Staff monitoring endangered plant species site in Southern California

Conejo County Park Ranger (left) and USFWS biologists and staff Connie Rutherford and Cat Darst. Biologists from the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office visited some of the few known sites for threatened and endangered plant species in southern California in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Subspecies of the Dudleya cymosa (also known as the Santa Monica Mountains dudleya) as well as Lyon's pentachaeta, Braunton's millk-vetch and Dudleya parva are all classified on the list of Federally Threatened and Endangered Species. Each requires unique habitat to grow and reproduce, however, many of the threats impacting the species' survival are similar in nature. Urban development, changes in fire regimes, and non-native species all play a role in the long-term sustainability of these at-risk species. The Service works with partners to reduce threats to the species by contributing to monitoring and surveying, establishing recovery goals, participating in restoration projects, and continuing to build upon the scientific body of knowledge to improve our understanding of these unique flora.