PHOENIX – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks public comments on the draft recovery plan for the endangered Fickeisen plains cactus and Peebles Navajo cactus, two closely related plants. The recovery plan’s goal is to recover the cacti so they no longer need protection under the Endangered Species Act. The 30-day comment period begins today and closes on Oct. 25, 2025.
The Fickeisen plains cactus and the Peebles Navajo cactus are endemic to northern Arizona. They thrive in exposed, sunny areas, often on flat-topped mesas and canyon rims. They have a globe-like shape and grow up to 2.6 inches (6.5 centimeters) tall and about 2 inches (5.5 centimeters) wide. When the cacti are in bloom, bees and ants pollinate their showy cream and yellow flowers.
The Service listed the Fickeisen plains cactus as endangered in 2013 and the Peebles Navajo cactus as endangered in 1979. The plants have similar threats, which include habitat loss and disturbance, increased drought and temperatures, nonnative plants, and mammal predation. The draft recovery plan describes actions that are considered necessary for the recovery of the cacti, establishes delisting criteria, and estimates the time and cost to implement these recovery actions.
The Service, in collaboration with tribes, stakeholders and partners, develops and implements recovery plans to support the conservation and recovery of endangered and threatened species. These are not regulatory documents, and implementation of actions is not required by the ESA. Instead, recovery plans serve as road maps with specific management actions to foster cooperation in conservation for listed species and their ecosystems.
The overall recovery strategy includes increasing and conserving the Fickeisen plains cactus and the Peebles Navajo cactus, restoring and conserving habitat, and reducing threats to the cacti. Recovery objectives include increasing the size and number of cacti populations (for example, by successfully propagating the plants), collecting and banking seeds, regularly monitoring the cacti, habitats, and their pollinators, conserving cacti habitat, reducing or mitigating threats (such as building wildlife-friendly fences to prevent herbivory and trampling), and improving our understanding of the cacti through scientific research.
Conservation efforts for the cacti by federal, tribal and non-profit partners are ongoing. Annual monitoring of these plants has occurred for many years and is expected to continue, providing useful data on the best way to conserve and recover the cacti. In addition, some areas where the cacti grow have conservation protections, including in Bureau of Land Management Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, within a designated Preserve on the Navajo Nation, and on a conservation easement conservation easement
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a government agency or qualified conservation organization that restricts the type and amount of development that may take place on a property in the future. Conservation easements aim to protect habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife by limiting residential, industrial or commercial development. Contracts may prohibit alteration of the natural topography, conversion of native grassland to cropland, drainage of wetland and establishment of game farms. Easement land remains in private ownership.
Learn more about conservation easement held by The Nature Conservancy.
The Service encourages the public, federal and state agencies, tribes and other stakeholders to review the draft recovery plan for the Fickeisen plains cactus and the Peebles Navajo cactus and provide comments. Submit comments by mail to the Arizona Ecological Services Field Office, 9828 North 31st Avenue Suite C3, Phoenix, Arizona 85051 or by email at incomingAZcorr@fws.gov.
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