As a leading consulting firm, Miller Legg’s Environmental Department does extensive work with native Florida wildlife, including permitting, monitoring, habitat management, and mitigation. We provide consulting services associated with Florida’s protected species including gopher tortoises, burrowing owls, sand hill cranes, indigo snakes, bonneted bats, etc., and the focus of this blog, wood storks.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials, on the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), have proposed delisting the wood stork from the federal list of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. Nicknamed “stonehead” and “flinthead” because of their unique, featherless head, the wood stork is the only species of stork which breeds in the United States. Dwindling from 20,000 to 5,000 nesting pairs when added to the List in 1984, that number has since doubled to over 10,000 pairs.
This good news highlights the importance of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) – specifically restoring natural water flows and reducing fertilizer runoff within the Florida Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve. “The wood stork is recovering as a result of protecting its habitat at a large scale,” said Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz. “This iconic species has rebounded because dedicated partners in the Southeast have worked tirelessly to restore ecosystems, such as the Everglades, that support it.”
Should the wood stork be delisted, the species will still be protected through the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Clean Water Act. In addition, the ESA requires a post-delisting monitoring plan for a five-year minimum to ensure wood stork populations remain stable.
“The proposed delisting of the wood stork is a significant milestone and a testament to the hard work by federal agencies, state and local governments, tribes, conservation organizations, and private citizens in protecting and restoring our most at-risk species,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said. Just a few years ago the future looked bleak for Florida’s flintheads. Now, one of Florida’s signature birds is making a remarkable comeback.
Government agencies, scientists, environmental groups, and the general public can offer comments regarding the proposed delisting to the USFWS now through April 17th.
Should you have more questions about wood storks, and the implications their delisting may have on your current or future projects, please contact our office. Miller Legg would be happy to assist you with any of your project needs including: project planning, pre-activity, approved surveys and permitting.
Contact us at Miller Legg at 1-800 -980-0073 and ask for William Mohler. Or email at wmohler@millerlegg.com
We have in-house wildlife professionals that can help.
Find more information on Protected Wood Storks here:
https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/waterbirds/wood-stork/
