[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 5, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 10485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5124]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Final Southwestern Willow 
Flycatcher Recovery Plan

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability 
of the Final Recovery Plan for the southwestern willow flycatcher 
(Empidonax traillii extimus). The breeding range of this bird includes 
southern California, southern Nevada, southern Utah, Arizona, New 
Mexico, western Texas, southwestern Colorado, and possibly extreme 
northern portions of the Mexican states of Baja, California del Norte, 
Sonora, and Chihuahua. Within this region, the species breeds in dense 
riparian tree and shrub communities associated with rivers, swamps, and 
other wetlands including lakes (e.g., reservoirs). Most of these 
habitats are classified as forested wetlands or scrub-shrub wetlands.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to obtain a copy of the Recovery Plan may 
contact Greg Beatty, Arizona Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 2321 West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, 
Phoenix, Arizona, 85021-4951 (602/242-0210 x247, [email protected]). 
The Plan is also available at http://arizonaes.fws.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Beatty (see ADDRESSES).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant species to 
the point where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its 
ecosystem is a primary goal of the Service's endangered species 
program. To help guide the recovery effort, the Service prepares 
recovery plans for most of the listed species native to the United 
States. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for 
conservation of species, establish criteria for the recovery levels for 
downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time and cost for 
implementing the recovery measures needed.
    The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.), requires the development of recovery plans for listed 
species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a 
particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in 1988, 
requires that public notice and an opportunity for public review and 
comment be provided during recovery plan development. On June 6, 2001, 
the Service published in the Federal Register an announcement of the 
availability for public review of the draft Recovery Plan for the 
southwestern willow flycatcher. Public comments were accepted through 
October 4, 2001. The comment period was subsequently reopened on 
October 10, 2001, for a period of 60 days extending through December 
10, 2001. Seventy-eight letters of comment were received during the two 
comment periods. The draft Recovery Plan was revised and finalized 
based on this input.
    The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher Recovery Plan describes the 
status, current management, recovery objectives and criteria, and 
specific actions needed to reclassify the southwestern willow 
flycatcher from endangered to threatened, and to ultimately delist it. 
The Recovery Plan was developed by a Technical Subgroup comprised of 14 
technical specialists, and geographically-based teams of stakeholders 
(Implementation Subgroups), which include representatives of Native 
American Tribes, State and local governments, ranchers, private land 
owners and managers, agency representatives, and others.
    The southwestern willow flycatcher is known to currently breed in 
dense riparian vegetation in southern California, southern Nevada, 
southern Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and southwestern Colorado. Although 
extreme northwestern Mexico and western Texas are considered part of 
its breeding range, no nesting birds are presently known to occur in 
these areas. The dense riparian vegetation that is needed for breeding 
was historically rare and sparsely distributed, and is now more rare. 
Destruction and modification of riparian habitats have been caused 
mainly by: Reduction or elimination of surface and subsurface water due 
to diversion and groundwater pumping; changes in flood and fire regimes 
due to dams and stream channelization; clearing and controlling 
vegetation; livestock overgrazing; changes in water and soil chemistry 
due to disruption of natural hydrologic cycles; and establishment of 
non-native plants. Concurrent with habitat loss have been increases in 
brood parasitism by the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) and the 
presence of nest predation which inhibits reproductive success and 
further reduces population levels. Actions needed to recover the 
southwestern willow flycatcher are those that would increase and 
improve breeding habitat by restoring and/or re-creating natural 
physical and biotic processes that influence riparian ecosystems, and 
reducing other stresses on the flycatcher. Specific actions include: 
Changing management of surface and groundwater where feasible; 
restoring flood cycles; reducing impacts of domestic livestock, wild 
burros, and native ungulates; improving metapopulation stability; 
securing long-term protection of breeding habitat; managing exotic 
plant species; reducing brood parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds; and 
conducting research to refine management practices and knowledge of 
ecology. The Recovery Plan was finalized based on comments received 
during meetings with the Implementation Subgroups, as well as comments 
received from the public.

Authority

    The authority for this action is Section 4(f) of the Endangered 
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

    Dated: September 19, 2002.
David A. Yazzie,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 03-5124 Filed 3-4-03; 8:45 am]
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