Delmarva Fox Squirrel Recovered

The Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel is no longer at risk of extinction, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

USFWS will officially remove the squirrel from the list of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in December 2015.

The species was one of the animals included on the first list of endangered species nearly a half century ago.

Larger than other squirrel species and generally not found in suburban or urban areas, the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel ranged throughout the Delmarva Peninsula of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia before experiencing a sharp decline in the mid-20th century.

With its range reduced more than 90 percent, the squirrel was one of 78 species listed under the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1967, the predecessor of the ESA enacted six years later.

Since listing, the squirrel’s range has increased from four to 10 counties, and a population of up to 20,000 squirrels now covers 28 percent of the Delmarva Peninsula, primarily in Maryland.

Efforts contributing to recovery include translocation of animals to establish new populations, closing of the targeted hunting season, growth and dispersal of the population, and protection of large forested areas for habitat.

Delmarva fox squirrels are common at Blackwater (Maryland), Chincoteague (Virginia), and Prime Hook (Delaware) national wildlife refuges.

Prior to its 2014 proposal to remove the squirrel from the endangered species list, FWS followed a rigorous and detailed process to assess the Delmarva fox squirrel’s extinction risk.

The agency’s 2012 five-year review analyzed the status of populations, habitat and threats, considered the delisting criteria from the 1993 recovery plan, and ultimately recommended to delist the species because it is no longer in danger of extinction. A post-delisting monitoring plan will ensure the squirrel remains secure from extinction.

source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Land Acquisition

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Dorchester County recently received approval to acquire 758 acres for $2.235 million.
     
The funding was among nearly $6.5 million in expenditures from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to conserve 3,274 acres for five national wildlife refuges through fee title land acquisitions and easement acquisitions.

The Migratory Bird Conservation Fund receives money through the sale of Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps (Duck Stamps), which help provide habitat for wildlife and increased opportunities for refuge visitors who enjoy hunting, birdwatching, photography and other activities.

For every dollar spent on federal Duck Stamps, 98 cents goes toward the acquisition or lease of habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since 1934, the Federal Duck Stamp Program and Migratory Bird Conservation Fund have provided more than $800 million to acquire more than 5.7 million acres for the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Honey Harvest Festival

Honey Harvest Festival
Patuxent Research Refuge, MD
September 20, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The 2014 Maryland Honey Harvest Festival will be held at the Patuxent Research Refuge on September 20 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Supported by the Maryland State Beekeepers Association, the festival features arts and crafts, honey tasting, candle-making demonstrations, and more.

The Maryland Honey Harvest Festival is free and open to the public.

source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Popes Creek Coastal Wetlands Acquisition

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) was recently awarded a $1 million National Coastal Wetlands Conservation grant to acquire land in Charles County, Maryland.

The property along Popes Creek includes 92 acres of upland forest, 128 acres of wetlands, open water, and beach front.

Popes Creek is a conservation focus area, having been identified by MD DNR as both a Targeted Ecological Area and a Natural Heritage Area. It lies within the Zekiah Swamp area, which is a protection priority for the USFWS Chesapeake Bay Program, MD DNR, and Charles County.

The property will be held and managed by Charles County Department of Parks and Recreation. Plans for the site include the creation of a biking/walking trail along an abandoned railway bed.

Funding for the project was included in $16.5 million in grants which will go to support 21 critical coastal wetland projects in 12 states and Puerto Rico under the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grants Program.

The National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and funded under provisions of the 1990 Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act.

Coastal Wetlands Conservation Program funds originate from the Sport Fish Restoration Act revenue which is generated via an excise tax on fishing equipment, motorboat and small engine fuels.

source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service