[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 162 (Thursday, August 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44483-44484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22149]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of Draft Kauai II: Addendum to the Recovery Plan for
the Kauai Plant Cluster (USFWS 1995)
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability
for public review of a draft Kauai II: Addendum to the Recovery Plan
for the Kauai Plant Cluster (USFWS 1995). There are 19 taxa of plants
included in this plan, 17 of which are listed as endangered and 2 as
threatened. All 19 are known only from the island of Kauai. This draft
plan addendum supplements the Recovery Plan for the Kauai Plant cluster
finalized in 1995. A limited number of copies of the Kauai Plant
Cluster Recovery Plan are available, although the Service is not
seeking comments on that document.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by October 20, 1997
will be considered by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the
following locations: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands
Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, room 3108, P.O. Box 50088, Honolulu,
Hawaii 96850 (phone 808/541-3441); Kauai Regional Library, 4344 Hardy
Ave., Lihue, Hawaii 96766. Requests for copies of the draft recovery
plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan should be
addressed to Field Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Office, at the above
Honolulu address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Willis, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, at the above Honolulu address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring 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 the Service's endangered species
program. To help guide the recovery effort, the Service is working to
prepare recovery plans for most of the listed species native to the
United States. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for
the conservation of the 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, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)
(Act), 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. The Service will consider
all information presented during the public comment period prior to
approval of each new or revised Recovery Plan. Substantive technical
comments will result in changes to the plans. Substantive comments
regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in
changes to the recovery plans, but will be forwarded to appropriate
Federal or other entities so that they can take these comments into
account during the course of implementing recovery actions.
Individualized responses to comments will not be provided.
The Recovery Plan for the Kauai Plant Cluster, finalized in 1995,
covered 37 plant species. This draft addendum to the Recovery Plan for
the Kauai Plant Cluster covers 19 plant taxa, 17 of which are listed as
endangered and 2 as threatened. All of these taxa are endemic to the
island of Kauai, Hawaiian Islands. The plants listed as endangered are:
Alsinidendron lychnoides (kuawawaenohu), Alsinidendron viscosum (no
common name (NCN)), Cyanea remyi (haha), Cyrtandra cyaneoides (mapele),
Delissea rivularis (oha), Hibiscadelphus woodii (hau kuahiwi), Hibiscus
waimeae ssp. hannerae (koki o keokeo), Kokia kauaiensis (kokio),
Labordia tinifolia var. wahiawaensis (kamakahala), Phyllostegia
knudsenii (NCN), Phyllostegia wawrana (NCN), Pritchardia napaliensis
(loulu), Pritchardia viscosa (loulu), Schiedea helleri (NCN), Schiedea
membranacea (NCN), Schiedea stellarioides (laulihilihi), Viola
kauaensis var. wahiawaensis (nani waialeale). The plants listed as
threatened are: Cyanea recta (haha) and Myrsine linearifolia (kolea).
[[Page 44484]]
The 19 taxa included in this addendum grow mostly in the northern
and northwestern portions of Kauai, and grow in a variety of vegetation
communities (shrublands, forests, and mixed communities), elevational
zones (lowland to montane), and moisture regimes (dry to wet). Only one
species, Pritchardia napaliensis, is found in lowland dry communities.
These taxa and their habitats have been variously affected or are
currently threatened by one or more of the following: competition for
space, light, water, and nutrients by introduced vegetation; habitat
degradation by feral or domestic animals (axis deer, goats, pigs,
sheep, and cattle); erosion of substrate produced by hurricane,
weathering, human- or animal-caused disturbance; and predation by
animals (goats, rats, and slugs). In addition, due to the small number
of existing individuals and their very narrow distributions, these taxa
and most of their populations are subject to an increased likelihood of
extinction and/or reduced reproductive vigor from stochastic events.
The objective of the Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Kauai
Plant Cluster (USFWS 1995) is to provide a framework for the recovery
of these 19 taxa so that their protection by the Endangered Species Act
(ESA) is no longer necessary. The interim objective is to stabilize all
existing populations of the Kauai II taxa. To be considered stable,
each taxon must be managed to control threats (e.g., fenced) and be
represented in an ex situ (such as a nursery or arboretum) collection.
In addition, a minimum total of three populations of each taxon should
be documented on Kauai, where they now occur or occurred historically.
Each of these populations must be naturally reproducing and increasing
in number, with a minimum of 25 mature individuals per population for
long-lived perennials (Hibiscadelphus woodii, Hibiscus waimeae ssp.
hannerae, Kokia kauaiensis, Labordia tinifolia var. wahiawaensis,
Myrsine linearifolia, Pritchardia napaliensis, Pritchardia viscosa) and
a minimum of 50 mature individuals per population for short-lived
perennials (Alsinidendron lychnoides, Alsinidendron viscosum, Cyanea
recta, Cyanea remyi, Cyrtandra cyaneoides, Delissea rivularis,
Phyllostegia knudsenii, Phyllostegia wawrana, Schiedea helleri,
Schiedea membranacea, Schiedea stellarioides, Viola kauaensis var.
wahiawaensis). For downlisting, a total of five to seven populations of
each taxon should be documented on Kauai where they now occur or
occurred historically. Each of these populations must be naturally
reproducing, stable or increasing in number, and secure from threats,
with a minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for long-lived
perennials and a minimum of 300 mature individuals per population for
short-lived perennials. Each population should persist at this level
for a minimum of 5 consecutive years before downlisting is considered.
For delisting, a total of 8 to 10 populations of each taxon should be
documented on Kauai where they now occur or occurred historically. Each
of these populations must be naturally reproducing, stable or
increasing in number, and secure from threats, with a minimum of 100
mature individuals per population for long-lived perennials and a
minimum of 300 mature individuals per population for short-lived
perennials. Each population should persist at this level for a minimum
of 5 consecutive years.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the Addendum to the
Recovery Plan described. All comments received by the date specified
above will be considered prior to approval of this addendum.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: July 28, 1997.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 97-22149 Filed 8-20-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
