[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 155 (Friday, August 12, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47222-47223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-16009]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Running Buffalo Clover (Trifolium 
stoloniferum) Draft Recovery Plan: First Revision for Review and 
Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that 
the draft revised recovery plan for running buffalo clover (Trifolium 
stoloniferum) is available for public review and comment. This species 
is federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Currently populations 
occur in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Missouri. The 
Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received on or before 
October 11, 2005 will be considered by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain 
a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 6950 Americana Parkway, Suite H, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-
4127, telephone (614) 469-6923, or by accessing the Web site: http://midwest.fws.gov/Endangered. The e-mail address for submitting 
electronic comments is: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sarena M. Selbo at the above 
address and telephone (ext. 17). TTY users may contact Ms. Selbo 
through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant 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 is working to prepare recovery 
plans for most of the federally threatened and endangered species 
native to the United States. Recovery plans describe actions considered 
necessary for conservation of the species, establish criteria for 
reclassification and delisting, and provide estimates of the time and 
cost for implementing the recovery measures.
    The Act requires the development of recovery plans for listed 
species unless

[[Page 47223]]

such a plan would not promote the conservation of a particular species. 
Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in 1988, requires public notice and 
opportunity for public review and comment be provided during recovery 
plan development. The Service will consider all information presented 
during a public comment period prior to approval of each new or revised 
recovery plan. The Service and other Federal agencies will also take 
these comments into consideration in the course of implementing 
approved recovery plans.
    Running buffalo clover was listed as endangered on July 6, 1987. 
The recovery plan was approved on July 8, 1989. This is the first 
recovery plan revision. Running buffalo clover formerly occurred from 
West Virginia to Kansas. It is currently extant in limited portions of 
Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, and West Virginia. Running buffalo 
clover occurs in mesic habitats of partial to filtered sunlight, where 
there is a prolonged pattern of moderate periodic disturbance, such as 
mowing, trampling, or grazing. It is most often found in regions 
underlain with limestone or other calcareous bedrock.
    The primary threat to running buffalo clover is habitat alteration. 
Factors that contribute to this threat include forest succession and 
subsequent canopy closure, competition by invasive plant species, and 
catastrophic disturbance such as development or road construction. The 
elimination of bison and other large herbivores may also be a threat to 
this species because of the decrease in disturbance, soil enrichment, 
seed dispersal, and seed scarification that has resulted from their 
absence. In addition to these threats, inherent biological 
vulnerabilities of running buffalo clover include its reliance on 
pollinators, seed scarification, and dispersal mechanisms, as well as a 
dependence on disturbance.
    Given the known threats and constraints, the recovery effort for 
running buffalo clover focuses primarily on increasing the number of 
protected and managed populations, determining the viability of 
existing populations, and research on the species' ecological 
requirements. Key to this strategy is the protection and management of 
various-sized populations of running buffalo clover throughout the 
species' geographic range. The recovery criteria and actions rely 
heavily on retaining and managing suitable habitat. A greater 
understanding of the biotic and abiotic needs of running buffalo clover 
is also key to the species' recovery.
    Running buffalo clover will be considered for downlisting to 
threatened status when the likelihood of the species becoming extinct 
in the foreseeable future has been eliminated by the achievement of the 
following criteria:
    1. Seventeen populations, in total, are distributed as follows: 1 
A-ranked, 3 B-ranked, 3 C-ranked, and 10 D-ranked populations across at 
least 2 of the 3 regions in which running buffalo clover currently 
occurs (Appalachian, Bluegrass, and Ozark). Ranks are defined by both 
numbers of individuals present and habitat suitability. The number of 
populations required in each rank category is based on what would be 
necessary to achieve a 95% probability of persistence based on 
population viability analysis.
    2. For each A-ranked and B-ranked population described in 
1, population viability analysis indicates greater than 95% 
persistence within the next 20 years, or for any population that does 
not meet the 95% persistence standard, the population meets the 
definition of viable. For downlisting purposes, viability is defined as 
follows: A) flower production is occurring; B) the population is stable 
or increasing, based on at least 5 years of censusing and data analysis 
that reveals no significant decline in number of plants; and C) 
appropriate management techniques are in place.
    3. The land on which each of the populations described in 
1 occurs is owned by a government agency or private 
conservation organization that identifies maintenance of the species as 
one of the primary conservation objectives for the site and has 
demonstrated natural area management capabilities, or the site is 
protected by a permanent conservation easement or deed restriction that 
commits the landowner to habitat management for the species. Natural 
Resource Management Plans on Federal lands may be suitable for this 
criterion.
    Running buffalo clover will be considered for delisting when the 
likelihood of the species becoming threatened in the foreseeable future 
has been eliminated by the achievement of the following criteria:
    1. Thirty-four populations, in total, are distributed as follows: 2 
A-ranked, 6 B-ranked, 6 C-ranked, and 20 D-ranked populations across at 
least 2 of the 3 regions in which running buffalo clover occurs 
(Appalachian, Bluegrass, and Ozark). The number of populations in each 
rank is based on twice the amount that would be required to achieve a 
95% or greater probability of persistence; this number was doubled to 
ensure biological redundancy across the range of the species.
    2. For each A-ranked and B-ranked population described in 
1, population viability analysis indicates greater than 95% 
persistence within the next 20 years, or for any population that does 
not meet the 95% persistence standard, the population meets the 
definition of viable. For delisting purposes, viability is defined as 
follows: (A) flower production is occurring; (B) the population is 
stable or increasing, based on at least 10 years of censusing and data 
analysis that reveals no significant decline in number of plants; and 
(C) appropriate management techniques are in place.
    3. Downlisting criterion 3 is met for all populations 
described in delisting criterion 1.
    Additional detail on downlisting and delisting criteria is 
available in the draft recovery plan.
    These criteria will be met through the following actions: conserve 
and manage running buffalo clover populations and the habitat on which 
they depend, define population regulation factors, conserve germplasm 
and genetic diversity, promote public understanding, and review and 
track recovery progress.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan 
described. All comments received by the date specified will be 
considered prior to approval of the plan. Written comments and 
materials regarding the plan should be addressed to the Field 
Supervisor (see ADDRESSES). Comments and materials received will be 
available by appointment for public inspection during normal business 
hours at the above address.

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

    Dated: July 12, 2005.
Wendi Weber,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3, Fort 
Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 05-16009 Filed 8-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P