Information provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening a 60-day public comment period on its proposal to designate critical habitat for the four listed distinct population segments of the foothill yellow-legged frog in California.
The proposal designates 760,071 essential acres of critical habitat and includes land along streams and other waterbodies inhabited by the foothill yellow-legged frog, as well as nearby upland areas that are used by the amphibian for dispersal and shelter.
Approximately half of the proposed critical habitat falls on federal lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
The Service proposes designating critical habitat for the following:
- 192,275 acres for the threatened North Feather distinct population segment
- 307,772 acres for the endangered South Sierra distinct population segment
- 249,942 acres for the threatened Central Coast distinct population segment
- 10,077 acres for the endangered South Coast distinct population segment
Critical habitat designation requires federal agencies to ensure that actions they plan to undertake, fund or authorize do not destroy or adversely modify that habitat. Establishing critical habitat for the frog will not interfere with the operations of California’s extensive water infrastructure, impact essential activities that reduce the risk of large-scale high-severity wildfire or reduce access to recreation or rangeland for grazing.
The designation of critical habitat does not affect land ownership or establish a wildlife refuge, wilderness reserve, preserve or other conservation area. Private landowners only need to consider critical habitat if their activities involve federal funding or permitting.