Strategy
for in situ conservation of at-risk and declining sandhills species
Harold Balbach, Rebecca Sharitz, Don Imm, Tracey Tuberville, and Gary
Wein
US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (USA-ERDC), IL U.S.A.,
Savannah River Ecology
Laboratory, Aiken, SC U.S.A.
Abstract:
Plants and animals associated with the interior uplands of the south eastern
United States are seriously declining in numbers. The red-cockaded woodpecker
is endangered. The gopher tortoise has been proposed to be listed. Better
management plans for these animals have been extensive, and often well-funded,
but the distinctive plant communities also once present are being lost
with very little expressed concern. While building region-wide support
for a new tortoise recovery effort, it has become clear that we are also
supporting the maintenance of habitat for the numerous unique sandhills
plants which require the same conditions of cover and use of controlled
fire.
SREL Reprint #3061
Balbach,
H., R. Sharitz, D. W. Imm, T. D. Tuberville, and G. R. Wein. 2007. Strategy
for in situ conservation of at-risk and declining sandhills species. 3rd
Global Botanic Gardens Congress, Conservation International, Surrey, UK.
