Southern Arizona Ranch Develops Habitat Conservation Plan for Endangered and Rare Species

San Rafael Cattle Company has drafted a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) providing measures to minimize and mitigate the effects ranch management activities may have on endangered species. In turn, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering issuing an Endangered Species Act permit to the ranch for the occasional incidental take of protected wildlife. Comments on the draft plan and permit application are being sought.

Since purchasing the San Rafael Ranch in 2000, the San Rafael Cattle Company has been implementing grazing practices that have improved range and habitat conditions on private lands within the San Rafael Valley of Santa Cruz County, Ariz.

The San Rafael Cattle Company would like to continue ranch management activities while working with agencies to conduct conservation actions on the 18,440 acres of non-federal lands within San Rafael Ranch, such as reestablishing native species and removing aquatic invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.

Learn more about invasive species . These conservation actions are expected to enhance the status and distribution of the covered species on the ranch, which include the endangered Sonoran tiger salamander and Gila chub. The draft plan also addresses two rare species that are not protected under the Act – the northern Mexican gartersnake and Huachuca springsnail – and two federally endangered plants – the Canelo Hills ladies’-tresses and Huachuca water umbel.

Covered ranch management activities include watering and grazing by cattle in stock tanks and riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.

Learn more about riparian areas, herding cattle within pastures and between pastures; maintaining stock ponds, wells, waterlines, fences, roads, and utility lines supporting these facilities; and managing brush and invasive plant to reduce shrub invasion of upland grasslands. All of these activities have short-term impacts on species and their habitats, and incidental take of some protected species may occur. However, a long-term benefit is anticipated for the watershed and habitats of the covered species. In addition, San Rafael Cattle Company proposes actions to minimize the impacts of the activities and assist in recovery and conservation of covered species.

To meet the requirements of a permit to incidentally take federally listed species, San Rafael Cattle Company has developed and will implement the San Rafael Ranch HCP. The biological goal of the 30-year HCP is to provide long-term protection for multiple species of concern and key natural communities through maintenance or improvement of the habitat conditions and ecosystem functions necessary for their survival, and to ensure that any incidental take of covered species will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival and recovery of those species in the wild. Based on a preliminary determination made in its draft screening document, the Service believes that this action is covered by a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The Service is seeking comments on San Rafael Cattle Company’s permit application and draft HCP, as well as the Service’s draft NEPA screening document, through July 22, 2010. The documents are available on the Arizona Ecological Service Office website: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/arizona/ and may also be obtained by written or telephone request to Steve Spangle, Field Supervisor, Arizona Ecological Services Office, 2321 West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, Phoenix, AZ 85021-4951; telephone: 602-242-0210; fax: 602-242-2513. Data or comments concerning the application and draft HCP should be submitted in writing to the above address or by email at: Cat_Crawford@fws.gov.