Appendix F Detailed Cover Type Tables - USDA Rural Development

Bemidji – Grand Rapids
Biological Assessment and Evaluation
Under the Endangered Species Act, the following factors determine whether or not a species should be
listed as endangered or threatened:
• the present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of the species’ habitat or
range;
• overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes;
• disease or predation;
• the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; and
• other natural or manmade factors affecting the species’ continued existence.
A species is listed under one of two categories, endangered or threatened, depending on its status and
the degree of threat it faces. An “endangered species” is one that is in danger of extinction throughout
all or a significant portion of its range. A “threatened species” is one that is likely to become endangered
in the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range (USFWS Endangered Species
Bulletin November/December 1999).
3.4.2 CNF RFSS Listing
Region 9 RFSS are identified by applying two means to generate lists. Species included as RFSS include
FWS Candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act, species delisted in the last five years
under ESA, and species ranked by The Nature Conservancy as G1‐G3, T1‐T3, and N1‐N3. Risk evaluations
are used to determine which other species to add to the list. State Natural Heritage Program (NHP) S1,
S2, State Threatened and Endangered, and species considered at risk on individual Forests are screened
using a risk evaluation process. This evaluation considers the species abundance, distribution,
population trend, habitat integrity, and population vulnerability. (FSM 2600, Ch 2670).
3.4.3 DRM Listing
The DRM maintains a list of endangered, threatened, and sensitive species on the Leech Lake
Reservation. As of January 2007, forty species of plants were listed. They include trees, orchids, ferns,
and grasses. Habitats for the listed species include hardwood forests, coniferous forests, and bogs. The
future existence of the listed species on the Leech Lake Reservation is mainly threatened by loss of
suitable habitat. Activities that disturb or change the condition of soil, water, or sunlight in an area may
result in conditions in which the current inhabitants of a site can no longer survive and reproduce.
(Leech Lake DRM web site: http://www.lldrm.org/plants.html)
3.4.4 DNR Listing
The species included in the Rare Species Guide are those designated as endangered, threatened, or
special concern in Minnesota Rules, Chapter 6134, parts 6134.0200 to 6134.0400. Generically, this is
referred to as Minnesota's List of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species(List). The List
was last revised in 1996, but is currently undergoing a formal rule revision process. Once the revision
process is completed, additional species profiles will be added to the Rare Species Guide, and status
designations and taxonomy information will be updated as appropriate. A species is considered
endangered if the species is threatened with extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its
range within Minnesota.
A species is considered threatened if the species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable
future throughout all or a significant portion of its range within Minnesota. A species is considered a
species of special concern if, although the species is not endangered or threatened, it is extremely
uncommon in Minnesota, or has unique or highly specific habitat requirements and deserves careful
July 2010 Survey Coordination and Methods Page 3‐5