The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today announced publication of the final recovery plan for Howells spectacular thelypody (Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis). The plant was listed as threatened on June 25, 1999, under the Endangered Species Act.
A draft recovery plan for the plant was published in April 2001. The 60-day public comment period on the draft recovery plan closed on June 25, 2001. Information obtained from public comment and peer review has been incorporated into the final recovery plan for Howells spectacular thelypody.
This rare plant species, a member of the mustard family, occurs on private lands near North Powder and Haines in the Baker-Powder River Valley of northeastern Oregon (Baker and Union counties). To date, this species has not been located on any Federal lands.
The species grows in alkaline meadows in valley bottoms, usually in and around shrubs such as greasewood or rabbitbrush. Thelypody occurs on 11 known sites, occupying about 100 acres. One site historically known from Malheur County is considered to be extirpated, and its entire range today lies within a 13-mile radius of Haines, Oregon.
"We are hopeful that the publication of the final recovery plan for Howells spectacular thelypody will provide a framework for restoration of this species in its natural habitat so that protection by the Act is no longer necessary," said Anne Badgley, regional director of the Services Pacific Region.
Thelypody is threatened by grazing during spring and early summer, trampling, urban development, and competition from nonnative plants. The recovery plan recommends actions to conserve the rare plant. The goal of implementing these actions is to restore thelypody within its northeastern Oregon range.
Copies of the final recovery plan are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the Services Snake River Basin Office, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Room 368, Boise, Idaho 83709, (208) 378-5243. Recovery plans approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are available online at http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/recplans/index.htm.
A notice of the availability of the final revised recovery plan for the Howells spectacular thelypody is published in todays Federal Register.
--FWS--
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 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System
which encompasses more than 540 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource 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.
Federal Register (PDF File 33 kb)
Recovery Plan (PDF File 380 kb)
Fact Sheet (PDF File 35 kb)
