The Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a plan Monday to downgrade an imperiled flower that grows in Oregon wetlands, potentially reducing its protections under the Endangered Species Act.
The Interior Department agency said it was changing the rough popcornflower’s status from “endangered” to “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act because populations of the flower have made significant recovery gains in recent years.
While the flower with a narrow range in the Umpqua River basin is still at significant risk from habitat destruction, loss of wetlands, competition from other species and climate change, officials have determined the species is stable enough to warrant a lower level of concern.
There were around 7,000 known specimens of the plant when it was listed as endangered in 2000. Recovery efforts have led to a population of more than 836,000 plants over 18 different reserves.
