Threatened and Endangered Species are of the
utmost importance! These valuable resources are slowly disappearing and State
Parks Stewardship is dedicated to preserving the crucial habitat that these
critters call home.
As of June, 2004, Stewardship is responsible for
reviewing all State Park development projects to ensure that we comply with the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
It is our duty to verify that we have proper documentation and approvals to
comply with both Acts and State Regulations. (NOTE: Stewardship does not handle review of development projects outside of State Park boundaries)
Stewardship is actively mapping habitat within
State Parks for threatened and endangered species, as well as species of concern
and tracked elements, such as rare plants.
The best thing Park Staff can do when planning
projects, is to contact Stewardship from the early planning stages for
pre-approval and agree on a strategy for meeting compliance over the timeline of
the project, rather than attempting to get approval later in the process.
