Update of the BLM Wyoming Sensitive Species List - 2010

United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Wyoming State Office
P.O. Box 1828
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-1828

IN REPLY REFER TO:  (930) P

April 5, 2010

EMS TRANSMISSION:

4/7/2010

Instruction Memorandum No. WY-2010-027
Expires 9/30/2011

To: District Managers

From: Associate State Director

Subject: Update of the Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming, Sensitive Species List  2010 (This IM supersedes IB WY-2003-001)

In April 2001, the Bureau issued its first Sensitive Species List for public lands within Wyoming in accordance with BLM Manual 6840 (Special Status Species Management). As part of that effort, the BLM committed to an annual review of the list to make sure it was up-to-date and pertinent to our management needs. This Instruction Memorandum transmits the re-issue of the BLM Wyoming Sensitive Species List reflecting the results of the periodic review process.

During review of the 2001 Sensitive Species List, comments and recommendations were received from BLM Wyoming Field Offices and U.S. Forest Service Regions 2 and 4. Bureau Sensitive Species Lists for contiguous states also were reviewed during the process of updating our list for Wyoming. Other information sources reviewed in the screening process included, but were not limited to: Wyoming Natural Diversity Database Species of Concern, Wyoming Game and Fish Department Species of Special Concern, Wyoming Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plan, U.S. Geological Survey North American Breeding Bird Survey, and various unpublished reports.

Special Status Species include those species listed or proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) together with species designated internally as BLM sensitive in accordance with BLM Manual 6840. Of the several species that Wyoming BLM Field Office biologists recommended for addition to the list, only the horneyhead chub (Nocomis biguttatus) and the mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) met the criteria for addition to the list. The remaining species recommended for inclusion were not added either because they did not meet the criteria outlined in the 6840 Manual or there was not sufficient data to warrant their inclusion.

All told, 11 species were added to, and 4 were deleted from the 2001 list, resulting in a total of 82 species on the current 2010 list. In accordance with Manual 6840, four were added as a result of their removal from formal listing status under the ESA; six were added in accordance with 6840 criteria 1a and/or 1b; and one was added due to its proposed listing status under ESA. Four species were removed from the list in accordance with 6840 criteria 1a and/or 1b. The revised 2010 Wyoming BLM Sensitive Species List and details concerning additions and removals are attached. Please maintain your current Resource Management Plans with this updated Wyoming BLM Sensitive Species List.

It is the intent of the BLM Wyoming State Director to review the list periodically as the status of the species changes and new information is obtained. Species recommended for addition or removal from the list that did not meet the Wyoming BLM Sensitive Species List criteria this year may be considered in future updates if new information is found on their distribution, abundance, status, and/or habitat requirements.

If you have any questions please contact Tyler Abbott at (307) 775-6090 or by e-mail at Tyler_Abbott@blm.gov.

Signed by: Ruth Welch, Associate State Director

Authenticated by: Jessica Camargo, State Director Secretary

2 Attachments:
1 Summary of Additions and Deletions to List (2 pp.)
2 2010 Sensitive Species List (63 pp.)