Availability of Draft Recovery Plan

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of Draft Recovery Plan

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability and public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the

availability for public review of the draft recovery plan for

Jacquemontia reclinata. Jacquemontia reclinata is restricted to the

barrier islands of Florida's southeastern coast from Palm Beach County

to Miami.

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DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or

before January 29, 1996 to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies can be obtained from Field Supervisor, Jacksonville

Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint Drive,

South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216. Comments and material

received are available upon request for public inspection at the above

addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. L. Karolee Owens at 904/232-2580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point

where they are again secure self-sustaining members of their ecosystems

is a primary goal of the Service's endangered species program. To help

guide the recovery effort the Service is working to prepare recovery

plans for most of the listed species native to the United States.

Recovery plans describe actions necessary for the conservation of the

species, establish criteria for the recovery levels for downlisting or

delisting them, and estimate time and cost for implementing the

recovery measures needed.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C.

1531 et seq.) requires the development of recovery plans for listed

species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a

particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in 1988,

requires that public notice, and an opportunity for public review and

comment be provided during recovery plan development. The Service will

consider all information presented during a public comment period prior

to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. The Service and other

Federal agencies will take these comments into account in the course of

implementing approved recovery plans.

Jacquemontia reclinata was listed as an endangered species on

November 24, 1993. Fewer than 1000 individual plants are presently

found in small, widely separated populations in Broward, Dade, and Palm

Beach Counties in Florida. The primary habitat is beach strand and

maritime hammock vegetation. Its range has been further limited by

habitat loss resulting from urban development, beach erosion, invasion

of exotic plant species, and

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park maintenance activities, including mowing and herbicide use. J.

reclinata does not tolerate shade and requires open areas, which were

maintained historically by hurricanes and, possibly, by fire. The

ecological characteristics and requirements, population structure and

dynamics, and responses to habitat changes and management manipulations

by Jacquemontia reclinata are not known.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan

described. All comments received by the date specified will be

considered prior to the approval of the plans.

Authority: The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the

Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

Dated: November 9, 1995.

David J. Wesley,

Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 95-28920 Filed 11-27-95; 8:45 am]

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