County approves plan to protect rare prairie species
CORVALLIS, Ore. - The Benton County Board of Commissioners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have signed an agreement that will benefit seven rare Willamette Valley species and give private landowners and the county protection from potential Endangered Species Act (ESA) violations.
The agreement implements the Benton County Prairie Species Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and Prairie Conservation Strategy created by Benton County and approved Jan. 14 by the USFWS, as well as Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA). As part of the plan, the USFWS issued an incidental take permit to the county regarding the sensitive prairie species and habitats covered under the plan.
"It is gratifying that we have successfully culminated a long, arduous process that meets the countys responsibilities with regard to the Endangered Species Act and also provides for enhancing habitat for certain threatened and endangered species," Benton County Commissioner Annabelle Jaramillo said.
The Benton County HCP is the first of its kind in the State of Oregon.
"Benton County officials are to be commended for taking the initiative to develop this HCP, and in doing so, they set a great example for how ESA requirements and the needs of a county and its residents can be mutually supportive," said Paul Henson, State Supervisor of the USFWS' Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office. "County officials really listened to their citizens and made participation in the HCP easy and free."
Issuance of the incidental take permit is the culmination of five years of effort by Benton County, the Institute for Applied Ecology, the Benton County Natural Areas and Parks Advisory Board and USFWS. During the process of creating the HCP numerous drafts were made available for public comment at multiple public meetings throughout the county. Public comments were accepted through both the Benton County and USFWS approval processes. Official documents, including USFWS Findings and Recommendations - which include public comment to the final draft and responses - are available online by visiting the USFWS website at http://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/ToolsForLandowners/HabitatConservationPlans/.
The incidental take permit allows the county to carry out essential public services alongside county roads and in other areas - with mitigation for any loss of endangered species or habitat being conducted at a designated location - as well as enabling private property owners to undertake county permitted construction activities without fear of violating the Endangered Species Act.
Benton County landowners who live in areas likely to contain habitat for the endangered Fender's Blue butterfly now will be able to have the county mitigate for potential habitat loss caused by the landowner's construction activities at a cost covered by Benton County. This eliminates the requirement to obtain approval for every construction project from the USFWS, which can be expensive and time-consuming.
"We are indebted to the numerous local technical advisors, resource management agency representatives and interested citizens who dedicated so much time and effort to craft a plan that not only provides ESA protection, but also serves as a guide to local landowners wishing to protect and enhance sensitive species habitat on their own land," Benton County Natural Areas and Parks Director Jeff Powers said.
The vision of the HCP is to achieve long-term viability of rare species in the county by avoiding, minimizing and mitigating impacts from essential public services, public land management and home, farm and forest construction. Under the HCP, the county will coordinate efforts to better plan and ensure conservation of prairie species either listed or in danger of becoming listed, by creating designated mitigation sites to help the various species survive, thrive and grow. These species include the endangered Fender's blue butterfly; two endangered plants: Bradshaw's lomatium and Willamette daisy; two threatened plants: Kincaid's lupine (the host plant for Fender's Blue butterfly) and Nelson's checkermallow; one candidate for ESA listing: Taylor's checkerspot butterfly; and one plant listed as endangered by the state of Oregon: peacock larkspur.
The agreement implements the Benton County Prairie Species Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and Prairie Conservation Strategy created by Benton County and approved Jan. 14 by the USFWS, as well as Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA). As part of the plan, the USFWS issued an incidental take permit to the county regarding the sensitive prairie species and habitats covered under the plan.
"It is gratifying that we have successfully culminated a long, arduous process that meets the countys responsibilities with regard to the Endangered Species Act and also provides for enhancing habitat for certain threatened and endangered species," Benton County Commissioner Annabelle Jaramillo said.
The Benton County HCP is the first of its kind in the State of Oregon.
"Benton County officials are to be commended for taking the initiative to develop this HCP, and in doing so, they set a great example for how ESA requirements and the needs of a county and its residents can be mutually supportive," said Paul Henson, State Supervisor of the USFWS' Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office. "County officials really listened to their citizens and made participation in the HCP easy and free."
Issuance of the incidental take permit is the culmination of five years of effort by Benton County, the Institute for Applied Ecology, the Benton County Natural Areas and Parks Advisory Board and USFWS. During the process of creating the HCP numerous drafts were made available for public comment at multiple public meetings throughout the county. Public comments were accepted through both the Benton County and USFWS approval processes. Official documents, including USFWS Findings and Recommendations - which include public comment to the final draft and responses - are available online by visiting the USFWS website at http://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/ToolsForLandowners/HabitatConservationPlans/.
The incidental take permit allows the county to carry out essential public services alongside county roads and in other areas - with mitigation for any loss of endangered species or habitat being conducted at a designated location - as well as enabling private property owners to undertake county permitted construction activities without fear of violating the Endangered Species Act.
Benton County landowners who live in areas likely to contain habitat for the endangered Fender's Blue butterfly now will be able to have the county mitigate for potential habitat loss caused by the landowner's construction activities at a cost covered by Benton County. This eliminates the requirement to obtain approval for every construction project from the USFWS, which can be expensive and time-consuming.
"We are indebted to the numerous local technical advisors, resource management agency representatives and interested citizens who dedicated so much time and effort to craft a plan that not only provides ESA protection, but also serves as a guide to local landowners wishing to protect and enhance sensitive species habitat on their own land," Benton County Natural Areas and Parks Director Jeff Powers said.
The vision of the HCP is to achieve long-term viability of rare species in the county by avoiding, minimizing and mitigating impacts from essential public services, public land management and home, farm and forest construction. Under the HCP, the county will coordinate efforts to better plan and ensure conservation of prairie species either listed or in danger of becoming listed, by creating designated mitigation sites to help the various species survive, thrive and grow. These species include the endangered Fender's blue butterfly; two endangered plants: Bradshaw's lomatium and Willamette daisy; two threatened plants: Kincaid's lupine (the host plant for Fender's Blue butterfly) and Nelson's checkermallow; one candidate for ESA listing: Taylor's checkerspot butterfly; and one plant listed as endangered by the state of Oregon: peacock larkspur.
