The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service鈥�is designating approximately 4,195 acres on 10 parcels as critical habitat for the鈥痳are鈥疐lorida bristle fern鈥痷nder the Endangered Species Act (贰厂础).鈥�
The rule takes effect 30 days from publication in the Federal Register. The Service listed the Florida bristle fern,鈥痑 plant found only in Miami-Dade and Sumter鈥�Counties, as endangered in 2015.
Substantive comments from peer reviewers and the public suggested expanding some of the units and adding parcels to the critical habitat designation during the comment period for the proposed rule in February 2020. Five parcels, Matheson Hammock, Snapper Creek, Castellow and Ross Hammocks, Hattie Bauer Hammock, and Fuchs and Meissner Hammocks, were expanded and one south Florida unit, Charles Deering Estate Hammock, was added.
The Florida bristle fern is a tiny bright green mat-forming plant that grows in rock solution holes that create humid microclimates like a home terrarium. In鈥疢iami-Dade County,鈥�south Florida, four populations of the fern are found in rockland hammocks on county-managed conservation lands in Castellow, Hattie Bauer, Fuchs and Meissner鈥痟ammocks. In Sumter County,鈥�central Florida,鈥痶wo populations鈥�grow in small hammocks on state-owned land in the Jumper Creek Tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest. Urban development, agricultural conversion, building canals and draining the land has modified or destroyed much of the 辫濒补苍迟鈥檚 habitat.鈥�The ESA鈥痳equires, where possible,鈥痶he Service to identify areas essential to the conservation of endangered or threatened species, which it terms critical habitat.
鈥�Establishing critical habitat will raise awareness about this rare plant and focus the efforts of our conservation partners,鈥� said鈥疭ervice Regional Director鈥�Leopoldo Miranda-Castro. 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Critical habitat designations do鈥痭ot affect land ownership or establish a wildlife refuge, reserve, preserve or other conservation area conservation area
A conservation area or wildlife management area is a type of national wildlife refuge that consists primarily or entirely of conservation easements on private lands. These conservation easements support private landowner efforts to protect important habitat for fish and wildlife. There are 15 conservation areas and nine wildlife management areas in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Learn more about conservation area , nor does it allow the government or public to access private lands.鈥�The designation of critical habitat on private land has no impact on individual landowner activities unless they鈥痑lso involve activities by a federal agency or鈥痳equire federal funding or permits. 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
The Service considered whether the designation would result in significant economic impacts to local small businesses and determined that it would not.
All the occupied parcels are considered essential to鈥疐lorida bristle fern鈥痗onservation because they contain the physical and biological features necessary for this plant to survive and reproduce. The unoccupied parcels are considered essential because they provide areas of suitable habitat to increase distribution and additional鈥疐lorida bristle fern鈥痯opulations across the species鈥� historical range.鈥�
The rule, comments, economic analysis and supporting documents are available at , Docket No. FWS鈥揜4鈥揈S鈥�2019鈥�0068. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877鈥�8339.鈥�
Visit our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about this rule.