1997-06-13_REPORT - M1981302 (11)

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7. Reintroduce Ute ladies'-tresses into appropriate sites. The orchid has been extirpated from portions of its known historic range. To complete its distribution within it known historic range, orchids should be reintroduced into appropriate sites. 7. 1 Evaluate sites where historic occurrences may have been extirpated for possible reintroduction. There are several sites throughout the known historic range of the orchid where populations have been extirpated or have not been seen for many years. These areas need additional inventory to verify the presence or absence of the orchid. Where the orchid is verified as having been extirpated, sites should be evaluated for possible reintroduction. Evaluations should consider site potential from an ecological as well as protection perspective (i .e. , are site conditions suitable for the orchid now and in the future, are these conditions able to be maintained naturally now and in the future, and are the site and habitat conditions (such as hydrology) under ownership or management that can guarantee protection in perpetuity) . Reintroduction sites should also be selected to complete the historical distribution of the orchid, contribute to the natural biodiversity of the area, and offer the potential for public education and research. 7.2 Implement reintroductions. Using protocols and knowledge acquired in step 5, reestablish populations at selected sites. This step will include a genetic analysis to select sources of seeds or transplants that will maximize the potential for long term viability of the reintroduced populations and the entire species. 7.3 Protect. manage, and monitor reintroduced Populations. It will be necessary to establish management agreements and impiement monitoring plans to assure the long term viability and protection of reintroduced populations. 8. Conduct public education on watershed and riparian ecosystem management, use of recovery and interdisciplinary teams, and orchid ecology. Ecosystem management to preserve biodiversity is still a foreign concept to resource managers and may be misunderstood and viewed with hostility by the general public. Effective recovery of the orchid requires that public agencies and the general public work together to make and carry out management decisions and work for long-term natural function of watersheds. This recovery strategy, with its focus on interdisciplinary and interagency coordination, communication, and teamwork and flexible management guidelines, offers the opportunity to accomplish orchid protection and recovery without excessive acrimony. Every effort should be made to learn from this endeavor and teach others about the process and its accomplishments. 33