Recovery Plan Action Status

Plan Name: Seven Coastal Plants and the Myrtle's Silverspot Butterfly Recovery Plan
Plan Status: Final
Plan Date: 29-Sep-98
Lead Agency: USFWS
Lead Office: Ventura Fish And Wildlife Office ( (805) 644-1766 )

Species

Action Priority #

Action #

Action Description

Action Status

Est. Initiation Date

Est. Completion Date

Responsible Parties

Work Type

Labor Type

Action Comments

Implementation Activities

Howell's spineflower (Chorizanthe howellii)

1.21

Inform land owners - Chorizanthe howellii

Ongoing Current

Local Lead Agencies [California coast, Myrtle's Silverspot/Seven coastal plants habitat]

Other: Regulations

Labor type not yet selected

Protect habitat: Springer-Sheppard and Ward Avenue populations, Mendocino County; Mendocino County LCP conducts routine screen for sensitive plant issues as part of development planning process

Howell's spineflower (Chorizanthe howellii)

1.22

Consult agencies - Chorizanthe howellii

Ongoing Current

FY 1995 - FY 1999

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Research: Habitat Status

Internal Field Assistance

Coordination between USFWS and McKerricher State Park, and Mendocino County to prevent impacts and coordinate management.

Beach layia (Layia carnosa), Clover lupine (Lupinus tidestromii), Howell's spineflower (Chorizanthe howellii), Menzies' wallflower (Erysimum menziesii), Monterey gilia (Gilia tenuiflora ssp. arenaria), Monterey spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens), Myrtle's silverspot butterfly (Speyeria zerene myrtleae)

2.11

Minimize invasive plant threats on private land

Partially Complete

U.S. Bureau of Land Management

Work type not yet selected

Labor type not yet selected

Habitat restoration (exotics removal) has been ongoing by NGO's for many years at Humboldt Bay and Monterey Bay for Erysimum menziesii and/or Layia carnosa.

2.12

Minimize invasive plant threats on public lands

Ongoing Current

FY 1995 - FY 1999

U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Management: Habitat Maintenance and Manipulation

Volunteer, Contract, Internal Field Assistance

Habitat restoration (exotics removal) has been ongoing for many years funded by Federal, State and/or local entities for one or more of the covered species by BLM, Vandenberg AFB, Former Fort Ord, USFWS, State and National Parks public lands in Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties. PORE, in Feb 2011 conducted a large-scale dune restoration project just south of Abbott's Lagoon. Through the Abbotts Lagoon Coastal Dune Restoration Project, 80 acres of European beachgrass and 1 acre of iceplant were removed from approximately 200 acres of coastal dune. This project should have indirect benefits for Lupinus tidestromii by removing habitat for (artificially elevated numbers of) seed predators that threaten the existing Abbotts Lagoon population and allowing for natural sand movement, as well as some direct benefits for this species and Layia carnosa by creating new habitat for these species. Also, for the benefit of Chorizanthe valida, in Dec 2010, more than 10 acres of yellow bush lupine was removed (which is known to facilitate invasion by non-native species by increasing nitrogen and organic content). Various habitat restoration has been ongoing for Erysimum menziesii and Layia carnosa around Humboldt Bay, conducted by the FWS and BLM, and nonprofits. In late summer 2011, 80 acres of European beachgrass and iceplant were removed from 190 acres of dunes. In addition, treatment began in fall 2011 of an additional 28.1 acres of beachgrass and iceplant norht and south of the above area.

3.1

Examine the interactions of cattle grazing on listed plant habitat

Not Started

To be determined

Work type not yet selected

Labor type not yet selected

3.21

Obtain life history and response-to-management data for the listed plants

Partially Complete

FY 2000 - FY 2004

To be determined

Work type not yet selected

Labor type not yet selected

(1) Grant agreement between FWS and UCSC (~$20,000+ including UCSC contribution) for management-oriented research on seed dormancy and soil seed banks of Monterey spineflower and Monterey (sand) gilia; 2003 - 2006. (2) Multi-year project to clarify taxonomic relationships of Chorizanthes in Monterey/SCruz region, 2004-2005; $17,500 expended for all taxa. (DMS, VFWO, 2005). In Dec 2010, an historic ranch road on G Ranch was re-aligned out of the main population of Chorizanthe valida, and in winter 2010-2011, five new populations of Chorizanthe valida were introduced from seed into historic habitat (with much success!). In August 2010, 334 seeds were collected from 24 individuals of this species (at the natural and reintroduced populations) and sent to the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden which in turn sent half to the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation in Denver, CO and half to the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden in Claremont, CA. Genetic study by Brinegar and Baron (2009) indicates that C. pungens/C. robusta complex is genetically very similar, and that taxonomic revision to include all varieties of this complex as two varieties of C. pungens may be warranted in the future (Lena Chang 7/29/2010). Extensive research conducted on life history of Erysimum menziesii, Layia carnosa and Chorizanthe howelii over the past decade. Multi-agency life history study on Layia carnosa initiated fall 2011 to compare plant and reproductive vigor of the species between the optimal sites for the species (e.g., Humboldt bay, Mattole River)and sites located at the fringes of the distribution in order to determine if recovery goals for the outlier sites are realistic and feasible.

3.4

Determine habitat requirements for plants

Ongoing Current

FY 1995 - FY 1999

National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management

Research: Habitat Requirements

Internal Field Assistance

Ongoing life history comparison across the range of Layia carnosa will help determine if recovery goals for the species at the edge of its distribution are appropriate.

Howell's spineflower (Chorizanthe howellii)

4.21

Establish working group -Chorizanthe howellii

Not Started

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Work type not yet selected

Labor type not yet selected

Virtually the entire distribution of CHHO occurs in MacKerricher SP. The 5 year status review completed in 2007 defined specific tasks needed to propose downlisting to threatened, including a cooperative effort between the USFWS and State Parks to complete a population baseline estimate, and implement a standard population monitoring protocol that includes assessment and adaptive mgmt if warranted, to address recreational use and exotic species impacts. That effort has not yet begun.

Howell's spineflower (Chorizanthe howellii)

4.22

Implement guidelines -Chorizanthe howellii

Ongoing Current

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Work type not yet selected

Labor type not yet selected

Guidelines refer to those laid out in the 5 year status review completed in 2007 and to be refined through cooperative effort between State Parks and USFWS defined in 4.21 above.

5.1

Monitor populations - trends

Ongoing Current

FY 2006

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, To be determined

Research: Population Surveys

Internal Technical Assistance

Erysimum menziesii monitored generally on routine basis at many sites across the range by BLM, USFWS, and California State Parks. Layia carnosa is monitored by National Parks, Pt Reyes NS, BLM, USFWS, California State Parks, Vandenberg AFB and several NGO's across the range. Research including a comparison of critical life history functions across the range will be implemented winter 2011 to determine if recovery goals for populations at the limits of its range are feasible to achieve. A population estimate was made for the first time in 2011 of Chorizanthe howellii at McKerricher State Park, Mendocino County. Monitoring of C. vallida and Lupinus is ongoing at Point Reyes National Park. The Army conducts regular monitoring of Monterey spineflower and gilia on Former Fort Ord lands. Chorizanthe valida and Lupinus tidestromii are both surveyed annually. The final totals are not in for Lupinus tidestromii, but in response to the major invasives removal going on, Pt Reyes Nat. Seashore detected 15,884 new plants and at least 25% of them flowered and set seed. Of the 80 acres of dunes that were flipped (restored), 15.8 acres turned up with new plants. Very successful. In regards to Chorizanthe valida, numbers were much lower than in 2011. Totals within the only natural population were 95,460 plus or minus 39,099 compared to 370,740 plus or minus 63,038 in 2011 and 958,380 plus or minus 264,416 in 2010. Plants within the reintroduction areas also numbered much lower than in 2011.

Activity Number	Description	Status	Est. Initiation Date	Est. Completion Date	Responsible Parties	Work Type	Labor Type	Comments	Species
5.1-1	Genetics study and taxonomic review of the Menzies' wallflower complex	Ongoing Current	FY 2012	N/A		Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected	Contract funded by BLM initiated to review taxonomy and conduct genetics investigation of the Menzies' wallflower complex including E. concinnum, as recommended in the past 5-year status review

5.2

Monitor success at reducing threats

Ongoing Current

FY 1995 - FY 1999

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, To be determined

Research: Population Surveys, Research: Habitat Status

Internal Field Assistance

Various population and habitat monitoring conducted annually by BLM, USFWS, State and National Parks, Vandenberg AFB, the Army, and others across the rnage of the species.

5.3

Survey likely habitat

Ongoing Current

FY 1995 - FY 1999

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, To be determined

Work type not yet selected

Labor type not yet selected

Routine inventories and population surveys required as part of project planning efforts at state and federal levels across the ranges of the species.

Outreach program

Ongoing Current

To be determined, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Work type not yet selected

Labor type not yet selected

No formal outreach implemented; informal education and outreach conducted as routine operation of federal and state agency landowners, and NGO landowners.

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