At-Risk Species Desired Conditions

Ecological conditions (such as desired conditions for vegetation and water resources) provide habitat that contribute to the survival and recovery of federally listed, proposed, and candidate species. Meeting desired conditions would provide habitat to aid in the persistence of the species.

1. Habitat for species of conservation concern sustains both common and uncommon native species. Habitats and refugia for species of conservation concern are intact, functioning, and sufficient for species persistence and recovery. (Refugia refers to a location that supports an isolated species population. This isolation can be due to climatic changes, natural geography, or human activities.)

2. At-risk plant community habitats (gypseous outcrops, margins of springs and wetlands, travertine seeps, canyons, cliffs, ledges, etc.) are present, to maintain self-sustaining populations of soil-specific associated at-risk plant species.

3. The structure and function of the vegetation and associated microclimate and special features (cavities, interlocking canopy, logs, snags, specific soil types, talus slopes, and wetlands) exist in adequate quantities within the capability of the plan area to provide habitat and refugia for at-risk species with restricted distributions.

 At-Risk Species Standards

1. Project activities and special uses occurring within federally-designated critical habitat must integrate habitat management objectives and species protection measures from the most recent approved U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recovery plan.

2. Where the Forest Service has entered into signed conservation agreements that provide guidance on activities or actions to be carried out by Lincoln National Forest staff, those activities or actions must be undertaken consistent with the guidance found within those conservation agreements.

At-Risk Species Guidelines

1. All authorized activities should be designed and implemented to address and mitigate threats to at-risk species and their habitats, including, but not limited to:

   • Timing restrictions to encourage reproductive success.

   • Prevention of introduction of invasive, competing, or predatory species (species directly and negatively impacting at-risk species populations).

   • Prevention or introduction of pathogens leading to population impacts.

   • Creation or removal of obstructions that may alter natural migration or directly cause mortality to wildlife.

   • Creation or removal of obstructions that may alter habitat function or fragment populations of plant species.

   • Avoiding or protecting small or isolated populations during management activities.

2. Within critical habitat for threatened and endangered species, footprints of emergency ground-disturbing fire suppression activities should be as small as possible or located where ground disturbance has previously occurred.

3. Heavy equipment should be kept out of streams during spawning, incubation, and emergence periods of aquatic at-risk species (spring to early summer for fish species) except when short-term uses are required to protect or improve resource conditions and maintain infrastructure.

4. Means to reduce the threat to at-risk species should be implemented in areas where concentrated recreational shooting may cause harm.

5. At-risk species habitat should be considered at the project level to identify that habitat needs are being met to retain species persistence in the planning area.

6. Seep and spring function should be restored as necessary to maintain habitat for at-risk species (such as Sacramento Mountains thistle and Wright’s marsh thistle).