Governor Gordon has expressed concern about a proposed “threatened” status listing for whitebark pine. The US Fish and Wildlife Service published a proposed finding for whitebark pine in the Federal Register yesterday which would list the species as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. Whitebark pine is a high-elevation species found in Wyoming that is an important food source for wildlife – most notably, grizzly bears. It is currently threatened by a non-native fungal disease called white pine blister rust. The Forest Service has not found any human activities to be major threats to whitebark pine. The proposed rule protects operations, including grazing and logging. In addition, the proposed rule does not propose any critical habitat designations. Governor Gordon assures that Wyoming seeks to avoid the need for listing whenever possible, and will remain committed to working with federal partners to approach species conservation in a pragmatic manner.
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