The Fight to Save
our Native Species

Not just a crisis in Amazonian rainforests, species rarity is a worldwide and local conservation crisis.  Here in Rhode Island, there are many rare, endangered and threatened species that are vulnerable for a multitude of reasons.  (Anne - pull and put in italics, larger?)

Some species are naturally rare. The keen observer and naturalist Charles Darwin in On the Origin of Species (1859) concluded, "Rarity is the attribute of a vast number of species in all classes, in all countries." And two and a half centuries later, few species tend to be overwhelmingly common. Many will never carpet the state or be seen on every foray into the field.

In nature, rarity may be a product of restricted geography or very specific habitat requirements, small population sizes or a combination of these factors.  Habitat destruction and invasive species, the top two threats to biological diversity worldwide, exacerbate the dilemma of rarity. Some species are just more vulnerable. Giant pandas with their dietary and habitat specificity will always be rare. Birds of declining coastal grasslands are likely to be rare in the Northeast.

Chris Raithel of the Division of Fish and Wildlife of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management concludes, "Rare species usually occur in rare habitats... and the most interesting species will be found in the most interesting places. I don't think we need much additional inventory to figure out where these places are - we already know."

Daily loss of viable habitat, degradation of already stressed habitats, and even political wrangling over laws and enforcement are stumbling blocks and challenges to protect and perpetuate the last members of vulnerable species. Ecological roles, and undiscovered food and medicinal products are just some of the rationales for protection. Ultimately, it is a moral obligation to protect life on earth, regardless of real or perceived values for humans.

What's the secret?

It may be difficult to understand-even frustrating-that conservationists are so secretive about many of these rare species. Unfortunately, unscrupulous collectors and even well meaning naturalists have accelerated the decline of many populations worldwide. Whether it is an orchid species visited by too many trampling feet or worse yet, dug up for a home garden, or reptiles captured for a home menagerie or illegal trade, one less individual means one less mate, one less contributor to the gene pool. This may accelerate the irreversible downward spiral in the future of rare species - bringing them one step closer to extinction. Thus, in the name of protection, tight-lipped behavior is often the best defense of native biological diversity.

An island sanctuary?

A ferry ride away on Block Island, Scott Comings of The Nature Conservancy-Rhode Island concludes, "Block Island has become a last refuge for many species once common in the state and New England. There is one federally endangered species (American burying beetle), one federally threatened species (piping plover), thirty recognized state endangered species and one globally imperiled habitat.  Block Island has many species recorded nowhere else in the state."

A glimmer of hope

Land protection and attentive stewardship go a long way in the fight to preserve our native species. Broad goals include saving as many populations as possible and hedging bets against local disturbances. In an ideal world, the ultimate outcome for conservationists is saving as much genetic diversity as possible.

With each passing year, restoration of endangered species becomes as important as protection for some species. Aggressive protection and restoration, when practical, has led to some success stories such as sea otters and bald eagles. However encouraging these examples may be, such successes will be short lived if habitats are degraded or destroyed.

After many years working with Rhode Island rare plants and animals, Raithel concludes, "The best examples of success at restorations occur when there is a simple problem with a species that, when removed, allows the species to recover. For example, halting the use of DDT was instrumental in Bald Eagle recovery. Unfortunately, the causes for the decline of most species are not fully understood, so removing the impacts is impossible."

To address multiple threats Comings states, "Each Block Island rare or endangered species has a management plan.  Examples include grassland restoration and maintenance and carrion supplementation for American burying beetles, and deer and predator exclosures for Northern Blazing Star and Piping Plover respectively. Each rare and endangered species also requires regular monitoring to ensure that the population is not dramatically decreasing. At the same time we are trying to stop the increase of invasive species and reducing pesticide and herbicide use on the island which could negativity affect the island's rare species."

Though it may be the more charismatic large animals that people latch onto, "rare and endangered" status gets attention. "Public perception of rare species on Block Island is amazing. The community is extremely proud of its rare species.  In fact, in a recent telephone poll of residents, endangered species rated a close second (95% of people polled) behind drinking water (96%) as a reason to preserve more open space," Comings reflects.   p

The final word?

According to Raithel, the prognosis is "not good. As the available habitat shrinks and pressure on the remaining patches mounts, fragmentation effects (roads, chemicals, disease, etc.) will creep in and degrade patches that are not large enough. That means that even areas set aside as preserves are still vulnerable. Very little of Rhode Island will be free from these effects."

In an effort to offset these threats, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and other conservation organizations strive to protect the largest of parcels of land possible or combine smaller unconnected habitat.

 "The outlook for Block Island rare species is good but we can not rest.  Due to land preservation efforts, proper management and luck, no species has been expatriated on the island since 1991 (regal fritillary butterfly). There is still much more to be done in education, land protection, and management in order to ensure the survival of these special species and maybe one day get them off the rare or endangered list," Comings said. This is also true for the entire state.

Raithel states what many conservationists rally around, "There is no substitute for strategic habitat acquisition and appropriate management to try to retain the integrity of the best habitat patches. To do this, one has to defend the perimeter since the threats are coming from the edge, so the core of the habitat retains some integrity. This is easier said than done, considering that impacts from edge effects can extend several kilometers into the habitat."

In the face of such threats, the tenacity and resilience of many species seem even more admirable. Though some species will always be rare, they are not predestined to disappear into the downward spiral of extinction with attentive science-based management.

Scott Ruhren is the Senior Director of Conservation