REGIONAL NEWS & RECOVERY UPDATES Region 4 Spring Creek Bladderpod (Lesquerella perforata) The FWS Cookeville, Tennessee, Field Office, state of Tennessee, and city of Leba­ non have signed a cooperative management agree­ ment for the protection of a Spring Creek bladderpod population occurring on property re­ cently acquired by the city. The city purchased approximately 3.5 acres (1.4 hectares) adjacent to a road construction project for the perpetual Regional endangered species staffers have protection of Spring Creek bladderpods occurring reported the following news: on the property. This site is one of only 17 known locations harboring this endangered species and American burying beetle Region 1 is the first to receive this level of protection. Photo by Andrea Kozol By providing for the perpetual protection of this This effort is probably one of the largest reintro­ species while allowing for the road construction, ductions ever undertaken for an endangered in- this agreement represents a cooperative approach sect species. to resolving issues between development and habi­ tat protection. We have been able to secure simi­ Present to document the work was a film crew lar management agreements for the Spring Creek from the TV program, Wild Moments, and the bladderpod with two Lebanon-based corporations, Providence Journal newspaper. Partners in the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., and TRW work include the Rhode Island Division of Fisher­ Automotive. All 17 occurrences of this plant are ies and Wildlife, Massachusetts Division of Fisher­ located on private property and efforts are under- ies and Wildlife, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Massa­ way to encourage the other landowners to follow chusetts Audubon Society, University of Massa­ the city’s lead. chusetts’ Boston Field Station, University of Rhode Island, Maria Mitchell Natural History Museum, Reported by Tyler Sykes of the FWS Cookeville and Nantucket Conservation Foundation. Field Office. Contra Costa wallflower Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis) As a result of a Photo by Paul Opler multi-agency partnership, endangered Indiana Rare Plant Propagation The Fish and Wild- Region 5 bats have been documented to migrate to the Lake life Service’s San Francisco Bay National Wildlife American Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus Champlain Valley in Vermont from a hibernacu­ Refuge (NWR) Complex has completed a new americanus) The largest American burying lum in New York. Biologists tagged five Indiana greenhouse facility next to the refuge’s existing beetle reintroduction effort in the 12-year history bats (four females and one male) with radio trans­ native plant nursery. The new greenhouse is dedi­ of the species’ recovery program took place re­ mitters as the bats left their hibernaculum (hi­ cated to the propagation of endangered plants of cently on Nantucket Island off the Massachusetts bernation site) in early May. Three females were Antioch Dunes NWR, the Antioch Dunes evening coast. The Roger Williams Park Zoo in Provi­ located by air and subsequently by land in Ver­ primrose (Oenothera deltoides ssp. howellii) and dence, Rhode Island, raised well over 300 of the mont within one to six days after release. Multiple Contra Costa wallflower (Ersimum capitatum endangered beetles for release on Nantucket Is- roost trees for two of the females were identified; var. angustatum). With its increased capacity, land, a historic locality for the species. On June 11 most of the roost trees were shagbark hickories. the refuge will be able to meet its endangered and 12, 320 American burying beetles (160 pairs) Evening counts of bats leaving the roosts ranged plant restoration needs in-house. were given dead quail for food (the beetles require from 4 to 120 bats (probably more than one spe­ carrion to reproduce) and released at the Massa­ cies roosted together). All of the Indiana bats were Reported by LaRee Brosseau of the FWS Port- chusetts Audubon Society’s Sesachacha Wildlife found on private land and all landowners granted land Regional Office. Sanctuary. With each pair of beetles capable of permission for field staff to locate the bats. raising 10-20 larvae, the 2001 release may result in thousands of beetles on the island by late fall. 24 ENDANGERED SPECIES BULLETIN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2002 VOLUME XXVII NO. 1 REGIONAL NEWS & RECOVERY UPDATES The success of this study was due to a substantial Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii dougallii) cooperative effort by state and federal agencies Roseate tern productivity in Long Island may get National Office and concerned citizens. Staff and equipment were a boost from the combined efforts of private orga­ International Outreach The Canadian Wild- provided by our New England and New York Field nizations and state, county, and federal govern­ life Service and the FWS Endangered Species Pro- Offices, the New York State Department of Envi­ ment agencies to restore Warner’s Island in Long gram have completed a 28-page joint publica­ ronmental Conservation (which also provided the Island’s Shinnecock Bay. Warner’s Island histori­ tion, “Conserving Borderline Species—A Part­ airplane and pilot), the Green and White Moun­ cally provided habitat for the endangered roseate nership Between the United States and Canada.” tain national forests, and the Vermont Agency of tern, which prefers nesting on small islands un­ Natural Resources. The West Virginia Department der or adjacent to objects that provide cover. Ero­ of Natural Resources loaned additional equip­ sion has gradually reduced the elevation of the ment. High school and college students also vol­ island to the point where it is being overwashed unteered their time. and inundated. This has resulted in a decrease in the number of nesting pairs from 30 pairs several Karner Blue Butterfly (Lycaeides melissa years ago to three pairs last year. samuelis) In early May, Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) staff from our New York Field The island has been restored using sand barged to Office restored 24 acres (9.7 ha) of habitat at the the site and off-loaded with an amphibious exca­ Albany Pine Bush, an unusual pine barrens eco­ vator purchased by the FWS Long Island Refuge system located in Albany, New York. This property Complex and our New York Field Office’s Partners will provide valuable habitat for the endangered for Fish and Wildlife program. Other cooperators Karner blue butterfly. A PFW Biological Science included the New York State Department of Envi­ Technician operated a Hydro-Ax to remove un­ ronmental Conservation, Southampton Town wanted vegetation on approximately 20 acres (8 Trustees, National Audubon Society, New York Fish ha). Additionally, 4 acres (1.7 ha) degraded by an Trade Tackle Association, Long Island Beach Buggy invasive stand of black locust (Robina pseudo- Association, and Suffolk County Department of The booklet highlights 10 species considered at acacia) were restored to native grasslands. After Parks, Labor, and Public Works. The restoration risk that range or migrate between the two coun­ the locust were removed, the site was prepared team, using sandbags and sandfill, raised the tries and for which both countries have cooper­ and seeded with a mixture of warm season grasses/ profile of the island to protect tern nests from ated on recovery efforts. These species are the forbs. A PFW Biological Science Technician pro­ disturbance and inundation. The team was suc­ black-footed ferret, swift fox, woodland caribou, vided technical assistance to Albany Pine Bush cessful in its cooperative efforts and the island is grizzly bear, whooping crane, piping plover, staff who seeded the site. Prescribed fire will be being monitored to assess nesting success. Volun­ marbled murrelet, Lake Erie water snake, Karner used regularly to maintain the 20-acre Hydro-Ax teers are planning to make decoys and place them blue butterfly, and western prairie fringed orchid. site, as well as the 4-acre seeded site. The two on the island to attract roseate terns in time for The publication may be obtained by calling 703- restored sites will provide habitat for the Karner next year’s nesting season. 358-2390 or by going to this website: http:// blue butterfly and furnish educational opportu­ www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/species/sar/ nities for the Albany Pine Bush Commission. Reported by Mark Clough of the FWS New York publications/cbs/index_e.htm Field Office. Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Four Reported by Susan Jewell of the Endangered students from the Ross School in East Hampton, Species Program in the FWS Arlington, Virginia, New York, are involved in a plover protection headquarters office. effort on the town’s beaches. They will be using two video surveillance cameras to monitor nest­ ing sites plagued by chick mortality. This study is a continuation of a prior school project that dem­ onstrated fencing off nesting sites provided al­ most total protection from predators and boosted productivity. East Hampton beaches have been the preferred nesting location for about 22 pairs of threatened piping plovers in the last several years, Roseate tern but chick mortality has been around 60 percent. Photo by Michael Bender ENDANGERED SPECIES BULLETIN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2002 VOLUME XXVII NO. 125 LISTING ACTIONS From November 2000 through August 2001, As many as 1,000 species of Hawaiian picture- Dolly Varden would only be treated as a listed the Fish and Wildlife Service published the wings may exist, each one adapted not only to a species where its range overlaps with that of the following proposed and final Endangered particular island but also to a specific habitat Coastal-Puget Sound population of bull trout in Species Act (ESA) rules in the Federal Reg­ type. Individual species have adapted to a wide Washington state. In the Coastal-Puget Sound ister. The full text of each action can be diversity of ecosystems ranging from desert-like areas, Dolly Varden occupy the same habitat as accessed through our website: habitats to rain forests and swamplands.