CATTLE RAISERS COMMUNITY
INDUSTRY NEWS
South Texas Landowners Help Protect Native Plant O
N JANUARY 11, THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE Service (USFWS) announced removal
of Johnston’s frankenia from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants. The plant was originally listed as endangered on Aug. 7, 1984, when there were thought to be less than 1,000 plants remaining. Johnston’s frankenia is a perennial
shrub native to the southern parts of Texas, including Webb, Zapata, and Starr coun- ties, and parts of northeastern Mexico. The species occurs within an estimated 2,031 square mile range in Texas. It grows in a clumped, patchy fashion in
very salty soils. Johnston’s frankenia is found primarily on privately-owned land, making it diffi cult to complete thorough surveys across the range of the species. As a result of this, many areas within the species’ range in Texas and Mexico were not surveyed prior to the listing of the plant. To collect the necessary data to re-evaluate the status
of Johnston’s frankenia, Texas Parks and Wildlife De- partment (TPWD) botanist Gena Janssen undertook an effort to engage private landowners. Janssen attended county and community events and organized landowner meetings in Webb, Zapata, and Starr counties to pres- ent information and discuss this endangered species. This grassroots outreach effort was a huge success and brought the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) on board to help. Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
(TSSWCB) Vice Chairman and Zapata County Soil and Water Conservation District member Jose Dodier Jr. played a vital role in involving landowners and begin- ning the discussions on Johnston’s frankenia. Landowner involvement was necessary for TPWD
to complete surveys to determine the abundance and distribution of the plant. These surveys revealed ex- tensive populations and numbers of individual plants that were undiscovered in the original study. Landowner cooperation was also essential for Janssen and Dr. Paula Williamson, Texas State University, to
24 The Cattleman June 2016
carry out biological and ecological studies that showed the capacity of Johnston’s frankenia to survive and increase in plant numbers. Johnston’s frankenia coexists with other native plant species in extreme saline soils, giving it somewhat of a competitive advantage, and Janssen’s study also revealed frankenia’s ability to re- grow after some forms of soil disturbance. Additionally, a number of landowners signed vol-
untary conservation agreements with TPWD to offer some additional protection to the previously endan- gered species. “Landowners understand the value of Johnston’s
frankenia. It has wildlife sustainability and erosion prevention value for fragile soils. Landowners are working to conserve the plant in natural settings. Co- operation from landowners, USFWS and TPWD was instrumental in removing Johnston’s frankenia from the Endangered Species List,” Dodier says. By working together, local landowners, the com-
munity, TPWD, and the Service were able to complete extensive surveys and biological/ecological research to fully understand the distribution and abundance of the species as well as its natural resilience. As a result of these efforts over the past 30 years, there have been 64 Johnston’s frankenia populations verifi ed in South Texas. Voluntary efforts and cooperation from land- owners helped State and Federal agencies understand the status of the species such that it merited removal from Endangered Species Act protections.
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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