U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE DESIGNATES CRITICAL HABITAT
FOR THE WENATCHEE MOUNTAINS CHECKER-MALLOW
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today designated 6,135 acres of seasonal wetlands on state, Federal and private lands in central Washington as critical habitat for the endangered Wenatchee Mountains checker-mallow. The checker-mallow is a federally endangered plant native to the Wenatchee Mountains of Chelan County in central Washington.
Critical habitat refers to specific geographic areas that are essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and which may require special management considerations. A designation does not set up a preserve or refuge and only applies to situations where Federal funding or a Federal permit is involved.
Most of the approximately 3,600 individual checker-mallow plants in existence are found on about 95 acres of seasonal wetlands (wetlands that dry up in late summer and fall) on the Washington Department of Natural Resources
