[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 189 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 50643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-24241]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Koolau Mountain Plant
Cluster for Review and Comment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability for public review of the Technical/Agency Draft Recovery
Plan for the Koolau Mountain Plant Cluster. There are 11 taxa of plants
included in this plan. All 11 taxa are known to be extant on the island
of Oahu, Hawaii; one species also is found on the islands of Molokai
and Maui, Hawaii.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before November 28, 1995.
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 6307, P.O. Box 50167, Honolulu,
Hawaii 96850 (phone 808/541-2749); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Regional Office, Ecological Services, 911 N.E. 11th Ave., Eastside
Federal Complex, Portland Oregon 97232-4181 (phone 503/231-6131); the
Molokai Public Library, 15 Ala Malama Street, Kaunakakai, Hawaii 96748
(phone 808/553-5483); and, the Wailuku Public Library, 251 High Street,
Wailuku, Maui (phone 808/244-3945). Requests for copies of the draft
recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan
should be addressed to Brooks Harper, Field Supervisor, Ecological
Services, at the above Honolulu address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Scott M. Johnston, 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 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 11 taxa being considered in this recovery plan are: Chamaesyce
deppeana ('akoko), Cyanea crispa (no common name (NCN)), Cyanea
truncata (haha), Cyrtandra crenata (ha'iwale), Cyrtandra polyantha
(ha'iwale), Eugenia koolauensis (nioi), Hesperomannia arborescens
(NCN), Lobelia oahuensis (NCN), Melicope lydgatei (alani),
Phlegmariurus nutans (wawae'iole), Tetraplasandra gymnocarpa
('ohe'ohe).
All 11 species covered in this plan are listed as endangered. Ten
of the 11 taxa are known to be extant only on the island of Oahu,
Hawaii; one species, Hesperomannia arborescens, also is found on the
islands of Molokai and Maui. The 11 plant taxa and their habitats have
been variously affected and are threatened by one or more of the
following: Habitat degradation and/or predation by feral ungulates
(goats, pigs, sheep, and cattle); competition for space, light, water,
and nutrients by naturalized, alien vegetation; habitat loss from
fires; predation by rats; human recreational activities; and military
training exercises. Because of the depauperate number of extant
individuals and their severely restricted distributions, populations of
these taxa are subject to an increased likelihood of extinction from
stochastic events.
All 11 of these taxa are known from the Koolau Mountains on the
eastern portion of Oahu. The 11 taxa included in this plan grow in
lowland and mesic forests, and in dry and wet moisture regimes.
The objective of this plan is to provide a framework for the
recovery of these 11 taxa so that their protection by the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) is no longer necessary. Immediate actions necessary
for the prevention of extinction of these taxa include fencing for
exclusion of ungulates, alien plant control, protection from fire,
population and plant community monitoring and management, ex situ
propagation, and augmentation of populations, as appropriate. Long-term
activities necessary for the perpetuation of these taxa in their
natural habitats additionally include public education, maintenance of
fenced areas, long-term monitoring and management of populations and
communities, and re-establishment of populations within the historic
ranges of some taxa. Further research regarding current range,
reproduction and reproductive status, pollinators, life history,
limiting factors, habitat requirements, and minimum viable population
sizes is needed to facilitate appropriate management decisions
regarding the long-term perpetuation of each of these taxa.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan
described. All comments received by the date specified above will be
considered prior to approval of these plans.
Authority: The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the
Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: September 25, 1995.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific
Region.
[FR Doc. 95-24241 Filed 9-28-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
