Updated Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Sensitive Species List for Arizona

 

December 22, 2010

In Reply Refer To:

6840 (932) P

 

EMS TRANSMISSION  12/29/10

Instruction Memorandum No. AZ-2011-005

Expires:  Until Cancelled or Superseded      EXPIRED

 

To:                  All Field Offices

 

From:              State Director

 

Subject:           Updated Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Sensitive Species List for Arizona

 

Purpose:  The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to identify the BLM sensitive plant and animal species on BLM-administered lands in Arizona in compliance with Manual Section 6840 and to clarify requirements regarding Sensitive Species.

 

Policy/Action:  The BLM Sensitive Species List for Arizona is attached.  Because of the dynamic nature of candidate species designation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) or National Marine Fisheries Service, we recognize that candidate species cannot all be kept up to date on any BLM Sensitive Species List.  As such, they will not be separately acknowledged on the Arizona BLM Sensitive Species list.  It is incumbent upon each office to keep current with the status of candidate species in Arizona.  The USFWS species list for the State can be accessed through the Arizona Ecological Services Home Page listed below and provides the current list of candidate, proposed and listed species:

 

 

Currently, candidate species which occur on public lands in Arizona or that may be affected by actions on public lands in Arizona are:

 

Acuna Cactus, Echinomastus erectocentrus var. acunensis

Fickeisen Plains Cactus, Pediocactus peeblesianus var. fickeiseniae

Gierisch Mallow, Sphaeralcea gierischii

Headwater Chub, Gila nigra

Northern Mexican Gartersnake, Thamnophis eques megalops

Relict Leopard Frog, Lithobates onca

Roundtail Chub, Gila robusta

Sonoran Desert Tortoise, Gopherus agassizii

Spraugue’s Pipit, Anthus spragueii (wintering)

Tucson Shovel-Nosed Snake, Chionactis occipitalis klauberi

Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus

 

In addition to the species identified in the attached list and the candidate species listed above, all species identified by California BLM as BLM Sensitive, which occur on public lands in California administered by the Lake Havasu and Yuma Field Offices, are to be managed as BLM Sensitive in California.  The lists of California BLM Sensitive wildlife and plant species can be found on the California BLM public website pages listed below:

 

http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/pa/wildlife.Par.13499.File.dat/BLM%20Sensitive%20Animal%20Update%20SEP2006.pdf

 

http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib//blm/ca/pdf/pdfs/pa_pdfs/biology_pdfs.Par.0216dd51.File.pdf/SensitivePlants.pdf

 

Time frame:  This list is in effect until the list is updated.

 

Background:  Under the revised manual Section 6840, the criteria for BLM sensitive species have changed.  The guidance provided in the manual for listing BLM sensitive species is:

 

In compliance with existing laws, including the BLM multiple use mission as specified in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the BLM shall designate BLM sensitive species and implement measures to conserve these species and their habitats, including Endangered Species Act (ESA) proposed critical habitat, to promote their conservation and reduce the likelihood and need for such species to be listed pursuant to the ESA.  All federally designated candidate species, proposed species, and delisted species in the 5 years following their delisting shall be conserved as BLM sensitive species.

 

A.  State Directors shall designate species within their respective states as BLM sensitive using the following criteria.  For species inhabiting multiple states, State Directors shall coordinate with one another in the designation of BLM sensitive species, so that species status is consistent across the species’ range on BLM-administered lands, where appropriate. 

 

Species designated as BLM sensitive must be native species found on BLM-administered lands for which the BLM has the capability to significantly affect the conservation status of the species through management, and either:

 

(1)  There is information that a species has recently undergone, is undergoing, or is predicted to undergo a downward trend such that the viability of the species or a distinct population segment of the species is at risk across all or a significant portion of the species range, or;

 

(2) The species depends on ecological refugia or specialized or unique habitats on BLM-administered lands, and there is evidence that such areas are threatened with alteration such that the continued viability of the species in that area would be at risk.

 

The Arizona BLM Sensitive Species List was developed following the criteria described above using data from the 2010 Revised Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) list.  Additional information was gathered from interviews with AGFD Nongame Program Specialists, BLM Field Office Biologists/Botanists, and comments received from USFWS Arizona Ecological Services Field Office (March 2009).  Additional resources considered include the 2010 California BLM Sensitive lists, 2007 Forest Service Southwest Regional Lists, 2006 Species at Risk Report for New Mexico and Arizona, and discussions with New Mexico State Office staff.

 

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected:  Manual Section 6840 is affected.

 

Contact:  If you have any questions, please contact Tim Hughes, Endangered Species Coordinator, at 602-417-9356 or contact John Anderson, Botanist, at 623-580-5520.

 

 

1 Attachment:

1 - Arizona BLM Sensitive Species List (3 pp)