[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 155 (Friday, August 11, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 41099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-19846]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for Nineteen Florida Scrub
and High Pineland Plants for Review and Comment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability and public comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for nineteen
plants from dry habitats in central Florida (Florida scrub and high
pineland vegetation). This plan is a revision and expansion of a
recovery plan, published in 1990, that covered eleven of these plant
species. The Service solicits review and comment from the public on
this draft plan.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before October 10, 1995, to receive consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain
a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, Jacksonville Field Office,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint Drive, South, Suite
310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216 (Telephone: 904-232-2580, FAX 904-232-
2404) or Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, Georgia, 30345
(Telephone: 404-679-7086). Written comments and materials regarding the
plan should be addressed to the Field Supervisor, at the Jacksonville,
Florida address. Comments and materials received are available on
request for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business
hours also at the Jacksonville, Florida address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David L. Martin at the Jacksonville, Florida address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring endangered or threatened plants and animals to the point
where they are secure self-sustaining members of their ecosystems is a
primary goal of the Service's endangered species program. To help guide
the recovery effort, the Service is working to prepare recovery plans
for most of the listed specieis native to the United States. Recovery
plans describe actions considered necessary for conservation of the
species, establish criteria for the recovery levels for downlisting or
delisting species, and estimate time and cost for implementing the
recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) 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 Service will
consider all information presented during a public comment period prior
to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. The Service and other
Federal agencies will take these comments into account in the course of
implementing approved recovery plans.
The nineteen species covered by this recovery plan inhabit dry
upland vegetation, either Florida scrub with shrubby evergreen oaks and
sand pines, or high pineland with longleaf pine, deciduous oaks (either
turkey oak or bluejack oak) and abundant wiregrass. The plants were
added to the Federal List of Endangered (E) and Threatened (T) Plants
as follows: Chionanthus pygamaeus (pygmy fringe tree) (E), Eryngium
cuneifolium (a snakeroot) (E), Hypericum cumulicola (Highlands scrub
hypericum) (E), Paronychia chartacea (papery whitlow-wort) (T),
Polygonella basiramia (a wireweed) (E), Prunus geniculata (scrub plum)
(E), and Warea carteri (Carter's mustard) (E) on January 21, 1987 (52
FR 2227). Lupinus aridorum (scrub lupine) (E) on April 7, 1987 (52 FR
11172). Bonamia grandiflora (Florida bonamia) (T) on November 2, 1987
(52 FR 42068). Liatris ohlingerae (scrub blazing star) and Ziziphus
celata (Florida ziziphus) (E) on July 27, 1989, (54 FR 31190). Cladonia
perforata (Florida perforate cladonia, a lichen) (E), Clitoria fragrans
(pigeon-wings) (T), Crotalaria avonensis (Avon Park harebells) (E),
Eriogonum longifolium var. gnaphalifolium (scrub buckwheat) (T), Nolina
brittoniana (scrub beargrass) (E), Polygala lewtonii (Lewton's
polygala) (E), Polygonella myriophylla (sandlace) (E) on April 27, 1993
(58 FR 25746). Conradina brevifolia (short-leaved rosemary) (E) on July
12, 1993 (58 FR 37432).
The nineteen species became threatened because most of their
habitat was destroyed for agricultural purposes or urban development,
and because some remaining habitat was degraded due to lack of
appropriate prescribed fire. The recovery plan contains six basic
elements: 1. Protect habitat through purchase and other means
(including the Habitat Conservation Plan process for threatened animals
in the Florida scrub habitat); 2. Manage protected habitats; 3.
Conserve germ plasm and establish new populations of Ziziphus celata
and (if possible) Lupinus aridorum; 5. Assess progress and plan post-
recovery monitoring.
The 1990 edition of this recovery plan emphasized the need for land
acquisition to protect these plants. At the time, the State and private
organizations had already made significant acquisitions, and more have
been accomplished since then (including initial land purchase for the
Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge). These land purchases,
accompanied by the other elements of the recovery plan, are likely to
assure the full recovery or at least the downlisting of the large
majority of the nineteen plants.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan. All
comments received by the date specified above will be considered prior
to the approval of the plans.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: August 4, 1995.
David J. Wesley,
Field Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-19846 Filed 8-10-95; 8:45 am]
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