Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Species

The Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive (TES) Species Program is the Forest Service’s dedicated initiative to conserve and recover plant and animal species that need special management attention, and depend on National Forest and Grassland habitats.

There are several factors that can lead to endangerment and extinction of species. The single-most important one—and the one the Forest Service has the greatest influence over—is the alteration and loss of habitats. As manager of over 192 million acres of public lands and species habitats, the Forest Service and its partners play a key role in the conservation and recovery of at-risk species and maintenance of native biological diversity in the United States.

In addition to contributing to the recovery threatened and endangered species, the Forest Service also manages to conserve habitat for over 3,100 “sensitive” species—species that need special management to maintain and improve their status on National Forests and Grasslands, and prevent a need for listing under the Endangered Species Act. “Keeping all the parts” is a central tenet of ecosystem management, and is a core principle that guides the Forest Service’s management of the National Forests and Grasslands.

Fish and Wildlife Lists Region One/Region Four Revised Sensitive Species List letter, dated 10/28/04 Memo dated 3/31/05 adding Goshawk and Black-backed Woodpecker to the List Sensitive Species List - Fish, 10/28/04
Sensitive Species List - Wildlife (Birds, Mammals, Amphibians, Reptiles, Insects), dated 3/31/05 Changes made to the 2004 Sensitive Wildlife Species List, 10/28/04 2004 Sensitive Species List Update Process for Wildlife, 9/8/04 2004 Update Process - Attachment 5, Wildlife Risk Elements
Plant List Changes made to the 2004 Sensitive Plant Species List Montana Sensitive Plant Species List Idaho Sensitive Plant Species List North and South Dakota Sensitive Plant Species List

USDA Forest Service - Northern Region
Last Modified: Friday, 20 April 2007 at 12:00:04 EDT