A Spruce Grouse Recovery Plan proposal has been announced by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and is available for public review and comment, according to a department spokesperson.
The spruce grouse is a New York state endangered bird restricted to a handful of lowland boreal (northern) forest habitats in the Adirondack Mountains.
The recovery plan provides a comprehensive review of the spruce grouse and proposes a strategy for preventing the loss of this species from the state.“Recommendations in the plan are intended to stabilize and improve the distribution and abundance of this rare bird species and ultimately increase its population,” DEC Assistant Commissioner Kathleen Moser said.
“Conservation of the spruce grouse and the habitat in which it thrives is important to conserving New York’s biodiversity and unique character,” Moser added.
Key provisions of the plan include: • Encouraging maintenance of blocks of 20- to 40-year-old spruce-fir forest (preferred habitat for the species) distributed in close proximity throughout the northwest Adirondacks • An investigation into the possible introduction of wild birds from other nearby states or Canada to increase the size, distribution and genetic variation of the current population.
Although not required for endangered species in New York State, a recovery plan can hopefully lead to removal of a species from the NYS Endangered Species List.
DEC will accept comments on the draft plan until March 1, 2012. They should be addressed to: John Ozard, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233- 4754.
