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.