Recovery Efforts in New York:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is one of many partners involved in endangered species recovery activities for federally listed species in New York State.

The New York Field Office is involved in a variety of recovery activities, both within and outside of the state. The Long Island sub-office has the lead role in recovery efforts on the Island.

We participate in various recovery planning and implementation teams. The Service strives to keep recovery plans up to date through revisions or the creation of interim strategies. Our office has assisted with the creation of the Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery Plan and just released the Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail (Novisuccinea chittenangoensis) (COAS).

In addition to creating and revising Federal recovery plans. The New York Field Office has assisted other partners with their planning efforts for Federally-listed species. For example, we have provided recommendations to the Town of Queensbury on their potential Karner Blue Butterfly Management Plan. We are also involved with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYSDEC) plans to develop a New York State Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery Plan.

Partnerships are an important aspect of all listed species recovery strategies. Our office is fortunate to work with numerous interested partners. The NYSDEC and New York Natural Heritage Program are two essential partners for the recovery of all listed species in New York State. Some additional groups that we have been working with on recent projects include the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, The Nature Conservancy, and the Institute for Ecosystem Studies.

One of our newest partnership effort involves Environmental Defense, the NYSDEC, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). We are all working together to restore Bog turtle habitat in New York State. Many Bog turtle sites are overgrown with invasive species such as purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), or phragmites (Phragmites australis). Environmental Defense has received funding through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to hire a program coordinator to work with private landowners to remove or minimize the invasive plants. Many of the sites may qualify for habitat restoration funding through NRCS conservation programs, such as the Wetland Reserve Program or the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program. Possible restoration activities include the use of cow, goat, and sheep grazing; biocontrol of purple loosestrife with specific beetles or weevils; and limited herbicide application.

Our Partners for Fish and Wildlife program assists with various habitat restoration efforts for the Karner blue butterfly and the Bog turtle. They have also assisted with the construction of bat gates for abandoned mines which serve as winter hibernacula for the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis).

Photo by C. Hawver

This is a photo of habitat work being done with a Hydro-Ax. Our partners program has cleared approximately 291 acres of vegetation over the past seven years for the Albany Pine Bush Commission. They have also assisted with clearing projects on over 20 acres throughout the Saratoga region. These efforts help prepare the area for seeding of native grasses, forbs, and wildflowers, such as wild blue lupine. Lupine is the only food source for Karner blue butterfly larvae.

 

We also provide assistance to other organizations with their field and research activities. For example, we have surveyed both hibernacula and summer roosting habitats for Indiana bats, monitored COAS populations, and have helped monitor Leedy’s roseroot (Sedum integrifolium spp. Leedyi).

Our office has provided funding for research and monitoring activities involving Federally listed, proposed, and/or candidate species. For example, we have supported projects such as survey efforts for the threatened Bog turtle (Clemmys [=Glyptemys] muhlenbergii ) in Oswego County and monitoring for the endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaides melissa samuelis) in Saratoga County by the Nature Conservancy's Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park. We have also supported efforts for species listed by the State of New York, such as surveys for the frosted elfin (Incisalia irus), a rare butterfly.

Our office can assist States, Tribes, and other Federal and non-federal partners with their applications for local, regional, and national Service grants. We can also assist partners with locating non-Service funding in some instances. For more information on the Service’s available grants, please go to http://grants.fws.gov/

For more information on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Recovery Program, please go to http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html