Illinois Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly Habitat
Conservation Plan(Cook and Will Counties, IL):
$370,163. Recovery of the Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora
hineana Williamson) in Illinois is highly dependent upon
conservation efforts of private landowners. This Habitat Conservation
Plan brings together a wealth of diverse views and expertise
and will address impacts, such as filling and water quality
issues, throughout the dragonfly’s range in northern
Illinois. The strong, broad partnership base has committed
to contribute over $800,000 to fill data gaps necessary in
the planning process. The plan covers two areas of concern:
1)
the primary area encompasses 3,100 acres owned by the partners
or managed by the partners;
2) the secondary area covers 22,000 acres and includes the
area within the watershed that affects the primary area.
Mitchell’s
Satyr Habitat Conservation Plan(LaGrange and
LaPorte Counties, IN; Barry, Berrien, Branch, Cass, Jackson,
Kalamazoo, Lenawee, St. Joseph, Van Buren, Washtenaw Counties,
MI): $880,000. This Habitat Conservation Plan will be
developed jointly by the Indiana and Michigan departments
of natural resources through a 3-year planning process. The
plan is needed to efficiently secure incidental take permits
to conduct management activities for Mitchell’s satyr
in occupied habitat. The plan will be developed following
an ecosystem management approach – prairie fens and surrounding
lands necessary to support proper hydrology will be managed
by restoring ecological processes. A broad stakeholder group
is currently working towards recovery of the species as part
of the Mitchell’s satyr working group. Most of these
stakeholders will play a significant role in the development
of the HCP and some likely will participate in the steering
committee.
Iowa
and Wisconsin
Prairie Bush Clover Multi-State Recovery
Land Acquisition(Butler County, Iowa and Dane
County, WI): $279,493. The Iowa and Wisconsin Departments
of Natural Resources will acquire 265 acres for the conservation
and protection of prairie bush clover (Lespedeza leptostachya).
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will acquire a 165-acre
parcel known as Washington Prairie located in Butler County,
Iowa. Acquisition will facilitate management for the benefit
of prairie bush clover on this site by the Department. The Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources will acquire a 100-acre site
in Dane County that contains 10 acres of prairie remnant adjacent
to the largest population of prairie bush clover in the state.
Protection of this site (Westport Drumlin Prairie) is a Priority
2 Task in the prairie brush clover recovery plan. The Westport
Drumlin Prairie project will advance the objectives of the recovery
plan by allowing for the expansion of the prairie bush clover
population. Complete
Proposal (PDF; 7 pages)
photo by USFWS; Phil Delphey
Ohio
Small
Whorled Pogonia Conservation Easement Acquisition (Hocking County, OH):
$208,654. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources will acquire
a conservation easement for small whorled pogonia (Isotria
medeoloides) at Camp Oty’Okwa, one of three residential
camps in the country owned and operated by a Big Brothers
Big Sisters agency. The 160-acre easement would protect the
small whorled pogonia population as well as provide a considerable
buffer of similar habitat where more plants could potentially
be found. Protection of this population is significant both
ecologically and genetically because of its distance from
the core populations. Upon protection of the site, a research
plan will be initiated to address additional priorities of
the recovery plan including monitoring existing and surveying
for new populations. Complete
Proposal (PDF; 5 pages)
Pymatuning
Creek Conservation Easement Acquisition Initiative(Ashtabula
County, OH):
$244,890. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources will acquire
conservation easements in Ashtabula County to aid in recovery
efforts for the clubshell mussel (Pleurobema clava). The objective of this initiative is to
continue to secure permanent conservation easements from willing
landowners along the main stem of Pymatuning Creek. In Phase
I, three landowners were identified to protect approximately
120 acres to benefit 5,000 feet of riparian habitat. Phase
II will add an additional seven easements totaling 473 acres.
The easements will complement the land acquisition efforts
by the state and local agencies as well as nongovernmental
organizations that presently exist along the main stem of
the creek.
photo
by Kevin Cummings and Christine Mayer, Illinois Natural History
Survey