] in size). Delisting of Silene spaldingii
would be considered when 27 populations occur rangewide at key
conservation areas. Populations at these key conservation areas would
have to demonstrate stable or increasing
[[Page 58112]]
population trends for at least 20 years, nonnative plants would have to
be successfully controlled, and prescribed burning must be conducted to
mimic historical fire regimes and with care not to impact Silene
spaldingii or to exacerbate invasive nonnative plant populations. Seed
banking would also occur across the species' range, and a post-
delisting monitoring program would be developed and ready for
implementation at the time of delisting.
Authority: The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the
Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: September 16, 2007.
Renne R. Lohoefener,
Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E7-20159 Filed 10-11-07; 8:45 am]
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