No.
306, June 4, 2002
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273
SQUARE MILES PROTECTED FOR QUINO CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY
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19,386
ACRES PROTECTED FOR THREE CALIFORNIA SPINEFLOWERS - 800 SUPPORTING LETTERS
A FIRST FOR PLANT CONSERVATION
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SUIT
FILED TO PROTECT WILD COLORADO RIVERS
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PETITION
FILED TO LIST SAND DUNE LIZARD AS ENDANGERED SPECIES
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TICKETS
STILL AVAILABLE FOR JUNE 7TH BONNIE RAITT BENEFIT IN PHOENIX
273 SQUARE
MILES PROTECTED FOR QUINO CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY
It's plight recently described
by a biologist as "four engines out and about 10 seconds to impact,"
the Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) used to be
one of the most common butterflies in Southern California. At the turn of the
century millions could be seen each year in a swath extending from the Santa
Monica Mountains south into Baja California, and east to the desert. Urban and
suburban sprawl, habitat fragmentation, livestock grazing, and pesticide spraying
have reduced it to just eight areas in southwestern Riverside and southern San
Diego counties, and four in Baja. It has not been seen in Orange County, Los
Angeles County, or coastal San Diego County for nearly 30 years. The Quino checkerspot
was listed as a federally endangered species on 1-16-97 in response to a lawsuit
by the Center for Biological Diversity.
But help is on the way.
Fulfilling an agreement negotiated with the Center, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service designated 273 square miles (174,600 acres) of critical habitat areas
for the Quino Checkerspot in Riverside and San Diego counties on 4-15-02. Critical
habitat is defined as all areas necessary for the recovery of an endangered
species. Federal agencies are prohibited from approving actions which destroy
or "adversely modify" critical habitat, including the issuance of
development permits on private land.
Though large, the designation
is considerably less than the 301,010 acres proposed by the Clinton administration.
The Center is reviewing the deleted habitat areas and may sue to reinstate them.
19,386
ACRES PROTECTED FOR THREE CALIFORNIA SPINEFLOWERS - 800 SUPPORTING LETTERS A
FIRST FOR PLANT CONSERVATION
In keeping with court order
obtained by the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service designated 19,386 acres of critical habitat for three endangered spineflowers
on the central California coast on 5-29-02. They are threatened by habitat fragmentation,
urban and suburban sprawl, fire suppression, off-road vehicles, spread of exotic
plants, off-road vehicles, herbicide spraying, and the decline of their native
pollinators: six species of butterflies, three species of beetles, six species
of flies, three species of bees, sphecid wasps, and ants. Spineflower are also
dependant upon animals for seed dispersal, having evolved spiny seeds which
cling to and are dispersed by black-tailed hares, ground squirrels, mule deer,
gray foxes, coyotes, bobcats, striped skunks, opossums, racoons, and other small
mammals and birds.
The three spineflowers were
protected under the Endangered Species act in 1994 with the promise that critical
habitat would later be designated. After waiting five years for the designation,
the Center filed suit in 1999 winning court order to protect the species' dwindling
habitat. The Center's activist network sent over 800 letters supporting the
designation, setting a new mark for plant conservation activism.
18,830 acres of critical
habitat were designated in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties for the Monterey
spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens). It is endemic to the
rim of Monterey Bay and the coastal plain of the Salinas Valley where it occurs
with a host of other endangered species including san gilia (Gilia tenuiflora
ssp. arenaria), Menzies' wallflower (Erysimum menziesii ssp. menziesii),
Yadon's piperia (Piperia yadonii), robust spineflower (robusta var.
robusta), Smith's blue butterfly, and the western snowy plover. It has been
extirpated from San Luis Obispo County.
469 acres of critical habitat
were designated in Santa Cruz County for the robust spineflower (robusta
var. robusta). It has been extirpated from Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara,
and Monterey counties and now only occurs in coastal and near coastal areas
in southern Santa Cruz County in areas also supporting the endangered Monterey
spineflower and Santa Cruz long-toed salamander.
287 acres of critical habitat
were designated in Santa Cruz County for the Scott's Valley spineflower (Chorizanthe
robusta var. hartwegii). It occurs in just two populations at the northern
end of Scott's Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The populations are centered
in remnant wildflower fields which are islands of native plants within a landscape
dominated by exotic species. The imperiled Scott's Valley polygonum (Polygonum
hickmanii) also finds refuge in the wildflower fields.
SUIT
FILED TO PROTECT WILD COLORADO RIVERS
Nationwide, 150 river segments,
totaling 10,500 miles have been protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
But despite its plethora of grand rivers, Colorado has only one protected river
under the Act: the Cache la Poudre River. To rectify the omission and ensure
that Colorado's streams are protected from mining, dams, logging, road building
and pollution, the Center for Biological Diversity, Colorado Rivers Alliance
and Taxpayers for the Animas River filed suit on 3-4-02, charging that six BLM
districts have refused to assess their lands to determine if they contain rivers
"eligible" for protection. Once found eligible, the streams and rivers
must be protected until a final decision on their fate is made.
Among the rivers likely
to be protected by the suit are the North Platte, Yampa, Green, San Miguel and
Uncompaghre Rivers. All are home to important trout fisheries.
The suit is being argued
by Matt Bishop of the Western Environmental Law Center. It is part of the Center's
Wild Rivers Campaign which has thus far moved to protect rivers in California,
Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, and Michigan.
To find out more about the
campaign, Click
here.
PETITION
FILED TO LIST SAND DUNE LIZARD AS ENDANGERED SPECIES
The Center for Biological
Diversity and Chihuahuan Desert Conservation Alliance petitioned the U.S. Fish
& Wildlife Service to list the sand dune lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus)
as an endangered species on 5-23-02. The sand dune lizard has the second smallest
range of any lizard in North America, only occurring in southeastern New Mexico
and western Texas on sand dunes covered by shinnery oak. This unique oak community
is often just 4-5' tall, but can be thousands of years old and comprises the
largest stand of oak in the country.
The sand dune lizard is
threatened by oil and gas development and herbicide spraying to benefit livestock
grazing. Under President Bush's energy policy, oil and gas leasing is rapidly
increasing, resulting in dramatic losses of sand dune lizard habitat. This habitat
loss is compounded by efforts of ranchers to remove shinnery oak using Tebuthiuron
because the plant is toxic to cattle for a couple of months every year and competes
with grasses and other forage. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently made
the sand dune lizard a candidate for listing, giving it the highest priority
for action a species can receive.
TICKETS
STILL AVAILABLE FOR JUNE 7TH BONNIE RAITT BENEFIT IN PHOENIX
Bonnie Raitt has generously
donated 100 tickets to the Center for Biological Diversity for her June 7th
concert at the new Dodge Theater in Phoenix.
Gold Circle tickets include
a dessert reception after the concert with Bonnie Raitt and the Center. These
tickets are $250 each ($190 tax deductible) and include a backstage pass for
the reception. Silver Circle tickets are a wonderful way to support the Center
and enjoy a great show. These tickets are $125 each ($80 tax deductible).
Bonnie Raitt, an international
guitar virtuoso, brilliant songwriter and singer, has also been a long time
supporter of environmental causes. Don't miss this opportunity to meet her and
support the Center for Biological Diversity.
To order tickets, please
contact Michelle at 602-628-9909, mharrington@endangeredearth.org
Additional information is also available by Clicking
here.
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