[PCA] Proposed ESA Listing for White Fringeless Orchid

[Haidet, Margaret (Megan)]

Cookeville, TN – Though the plant is found in five states, populations of
white fringeless orchid are small, isolated, and face a wide array of
threats across their range, leading the Fish and Wildlife Service to
propose adding the plant to the federal list of threatened and endangered
species as a threatened species.   Because of the threat of collection, the
Service will not designate critical habitat for this plant.

Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, a plant or animal can be listed
as endangered, meaning it’s in danger of becoming extinct, or threatened,
which is one likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.
While the Service has determined the orchid is not facing extinction, low
numbers have been observed at more than half the orchid’s known locations,
while threats are present throughout the plant’s range. Less than 20
percent of occurrences have ever been observed to have more than 100
flowering plants during a single growing season.  Left unmanaged, the
plant’s range and abundance will likely continue to diminish.

Public comments on the proposed listing can be submitted by November 16,
2015. Requests for a public hearing must be made in writing in 45 days by
October 30, 2015. To request a public hearing, please contact Peggy Shute,
Cookeville Ecological Services Field Office at 446 Neal Street, Cookeville,
TN 38501; phone at 931/528-6481, or e-mail at peggy_shute at fws.gov.

Comments on the proposed listing should be submitted by one of the
following methods:


   - Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov - Follow the
   instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2015-0129.
   - U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Docket No.
   FWS-R4-ES-2015-0129, Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S.
   Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington,
   VA 22203. All comments, including personal information, will made be
   available on http://www.regulations.gov.



*To learn more about the proposed listing, visit:
http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ID=CCBFB753-E9C6-805A-AF96881806920ADD
<http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ID=CCBFB753-E9C6-805A-AF96881806920ADD>*


Megan Haidet
Seeds of Success
National Collection Curator
Seeds of Success
202-912-7233

www.blm.gov/sos
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