No. 306, June 4, 2002


  • 273 SQUARE MILES PROTECTED FOR QUINO CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY

  • 19,386 ACRES PROTECTED FOR THREE CALIFORNIA SPINEFLOWERS - 800 SUPPORTING LETTERS A FIRST FOR PLANT CONSERVATION

  • SUIT FILED TO PROTECT WILD COLORADO RIVERS

  • PETITION FILED TO LIST SAND DUNE LIZARD AS ENDANGERED SPECIES

  • 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.


Click now and become a member of the Center for Biological Diversity, and ensure a future for wildlife and habitat.