RENO, Nev. — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is publishing its final rule listing Tiehm’s buckwheat as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. The Service is also designating 910 acres of critical habitat on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in the Rhyolite Ridge area of the Silver Peak Range in Esmeralda County, Nevada, to help conserve the imperiled plant.
The designated critical habitat is currently occupied by the plant’s single population. The critical habitat would not affect land ownership or establish a wildlife refuge, wilderness reserve, preserve or another conservation area conservation area
A conservation area or wildlife management area is a type of national wildlife refuge that consists primarily or entirely of conservation easements on private lands. These conservation easements support private landowner efforts to protect important habitat for fish and wildlife. There are 13 conservation areas and nine wildlife management areas in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
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“Habitat loss is pushing more and more limited-range species like Tiehm’s buckwheat to the brink of extinction,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “We look forward to working with our partners on this conservation effort to protect this rare plant and its habitat.”
The Service used the best available science to designate the critical habitat. It contains physical and biological features essential to the conservation of this Nevada native species, including open, sparsely vegetated areas, suitable soil and year-round and connected habitat for pollinators.
By designating critical habitat for the species, we can work more effectively with partners to ensure development projects are planned and designed to avoid the destruction of habitat while supporting current and future land-use plans.
Tiehm’s buckwheat is a low-growing perennial herb subject to threats such as mineral development, road development and off-highway vehicle activity, livestock grazing, nonnative invasive plant species, climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.
Learn more about climate change , herbivory and small population size.
Conserving rare plants and healthy habitats ensures America’s shared natural heritage continues to endure for future generations. Flowering plants also support wildlife—including pollinators—and bring aesthetic beauty to our natural world and public lands.
The proposed and final rules, as well as the comments received on the proposed rule are available at https://www.federalregister.gov by searching for Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2020-0017.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information about our work and the people who make it happen, visit https://www.fws.gov/reno or connect with us via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.
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