Two California Island Plants Saved From Extinction by Endangered Species Act
Two California Island Plants Saved From Extinction by Endangered ... Center for Biological Diversity
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Removes Two Channel Islands Plants from Endangered Species List
Introduction
LOS ANGELES— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today removed two Channel Islands plants from the endangered species list because they have successfully recovered.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 15: Life on Land
Background
The island bedstraw and Santa Cruz Island dudleya live only on two of the Northern Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara. They were imperiled because of grazing, trampling, and soil erosion caused by sheep and feral pigs introduced to the islands, and were protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1997. Sheep and pigs were subsequently removed from the islands which allowed both rare plants to expand and has benefitted the entire island ecosystem.
Importance of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 15: Life on Land – Protecting endangered species and restoring ecosystems contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and the achievement of SDG 15.
Statement from Jeff Miller
“The Endangered Species Act rescued these two unique California plants,” said Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. “The Act is our most effective tool for bringing endangered plants and wildlife back from the brink of extinction with a 99% success rate in recovering species under its protection.”
Island Bedstraw
Island bedstraw is a 3-foot-tall woody shrub with small greenish-white flowers that lives only on Santa Cruz and San Miguel islands. It has increased from 19 known sites and around 500 to 600 individual plants in 1997 to 42 sites with more than 15,700 individual plants in recent surveys.
Santa Cruz Island Dudleya
Santa Cruz Island dudleya, also known as Santa Cruz Island liveforever, is a succulent perennial known to live in only one area on the westernmost tip of Santa Cruz Island. Since receiving protections under the Act and the removal of sheep and pigs, the population has fluctuated between 40,000 to 200,000 individuals. The population has stabilized at 120,000 plants with an increase in distribution around the island.
Conservation Efforts
Botanists have begun conservation banking of both plants’ seeds, and the Service has developed a monitoring plan to ensure the plants continue to thrive. This is especially important for the Santa Cruz Island dudleya, which inhabits a single area that’s vulnerable to sea-level rise caused by climate change.
Success in Species Recovery
The island bedstraw and Santa Cruz Island dudleya join 61 other species of plants and animals that have successfully recovered under federal protection, including bald eagles, peregrine falcons, humpback whales, Coastal California sunflowers, and Channel Islands foxes.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats | Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters | Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into their national policies, strategies, and planning |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 15: Life on Land
The article discusses the recovery of two endangered plant species, the island bedstraw and Santa Cruz Island dudleya, which are native to the Northern Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara. The conservation efforts mentioned in the article align with SDG 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
SDG 13: Climate Action
The article mentions that the Santa Cruz Island dudleya is vulnerable to sea-level rise caused by climate change. This connection to climate change highlights the relevance of SDG 13, which aims to combat climate change and its impacts.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats
The removal of grazing, trampling, and soil erosion caused by sheep and feral pigs from the Northern Channel Islands has allowed the island bedstraw and Santa Cruz Island dudleya to expand and recover. This aligns with Target 15.5, which focuses on reducing habitat degradation.
Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters
The mention of the vulnerability of the Santa Cruz Island dudleya to sea-level rise caused by climate change highlights the need to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity. This relates to Target 13.1, which aims to enhance resilience to climate-related hazards.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index
The article does not explicitly mention this indicator, but the recovery of the island bedstraw and Santa Cruz Island dudleya from being endangered species can be seen as progress towards reducing the degradation of natural habitats.
Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into their national policies, strategies, and planning
The article does not provide specific information related to this indicator.
Note: The article does not provide detailed information on indicators related to the identified targets. The indicators mentioned here are examples that could be relevant but are not directly supported by the article’s content.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats | Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters | Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into their national policies, strategies, and planning |
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Source: biologicaldiversity.org
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