OpportunityTitle: Pecos Sunflower Habitat Restoration &amp; Protection
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: This award is to two single source applicants: New Mexico Division of Forestry, in New Mexico; and The Nature Conservancy in west Texas. These applicants are uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location and technical expertise. Each of the isolated stands involved in this project is located on either public land owned by the City of Santa Rosa in New Mexico or land owned by The Nature Conservancy in west Texas for protection of the Pecos sunflower.  Basis of Recommendations: The New Mexico Division of Forestry has developed and possesses the technical expertise to successfully restore, enhance and protect Pecos sunflower habitat and will be conducting the restoration on City of Santa Rosa property located in New Mexico.  The Nature Conservancy possesses technical expertise and they will be conducting the restoration on land they own in west Texas where Pecos sunflower exists. The Nature Conservancy will provide in-kind assistance to help implement these recovery actions.
Description: The recovery criteria from the Final Pecos Sunflower Recovery Plan require the establishment of at least one core conservation area (sustaining over 5,000 individuals for seven of ten years) along with one isolated stand to buffer against catastrophic loss of the regional population (protecting at least 1,600 individuals for seven of ten years) in each of the four distinct recovery regions. To protect core conservation areas and designated isolated stands in perpetuity, the recovery criteria recommend the implementation of appropriate management plans, conservation easements, or land acquisition. To date, the identification and protection of the four core areas and two of the four isolated regional stands have been completed. This project seeks to protect the remaining two, identified isolated stands of Pecos sunflower. This opportunity will promote research and recovery of Pecos sunflower in the wild, including but not limited to habitat restoration and supplemental seeding of Pecos sunflowers.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: Project Manager
GrantorContactText: Patricia Zenone, PhD &lt;br/&gt;Senior Fish &amp; Wildlife Biologist &lt;br/&gt;Phone 505-761-4718