[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 163 (Monday, August 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51297-51298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20846]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R8-ES-2015-N138; FXES11130000-156-FF08E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Recovery Plans for 
the Pallid Manzanita and the Baker's Larkspur

AGENCY:  Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of documents.

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

SUMMARY:  We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the 
availability of final recovery plans for two plants, the pallid 
manzanita and the Baker's larkspur. The recovery plan for pallid 
manzanita includes recovery objectives and criteria, and specific 
actions necessary to achieve removal of the species from the Federal 
Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants. The recovery 
plan for Baker's larkspur includes downlisting objectives and criteria, 
and specific actions necessary to reclassify the species from 
endangered to threatened on the Federal Lists of Endangered and 
Threatened Wildlife and Plants.

ADDRESSES:  You may obtain copies of the recovery plans from our Web 
site at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/species/recovery-plans.html. 
Alternatively, you may contact the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-2605, 
Sacramento, CA 95825 (telephone 916-414-6700).

[[Page 51298]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Jennifer Norris, Field Supervisor, at 
the above street address or telephone number (see ADDRESSES).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Recovery of endangered or threatened animals and plants to the 
point where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their 
ecosystems is a primary goal of our endangered species program and the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.). Recovery means improvement of the status of listed species to 
the point at which listing is no longer appropriate under the criteria 
specified in section 4(a)(1) of the Act. The Act requires the 
development of recovery plans for listed species, unless such a plan 
would not promote the conservation of a particular species.
    The purpose of a recovery plan is to provide a framework for the 
recovery of species so that protection under the Act is no longer 
necessary. A recovery plan includes scientific information about the 
species and provides criteria that enable us to gauge whether 
downlisting or delisting the species may be warranted. Furthermore, 
recovery plans help guide our recovery efforts by describing actions we 
consider necessary for each species' conservation and by estimating 
time and costs for implementing needed recovery measures.
    Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to provide an opportunity for 
public review and comment prior to finalization of recovery plans, 
including revisions to such plans. We made the draft recovery plan for 
pallid manzanita available for public comment from March 3, 2014, 
through June 2, 2014 (79 FR 11816). We made the draft recovery plan for 
Baker's larkspur available for public comment from January 13, 2015, 
through March 16, 2015 (80 FR 1659). We did not receive comments during 
the public comment periods for either of the draft recovery plans.

Recovery Plan for Pallid Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pallida)

Species' History

    We listed pallid manzanita throughout its entire range on April 22, 
1998 (63 FR 19842). The species is endemic to the San Francisco East 
Bay, and currently consists of two naturally occurring populations and 
an out-planted population, totaling 1,353 mature plants. Pallid 
manzanita requires frequent summertime fog, and, as a component of the 
maritime chaparral vegetation type, it occurs on relatively cool, 
moist, and stable sites in close proximity to the San Francisco Bay. It 
is highly shade intolerant and adapted to a particular fire regime. The 
species requires fire for natural seed germination; however, too 
frequent a fire regime, one that depletes the soil seed bank before 
enough seeds have become deeply buried enough in the soil to withstand 
fire, represents a significant threat to the species. Approximately 
one-third of all plants occur within the backyards of homeowners, and 
almost all individuals occur in close proximity to human-built 
structures. These plants represent an extreme wildfire hazard to human-
built structures, and have been targeted for removal to reduce the 
threat of wildfire. Finally, an incurable and virulent nonnative 
pathogen, Phytophthora cinnamomi, has been identified as killing pallid 
manzanita plants at two locations.

Recovery Plan Goals

    The ultimate goal of this recovery plan is to recover pallid 
manzanita so that it can be delisted. To meet the recovery goal, the 
following objectives have been identified:
    1. Minimize the spread of Phytophthora cinnamomi.
    2. Treat stands infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi.
    3. Manage native and nonnative vegetation that shades pallid 
manzanita.
    4. Expand existing stands.
    5. Establish additional stands.
    6. Ensure stands are protected from incompatible uses and 
incompatible wildfire fuels-reduction activities.
    As pallid manzanita meets reclassification and recovery criteria, 
we will review its status and consider it for removal from the Federal 
Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants.

Recovery Plan for Baker's Larkspur (Delphinium bakeri)

Species' History

    We listed Baker's larkspur throughout its entire range on January 
26, 2000 (65 FR 4156). The species is endemic to Marin and Sonoma 
Counties, California, and is currently known from one small historical 
occurrence along Marshall-Petaluma Road in west Marin County. The 
remaining historical occurrence of Baker's larkspur occurs on 
decomposed shale in the mixed woodland plant community at an elevation 
range of 295 feet (ft) (90 meter (m)) to 672 ft (205 m) in moderately 
moist, shaded conditions on a shallow veneer of soil along an extensive 
north-facing slope. These habitat requirements limit the availability 
of suitable reintroduction sites with appropriate habitat conditions 
and compatible land use. Although habitat conversion and road 
maintenance were historically responsible for decreasing numbers, those 
threats have been curtailed. Because of the extreme range restriction 
of this already-narrow endemic, and its small population size, the 
plant is highly vulnerable to extinction from random events, including 
wildfire, herbivory, disease and pest outbreaks, and human disturbance.

Recovery Plan Goals

    The goal of this recovery plan is to improve the status of Baker's 
larkspur so that it can be downlisted. Due to the current lack of 
information about the species' biology and habitat requirements, the 
magnitude of current threats, and the precarious environment where the 
single historical population of the species persists, we are unable to 
determine appropriate delisting criteria; therefore, we focus on 
meeting the goal of downlisting. To meet the recovery goal of 
downlisting, the following objectives have been identified:
    1. Expand the existing populations of Baker's larkspur and 
establish additional self-sustaining populations of Baker's larkspur 
throughout its known ecological and geographical range, while 
preserving extant genetic diversity.
    2. Ensure existing and future populations are protected from 
incompatible uses, such as road maintenance.
    3. Reduce herbivory by slugs, snails, and gophers to the point that 
it does not affect the species at a population level.
    As Baker's larkspur meets reclassification criteria, we will review 
its status and consider it for downlisting on the Federal Lists of 
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants.

Authority

    We developed our recovery plan under the authority of section 4(f) 
of the Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). We publish this notice under section 
4(f) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.).

Polly Wheeler,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2015-20846 Filed 8-21-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P