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Raleigh Field OfficeWelcome to the Raleigh Ecological Services Field Office web site. We work to protect endangered and threatened species, migratory birds and migratory fish and their habitat in North Carolina. To accomplish our mission the Raleigh Ecological Services Field Office has these programs: Coastal, Environmental Contaminants, Endangered Species, Project Planning, and Partners for Fish and Wildlife. May 17 2013-North Carolina Celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. byCarltonWardJr.jpg)
SOUTHERN PINES – As the country celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, Sandhills residents have the chance to see how well the act has worked in person.
New Wildlife and Habitat Risk Map for Wind Energy Projects Available for North CarolinaMarch 6, 2012 The US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released the North Carolina Wildlife and Habitats Risk Map for Land-Based Energy Projects. It compares levels of environmental risk associated with wind energy projects in North Carolina. The map focuses on the eastern part of the state because the highest interest in wind energy development is currently in this area. The Service plans to provide a state-wide map in the near future. With this map, we are making it easier for wind project developers to implement the voluntary Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines that were issued by the Department of the Interior on March, 23, 2012. Our aim is to give access to accurate, reliable and consistent information about wildlife, specifically species of concern and sensitive habitats. This map is a tool to enhance cooperation between the public and private sector through Geographic Information Systems (GIS),” said Pete Benjamin, Field Supervisor for the USFWS Raleigh Field Office in North Carolina. Direct Link to the Map (PDF) Updated ( 3/12/2013) Service Begins Commemoration of 40th Anniversary ConmemorationThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will honor the 40th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act with a year-long commemoration of the Act that has been so successful in stabilizing populations of species at risk, preventing the extinction of many others and conserving the habitats upon which they depend. A new dedicated web site spotlights the history and accomplishments of efforts to protect and recover America’s threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.
Water quality monitoring equipment at Lake Mattamuskeet Lake. Credit: USGS Continous Water Monitoring at Lake Mattamuskeet in North CarolinaThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey to establish two automated water-quality monitoring stations at Lake Mattamuskeet to better understand the lake’s ecology. Managers are concerned that submerged macrophyte populations have declined on the west side of the lake and we are helping determine the extent to which the decline may be due to poor water quality.
Two Montgomery County Dams Removed from the Little River BasinPrior to removing the dams, biologists searched for mussels in Densons Creek, Montgomery County, North Carolina. The mussel inventory was done in anticipation of the September, 12, 2012 removal of the decrepit Troy Reservoir No. 1 dam. Finding and identifying mussels prior to dam removal gave biologists the chance to safeguard rare mussels from harm's way during, and it provides a baseline against which post-removal mussel populations can be compared. Two dam removals in two days by FWS cross-program team accomplish over 200 miles of fish passage and river restoration on the Little River and Densons Creek, in Montgomery County, NC to benefit state endangered freshwater mussels and rare fish. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries Service Propose to Simplify Review Process for Critical Habitat Proposals under the Endangered Species Act
San Joaquin kit fox family sit among grasses. Credit: B. "Moose" Peterson / USFWS
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service, the two Federal agencies responsible for administering the Endangered Species Act, are jointly proposing to simplify and clarify the process through which impact analyses are conducted for designations of critical habitat under the ESA. By improving the clarity and consistency of our regulations, the Services can continue to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the ESA.
Section 6 funding protects lands that support a diverse mosaic of habitat types and serve as important wildlife corridors for many listed species, such as the endangered Kirtland's warbler. Credit: Joel Trick / USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Announces More Than $33 Million in Grants to Support Land Acquisition and Conservation Planning for Endangered SpeciesThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced nearly $33 million in grants to 21 states to support conservation planning and acquisition of vital habitat for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife and plants. The grants, awarded through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, will benefit numerous species, ranging from the Peninsular bighorn sheep to Kirtland’s warbler. "Our strong partnerships with states, landowners and local communities are the key to the successful protection and recovery of threatened and endangered species, and these grants will fund important conservation work,” said Secretary Salazar. “While dozens of imperiled species will benefit from these efforts, improving the health of our land and water will also help the people, communities and economies that depend on these resources." 
Credit: Patrick Coin Black-Capped Petrel May Warrant Protection Under the Endangered Species ActA nocturnal seabird, the black-capped petrel, may warrant federal protection as a threatened or endangered species. Endangered means the species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range; threatened means the species is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. The black-capped petrel is found in North America and the Caribbean, and is known by several common names: "black-capped petrel," "capped petrel," and "West Indian petrel" in North America and on English-speaking islands. In the Greater and Lesser Antilles, the bird is known as "diablotín" (little devil). In Cuba, the bird also is referred to as "bruja" (witch). This decision, commonly known as a 90-day finding, is based on scientific information about the species presented by WildEarth Guardians in a petition to list the species and designate critical habitat, as well as information found in Service files at the time the petition was received. The Service will now conduct a thorough status review of the species to determine whether the species warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act (Act). |
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