The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has published a draft plan that calls for monitoring the West Virginia northern flying squirrel for 10 years if it is removed from Endangered Species Act protection, according to Regional Director Marvin E. Moriarty of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Northeast Region. The plan outlines actions to ensure that the flying squirrel remains secure from the risk of extinction, with the major focus on habitat.
; The Service opened a 30-day public comment period Oct. 9 on the plan by publishing a notice of availability in the "Federal Register."
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-4940.pdf The draft plan is published at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/endangered or may be requested at the addresses below. Requesters should specify whether they prefer hard copy or an electronic copy transmitted electronically.
; Comments on the draft post-delisting monitoring plan for the West Virginia northern flying squirrel must be received by Nov. 8, 2007. They may be sent to:
By mail:
WVNFS Draft PDM Comments
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
West Virginia Field Office
694 Beverly Pike
Elkins, WV 26241
By fax: 304-636-7824 (subject: WVNFS Draft PDM Comments)
0By e-mail: Laura_Hill@fws.gov (subject: WVNFS Draft PDM Comments)
; Comments will be considered that substantively address the viability and efficacy of the draft plan only, not the advisability of continuing the acts protection for the flying squirrel. That comment period has closed, and the Service plans to make a final decision on whether or not to continue the acts protection for the flying squirrel within the next few months.
In the draft plan, post-delisting monitoring would include collecting information on habitat status and trends, implementation of land management plans, and continued presence of the flying squirrel throughout its range.
; At the end of each monitoring period, the Service would review all available information to determine if the status of the flying squirrel continues to improve. Should a decline be detected, the Service would work closely with other federal agencies and the states of West Virginia and Virginia to determine what measures need to be implemented to reverse the decline.
;
Although not anticipated, if information acquired during the monitoring period indicates that the squirrel again needs protection, the Service can initiate procedures to reinstate protection under the act.
The act requires the Service to develop a five-year monitoring system for species that have recovered and have been removed from the act's protection; however, the draft plan calls for monitoring the squirrels status for 10 years ? double the required time. Because long-term forest management is key to continued recovery for the squirrel, monitoring forest acreage and progress toward achieving management objectives over a 10-year period would provide a solid indication of post-delisting trends, according to Moriarty.The Services West Virginia Field Office (Elkins) prepared the draft post-delisting monitoring plan in cooperation with the Services Virginia Field Office (Gloucester) and Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge (Davis, W.V.); U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station, Monongahela National Forest and George Washington National Forest; West Virginia Division of Natural Resources; and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
In December 2006, the Service proposed removing the endangered West Virginia northern flying squirrel, formerly known as the Virginia northern flying squirrel, from the acts protection, citing both cooperative conservation efforts and the natural regeneration of the squirrels spruce and hardwood forest habitat as key contributors to securing the population.
; For additional information about the West Virginia northern flying squirrel, see http://www.fws.gov/northeast/pdf/flyingsq.pdf Information about the Services endangered species program may be found at http://www.fws.gov/endangered
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 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 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 and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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