FLA Fights for Workable Solutions in Northern Long-eared Bat Reclassification
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FLA Fights for Workable Solutions in Northern Long-eared Bat Reclassification

Update: Effective Date Delayed Until March 31, 2023The effective date of the final rule to reclassify the northern long-eared bat as endangered has been delayed until March 31, 2023. The Service notes that the delay is necessary to finalize conservation tools and guidance documents to avoid confusion and disruption with members of the public and…

FLA Weighs in on Louisiana Pinesnake Critical Habitat Proposal
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FLA Weighs in on Louisiana Pinesnake Critical Habitat Proposal

In October 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to designate 209,520 acres of forestland in Louisiana and Texas as critical habitat for the Louisiana Pinesnake. 72,925 acres of this proposed designation are privately owned, including 2,716 acres of unoccupied private land designated for reintroduction efforts on adjacent National Forest land. FLA prepared comments…

Help Keep Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Off the Endangered Species List
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Help Keep Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Off the Endangered Species List

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking data and input on the eastern diamondback rattlesnake to determine whether the species is warranted for listing as threatened or endangered. As part of the Species Status Assessment Committee for the snake, FLA is requesting data from our members. Layering private land data with the existing public…

Collaborative Conservation Leads to Decision to Not List Gopher Tortoise in Eastern Segment
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Collaborative Conservation Leads to Decision to Not List Gopher Tortoise in Eastern Segment

Collaborative conservation was the cornerstone of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s finding earlier this month that listing the gopher tortoise population as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act was not warranted throughout its entire range. The populations in the eastern segment, which includes Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and most of…

FLA Protecting Your Property Rights With Comments on USFWS Experimental Populations Proposed Rule
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FLA Protecting Your Property Rights With Comments on USFWS Experimental Populations Proposed Rule

UPDATE: On July 3, 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the finalized rule on experimental populations. The final rule revises the regulations concerning experimental populations of endangered and threatened species under the Endangered Species Act by allowing for the introduction of populations into habitats outside of their historical range. The Service did little…

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FLA Continues Push for Flexible Forest Management in Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Rule

In 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced its proposal to change the status of the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) from “endangered” to “threatened.” The bird had been listed as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) since its passage in 1973. The 4(d) rule associated with the downlisting included many caveats that…

Best Management Practices Recognized in Alligator Snapping Turtle Proposed Listing
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Best Management Practices Recognized in Alligator Snapping Turtle Proposed Listing

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service) is proposing to list the alligator snapping turtle as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act with a Section 4(d) rule to tailor “take” prohibitions. This proposal is one of many recently proposed species listings that provide exceptions in the 4(d) rule for forest management activities…

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Biden Administration Seeks to Uproot Progress Made on Collaborative Conservation Under ESA

In an effort to reverse many Trump-era decisions regarding the Endangered Species Act (ESA), President Biden on his first day in office issued an executive order directing the USFWS to revise, rescind, or reinstate five major ESA regulations issued by the Trump administration.  As a result of the Executive Order, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife…

FLA Holds Timber Talk on At-Risk Species and Forestry Best Management Practices
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FLA Holds Timber Talk on At-Risk Species and Forestry Best Management Practices

Communication and collaboration between private forest landowners and land management agencies are key to produce policies and regulations that work for all parties and minimize unintended consequences. The Forest Landowners Association (FLA) strives to bridge the knowledge gap between landowners and administrative agencies through our Timber Talk program, which brings agency staff, landowners, and other…

Best Management Practices Help Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle in Recent Listing

Update: On June 27, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a final rule designating the Suwannee alligator snapping turtle as threatened with a tailored 4(d) rule. The 4(d) rule removed the proposed exceptions for incidental take resulting from construction and maintenance near and in streams, and pesticide and herbicide use. However, the rule retained…