Recently discovered populations of the plant, found at high altitudes in streamside and wetland habitats in Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico, indicate that it is not at risk of becoming an endangered species.
"Withdrawing our proposal to list the plant is good news for two reasons," said Nancy Kaufman, the Services Regional Director for the Southwest Region. "First, Chiricahua dock and its habitats are faring much better than originally thought. Second, agencies and academicians that helped discover and validate these populations have shown that the information gathering and review processes of the Endangered Species Act are working as intended."
When the Chiricahua dock, also known as Bloomers dock (Rumex orthoneurus), was proposed for listing in April 1998, the Service could verify only 10 plant populations in Arizona, in the Chiricahua, Pinaleno, Huachuca, and Sierra Ancha mountains. During the year-long review of the species status, biologists found numerous additional populations in areas where the status of the plant was formerly unknown.
Recent survey efforts identified new locations on the Mogollon Rim, on the San Francisco Peaks, and in Barbershop Canyon in Arizona, and on the Carson and Lincoln National Forests in New Mexico. Some populations in Arizona believed to be extirpated were found to still exist. For example, the plant is present in three locations in Ramsey Canyon, where it was formerly thought to have disappeared.
In addition to locating new populations through increased survey efforts, biologists discovered from genetic studies that plants previously thought to be a related species of Rumex were in fact Chiricahua dock.
In total, recent survey efforts and genetic studies have confirmed more than 140 natural populations with some sites supporting tens of thousands of plants.
While some Chiricahua dock populations are vulnerable to livestock and elk grazing, recreation, water diversions, road construction, and wildfire, the species doesnt warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act because many of the newly discovered populations are not exposed to such threats and land management agencies are adding specific conservation requirements for the plant in long-term management plans. All known Chiricahua dock populations occur on lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Defense.
A conservation strategy for the species has been implemented to protect and monitor existing sites on the Tonto and Coronado National Forests, and populations on the Apache- Sitgreaves National Forest, Carson National Forest and Fort Huachuca are being monitored. The Arizona Native Plant Law currently protects Chiricahua dock as "highly safeguarded" and issues collection permits only for scientific and educational purposes. The two populations in Mexicos Sierra de los Ajos are protected under a forest reserve management plan.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System comprised of more than 500 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fish and wildlife management assistance offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
Editors Note: Electronic distribution of photographic material for this news item is available from Darrin Thome (602-640-2720 x250).
