<
https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2023-07/golden-paintbrush-delisted-endangered-species-act-due-recovery>
"LACEY, Wash. – As the Endangered Species Act turns fifty years old, it has
brought about a conservation success story in the Pacific Northwest. Prairies
in Washington and Oregon are once again colored with the bright flowers of
golden paintbrush. Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)
finalized a rule to delist the previously rare plant from the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) due to recovery.
When listed as threatened in 1997, there were only 10 populations of golden
paintbrush in the Pacific Northwest, consisting of fewer than 20,000
plants. Thanks to the efforts of diverse conservation partners, the species has
now rebounded to over 325,000 plants at 48 locations from the Puget Trough of
southwestern British Columbia and western Washington, into Oregon’s Willamette
Valley.
“It takes a village to bring a species back from the brink, and the recovery of
this plant would not have been possible without the amazing dedication of so
many partners out on the prairie,” said Hugh Morrison, the Service’s Pacific
Regional Director. “It feels fitting that we can celebrate the recovery of
golden paintbrush during the golden anniversary of the Endangered Species Act.”
Golden paintbrush was listed as threatened under the ESA due to habitat loss,
fire suppression and prairie conversion for agricultural uses and urban
development. However, there has been a reduction in these threats, as well as
increased resiliency in multiple populations throughout its range.
Reintroductions and habitat restoration have helped this golden beauty bounce
back, and ongoing prairie management by committed partners will maintain its
recovery.
This is the latest ESA success story in Washington and Oregon. Recent species
delisted due to recovery in the Pacific Northwest include Foskett speckled dace
(2019), Borax Lake chub (2020), Bradshaw’s lomatium (2021), and water howellia
(2021). Nelson’s checker-mallow, another prairie plant of the Pacific
Northwest, was proposed for delisting in May 2022."
Via
Future Crunch:
<
https://futurecrunch.com/good-news-school-meals-transit-us-ecuador-conservation/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
