Amy Lueders, regional director of the Southwest Region for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, recently stressed the importance of creating partnerships with other organizations and companies in order to save the Arizona eryngo, which was recently listed as an endangered species, according to a press release.
The Arizona eryngo plant is native to Arizona and on June 9, it was placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“The Service looks forward to continuing our work with conservation partners in Arizona to protect and recover this rare native plants. Partnerships will be central to addressing the threats to the Arizona eryngo and putting it on the path to recovery,” Lueders said in the release.
The Arizona eryngo is a wetland plant that was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In addition to placing the plant on the Endangered Species list to help preserve it, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife has designated 12.7 acres of wetlands as critical habitat for the species, which places more protections on the land. The land consists of both public and private land in Arizona's Pima and Cochise counties. The decision was made after exhaustive review of the best available scientific and commercial data. Prior to the designation, there was a 60-day public comment period.
The eryngo plant grows primarily in ciénegas, ABC News reported, which is a type of wetland that is fed by natural springs that come from an aquifer that lies deep down. These wetlands nourish the San Pedro River. The main threat to the eryngo has proven to be the over-pumping of groundwater in the region. Climate change and drought are also affecting the viability of the plant in Arizona.
"The Arizona eryngo is a flowering plant in the carrot family that is frequented by pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds. It is native to Arizona and New Mexico in the U.S. and Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico. It currently exists in four populations: Two in southern Arizona and two in Mexico," the press release stated.
