General Information / Nominating Organizations: Please use this Column to Provide the Requested Information
1 / Organization & Web address / Native Plant Conservation Campaign http://plantsocieties.cnps.org/index.php & Utah Native Plant Society
2 / Contact name for species info / Emily Roberson/Tony Frates
3 / Address
4 / Email & phone / 415 531 4439
801-277-9240 (Tony Frates)
5 / Communications staff contact name
6 / Email & phone
General Species Information
7 / Common name, genus, and species / Short-Spined Cactus (aka Pariette cactus), Sclerocactus brevispinus
8 / Geographic range / Highly restricted, mainly near the border of central Duchesne and Uintah Counties, Utah
9 / Conservation status / Federally threatened; NatureServe: G1; Utah Native Plant Species: Extremely high conservation priority (one of only 38 taxa to have that status of highest priority concern). See FWS ECOS page:
http://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=Q3KI
10 / Remaining population size / The species is thought to have a single population (over a 70,000 acre area). Based on a 2010 document, the number of plants at that time were estimated to be just under 12,000. See:
http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/Pariette%20Cactus_Recovery%20Outline_Apr%202010.pdf
Report Questions
11 / Can you provide high-resolution photos? / Yes
12 / If your species is selected, will you use the report to advocate for the species? / Yes
13 / 5 free reports provided; additional copies = $2.60/each. If you’d like additional copies, how many (bulk orders may be cheaper)? / Don’t know yet
Public Engagement Questions (Please explain why the species is interesting, why it matters, why decision-makers + the public should care.)0
14 / Provide background information, including interesting facts, for the species profile. / The species has only relatively recently been separated recognized as a separate species and was once lumped under the umbrella of S. glaucus (which only occurs in Colorado as presently understood) and S. wetlandicus which like S. brevispinus only occurs in Utah and the two hybridize. This species does not continue to grow/elongate but instead remains globose (and may offset but typically not). It has rounded, reddish-brown buds with pink flowers. Central spines are short, almost absent or fully absent. Occuries on very sparsely vegetated unique flattened cobbles.
Also see:
http://www.utahrareplants.org/pdf/Sclerocactus_brevispinus.pdf
15 / What is your organization’s most important lead message for the public about this species’ decline to be included in the report? / Protected conservation areas that exclude massive energy development in the area with minimum 800 meter buffer zones must be established to avoid the extinction of this species.
16 / Is your NGO saving the species? If yes, how? / The Utah Native Plant Society (and Rocky Mountain Wild, formerly Center for Native Eocsystems) have collectively taken inumerable actions to try to “save” the species including a lawsuit to force recognition of the species as a separate taxon based on scientific research. ACEC's have been recommended (but so far ignored by the BLM). We have together or separately commented on numerous proposed actions in the Uinta Basin. The Nature Conservancy (Utah Field Office) and the Utah Native Plant Society formed the Uinta Basin task force in 2005, and this species has also been a focus for concern of that group which has led to higher awareness levels. TNC and UNPS have also organized “bio-blitzes” in the habitat of this species and have conducted separate field trips by members to document impacts. And more.
17 / How can individuals help? Please be specific. / Support tougher fines for cactus poachers; become more engaged in the energy development issues in the Uinta Basin which also impacts everyone's health; advocate for changes in BLM grazing polices on lands that cannot possibly support livestock
18 / What action should the new administration take to save the species? How can they accomplish this action? / Immediately “upgrade” the species listing status of this species from “threatened” to “endangered.” Immediately establish significantly large conservation areas for the species (see lead message section above) that excludes energy development. Increase enforcement against poachers and reevaluate whether grazing should be allowed in the species habitat. *A positive 12-month finding issued 9/18/2007 (72 FR 53211 53222 ) found that LE status was appropriate, but remains in limbo as warranted by precluded. There was no reason to have delayed changing its status. The administration needs to adopt rules that allows the FWS to easily make changes such as simple changes to even scientific names which currently cannot be done easily and which creates this incredible backlog of actions that should take little to no time.
Criteria-specific Questions – Please feel free to answer N/A or “see above/below” as appropriate. Please cite scientific studies.
19 / Detail the ecological importance of the species. Does it play a critical function in its ecosystem, e.g., as a foundational species or keystone species? How does the ecosystem depend on this species (e.g., keystone predator, keystone pollinator, ecological engineer, refugia provider, etc.)? / Evoluationarily, this species may be incredibly important in that it may be the parent species of S. wetlandicus, another listed species, and with which it hybridizes. Scerlocacti provide nectar resourcs for bees of various sizes and provide resources for other insects. The full extent of their function and important in ecosystems is not fully understood. Because they are thought to be long-lived, their survival and condition may be beacons for assesment of the health of the environment.
Detail information on any social or economic benefits the species provides—e.g., its value for clean water, recreation, medicine, scientific research, etc.—if any. (Optional) / See above – its scientific value is inestimable.
21 / Can the species be an ambassador for its habitat or taxonomic group? If yes, detail. / Yes; it is very charismatic and while small, is very attractive both in flower and vegetatively.
Judge’s Score for Importance of Species:
22 / Describe the specific threat(s) to the species. What are the greatest impacts? / Oil and gas development including pads, roads and supply lines and associated fugitive dust from numerous vehicles/trucks driving on dirt roads; livestock grazing and invasive species (which relates to livestock grazing); cactus poaching; off-road vehicle impacts; climate change/drought. The biggest current and ongoing impact is by very significant oil and gas development followed by grazing impacts. Pollinators are impacted by the noise and vibration of drilling pumps and segmentation impacts occur with the massive road infrastructure.
23 / Detail the current and projected decline of the species. / A comparison of unimpacted habitats on tribal lands (where there is no protection for the species) indicates much richer and vibrant occurrences than where oil and gas pads and grazing has occurred. The ongoing drought of the past 15 years in the Uinta Basin exacerabates these impacts. Recruitment and survival of the seedlings is exceptionally low.
24 / If not described above, detail the status of the species’ habitat(s). What are the threats, if any? Is there adequate connectivity? / See above. The nature of the species flat cobble habitat makes it particularly prone to numerous impacts.
25 / Describe the timing of the species’ threat(s). Is it a current, eminent, or future threat? / Ongoing and imminent and projected to continue for the next 25+ years given approved and proposed oil and gas development in and near its habitat.
26 / Indicate if there is an associated political threat, e.g., does an industry group or member of Congress threaten this species? / Utah government officials are exceptionally pro energy and our governor receives significant energy company contributions (including from the Western Energy Alliance which does threaten the species). The Uintah County commissioners are also very pro-energy development as is Utah's State Institutional Trust Lands Association (SITLA) as well as Utah's Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office (PLPCO). Utah has no state lands that protect rare plant species.
Judge’s Score for Severity and Extent of Threat:
Judge’s Final Score
Please submit to by July 29, 2016, and thank you for participating in the 2016 Top 10 Report.
Please cite any substantiating scientific studies