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Partners marked the millionth foot of fencing with a decorated post.
Credit: USFWS |
Partners celebrate 1 million feet of conservation fence in West Virginia
May 20, 2013
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Trout Unlimited, working in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency, West Virginia Conservation Agency, Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, numerous non-governmental organizations and many landowners, have installed more than 1 million feet of conservation fence throughout the state of West Virginia. Conservation fencing projects provide a "win-win" for farmers, wildlife, and agencies across the landscape. Livestock exclusion fencing is a conservation tool that helps to keep nutrients on the farm and reduces nutrient input into streams and upland forest throughout the watershed.
News release
Photos
More about the W.V. Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program |
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A Rabbitsfoot Mussel
Credit: Dick Biggins/USFWS |
Service re-opens public comment period for protecting rabbitsfoot mussel under ESA
May 8, 2013
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to protect the rabbitsfoot freshwater mussel as threatened and has identified habitat essential to its recovery in Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. The Service has re-opened the comment period for this action, as the agency has released the estimated cost and economic impacts of the proposed critical habitat designation of the rabbitsfoot and another freshwater mussel, the Neosho mucket. The rabbitsfoot has been
extirpated from approximately 64 percent of its historical range, including West Virginia. It is presently extant in 51 of its 140 historical streams and the populations with few exceptions are highly fragmented and restricted to short reaches.
For more information, contact John Schmidt, acting field office supervisor, 304-636-6586 x 16.
More (press release) |
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Diamond darter. Credit: USFS |
Service estimates economic impacts of critical habitat designation for West Virginia fish
March 28, 2013
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has analyzed the economic impacts of designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act for the diamond darter. The agency today released a draft economic analysis concluding that costs related to the proposed critical habitat for the diamond darter would be narrow and mostly administrative. Additionally, the designation would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, such as county governments, small businesses and organizations. In July 2012, the Service proposed that the darter be protected as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and that a total of 123 river miles be established as critical habitat in West Virginia and Kentucky.
For more information, contact John Schmidt, acting field office supervisor, 304-636-6586 x 16.
Questions and answers
Federal Register Notice
Economic analysis
2012 news release
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A female West Virginia northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus) that was found by U.S. forest service biologists during annual monitoring of nest boxes in November 2012.
Credit: Kristopher Hennig, AmeriCorps with the USFS |
West Virginia northern flying squirrels are again considered recovered throughout Virginia, West Virginia
March 4, 2013
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has published a final rule to reinstate removal of the Virginia northern flying squirrel, more commonly known as the West Virginia northern flying squirrel, from the endangered species list under the Endangered Species Act. A Nov. 13, 2012, court order reversed a 2011 district court’s decision that the Service erred in delisting the squirrel. This final rule is necessary to update the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the court order.
Final rule in Federal Register
More on the squirrel |
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Mike Powell of The Nature Conservancy and a group of LEAF program interns plant Canaan balsam firs in a section of Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
Credit: Kent Mason/The Nature Conservancy |
Biologists work to restore West Virginia balsam fir
December 31, 2012
While the West Virginia balsam fir has become a top choice for Christmas tree farms, this distinct variety of northern fir is fighting to survive on its own in the West Virginia wild. To help, staff from The Mountain Institute and other volunteers assisted the West Virginia Field Office Partners for Fish and Wildlife program in 1999 with the construction of over 6,000 feet of livestock exclusion fence.
The fence allows the trees to grow by keeping cattle from about 35 acres of the core portion of the Blister Swamp, named after the blister pine or balsam fir. Home to numerous globally rare plants, the swamp lies just west of the Monongahela National Forest boundary and is also the headwaters of the East Fork of the Greenbrier River, a native brook trout stream. WVFO staff has also assisted in several efforts to replant native balsam fir and red spruce to the swamp.
Read more on this in the Charleston Gazette |
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Energy company requests Endangered Species Act permit from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
October 24, 2012
Beech Ridge Energy has submitted a permit application and a habitat conservation plan for a wind project addressing impacts to the endangered Indiana bat and Virginia big-eared bat at its project in Greenbrier and Nicholas counties, West Virginia. The plan would cover 25 years of operations of 67 wind turbines, construction and operations of an additional 33 turbines, and decommissioning of the turbines at the end of the permit period. To access archived documents and check on the status of the application, click on more information.
More information |
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Both endangered Virginia big-eared (above) and Indiana bats may be injured by turbines as they travel across the ridge tops and high plateaus where wind farms are placed.
Credit: Jeff Hajenga, WVDNR |
West Virginia energy company requests Endangered Species Act permit from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
August 23, 2012
The Service has released the second draft habitat conservation plan for a wind project in the Northeast. Beech Ridge Energy developed the plan for its permit application addressing impacts to the endangered Indiana bat and Virginia big-eared bat at its project in Greenbrier and Nicholas counties, West Virginia. The Service invites comment on its draft environmental assessment of the project, Beech Ridge Energy's permit application and the company's draft habitat conservation plan, a requirement for the permit. The plan would cover 25 years of operations of 67 wind turbines, construction and operations of an additional 33 turbines, and decommissioning of the turbines at the end of the permit period.
News release
More information |
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Healthy, hibernating Indiana bat
Credit: Ann Froschauer/USFWS |
$700,000 grant will support land acquisition for W.Va. endangered species
August 14, 2012
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced August 14, 2012, a $700,000 grant to support acquisition of vital habitat for threatened and endangered animals in West Virginia. In Preston County, West Virginia, funds will help acquire habitat for the threatened flat-spired three-toothed land snail and the endangered Indiana bat. Awarded through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, the grant is part of $33 million to fund projects in 21 states benefiting numerous species, from the Peninsular bighorn sheep to Kirtland's warbler.
More (news release) |
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Indiana bat fatality at West Virginia wind facility
August 14, 2012
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed on July 26, 2012, that an endangered Indiana bat was found dead at the 61-turbine Laurel Mountain Wind Power facility near Elkins, W.Va.
Learn more
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The diamond darter is a member of the perch family, but differs from most other perch by their smaller size and more slender shape.
Credit: Stuart Welsh/USGS |
West Virginia fish may become protected under Endangered Species Act
July 25, 2012
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed that the diamond darter be protected as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and that a total of 123 river miles be established as critical habitat in West Virginia and Kentucky. This small fish, named for its sparkling reflections, could once be found along the southern Appalachians, but years of changes from dams and channeling restricted this native fish to one stream along the Elk River in West Virginia. Coal mining, oil and gas development, erosion, timber harvesting and poor wastewater treatment could make river waters unlivable for the diamond darter. The designation of critical habitat is for purposes of consultation with other federal agencies.
News release |
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Beetles released to help battle invasive plant
June 27, 2011
The West Virginia Field Office recently released two groups of Galerucella beetles near Elkins, W.V. to help control the invasive purple loosestrife. Biologists relocated about 900 beetles to the Elkins Iron and Metal, a metal recycling yard. The beetles, which eat loosestrife, can take as little as three years to start thoroughly controlling the invasive plant. Various factors can lengthen that time period, including weather and beetle life cycles.
Learn more at the "Eat Loosestrife" blog |
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Federal regulations updated for Virginia northern flying squirrel under the Endangered Species Act
June 16, 2011
In June 2011, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule to comply with a court order that reinstated the regulatory protections under the Endangered Species Act for the Virginia northern flying squirrel, more commonly known as the West Virginia northern flying squirrel. The court order had legal effect upon its filing in March 2011, but this final rule is necessary to update the Code of Federal Regulations. West Virginia northern flying squirrels are listed and protected as endangered throughout Virginia and West Virginia.
Read the news release
Learn more about the species |
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West Virginia Field Office starts project to battle invasive plant
May 15, 2011
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with the Appalachian Forest Heritage Area AmeriCorps members to raise Galerucella beetles to help control the invasive purple loosestrife in the Elkins, W.V. area. This perennial plant can grow up to five feet tall each year, produce thousands of seeds per plant and choke out other wetland species. Since the 1990s, the leaf-feeding Galerucella beetles have been released in at least 33 states with close monitoring of the biological control's success.
Follow this project through the "Eat Loosestrife" blog
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes endangered species protection for two freshwater mussels
January 19, 2011
The Service has proposed Endangered Species Act protection for the sheepnose and the spectaclecase, two freshwater mussels found in river systems in the eastern U.S. These mussels occupy less than half the number of streams where they once occurred. Threats include loss and degradation of habitat due to impoundments, channelization, chemical contaminants, mining and sedimentation. The decline of freshwater mussels often signals a decline in the water quality of their habitat.
Learn more about the spectaclecase and the sheepnose
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West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel Update: Delisting Lawsuit
August 28, 2008
On August 28, 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) published a final rule to to remove Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for the Virginia northern flying squirrel (see information below), more commonly known as the West Virginia northern flying squirrel (WVNFS). A lawsuit challenging the final rule was filed, and on March 25, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia vacated and set aside the 2008 delisting rule (Friends of Blackwater et. al. v. Salazar et al., 1:09–cv–02122-EGS). The decision reinstates Federal protections that were in place prior to the 2008 delisting. Therefore, WVNFS is listed as endangered throughout its range. Take of WVNFS may be authorized only by a permit obtained under section 10 of the ESA, or if exempted by an incidental take statement within a biological opinion issued by the Service pursuant to section 7 of the ESA.
The Service has appealed the Court's decision and the appeal process is ongoing. Additional background information, including previous Federal actions, can be found here.
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Spruce No. 1 Surface Mine
July 21, 1998
Energy development is important for the future of our nation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) works with states, other federal agencies, and industry to provide the best scientific information so that natural resources can be conserved as energy sources are developed.
The Service provided technical assistance to the Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate potential impacts of Spruce No. 1 Surface Mine. These comments were based on the Service's responsibility under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act.
Read the correspondence |
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