Lesser Prairie-Chicken Now Listed Under the Endangered Species Act
The Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision presents an opportunity to protect the bird while bolstering rural economies.
SANTA FE, N.M.– The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) The species is managed separately in the northern and southern parts of its range, which includes portions of five states (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico).
“This decision is essential if we hope to save the Lesser Prairie-Chicken from extinction,” said Jon Hayes, executive director of APP Southwest and vice president at the APP. “Many people have worked through voluntary measures and agreements to avoid this moment but as we all know, you don’t put food on the table with effort, and what we have done hasn’t been enough.”
Since formal nationwide bird monitoring began in the 1960s, Lesser Prairie-Chicken populations have declined by 97 percent across their range. This decline is one of the most precipitous among all bird life in the U.S. and will ultimately lead to extinction if not addressed. More than 20,000 APP members along with60 localchapters across 20 states submitted letters to the Fish and Wildlife Service asking for increased protections.The Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits anyone from harming an endangered species either directly or indirectly, it requires the development of a recovery plan for the species, and it generally requires the identification of critical habitat.
“Ensuring the existence of this bird for future generations will come at a cost, but these costs do not have to be accompanied by conflict,” said Hayes. “Activities like energy production will have to be curtailed in the areas designated as critical habitat for the bird, but there are ways for the agency and industry to work together.”
For example, the Fish and Wildlife Service has taken steps to create anIncidental Take Permitthat energy companies can apply for allowing them to mitigate their predicted impact by restoring and protecting the Lesser Prairie-Chicken habitat. With rigorous accounting, we can ensure that mitigation helps restore the bird’s populations. This idea ofConservation Bankingcould prove to be the path forward that will help to protect the bird while also accommodating the needs of industry.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has also worked to ensure flexibility for landowners and land managers by offering regulatory certainty through voluntary programs for agriculture and sustainable ranching. New federal investments and incentives for landowners resulting from today’s decision will also make our grassland healthier, improve the infiltration of groundwater, sequester carbon, and make the rangeland more resilient overall.
“Whether you’re a cow or a bird, you need healthy grass and soil,” said Hayes. “This is our opportunity to not only save this species, but do so while also bolstering rural economies and addressing the APP crisis.”
APP’s Conservation Ranchingprogram supports market incentives for ranchers that manage their rangeland for bird habitat. Innovative partnerships like this provide a win-win solution for birds, like the Lesser Prairie-Chicken, and beef producers.
The Lesser Prairie-Chicken was first proposed for ESA listing in 1995. In the more than 25 years since that original petition, the bird has been through, court orders, and failed recovery efforts, all while the populations continue to plummet.
Read more from Jon Hayes:
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Media Contact:Matt Smelser,matt.smelser@audubon.org