U. S. Forest Service Sensitive Species in Idaho

Forest Service Region 1 (northern Idaho) and Region 4 (southern Idaho) manage the bulk of Forest Service lands in Idaho.

The Secretary of Agriculture's Policy on Fish and Wildlife (Department Regulation 9500-4) directs the U. S. Forest Service to manage habitats of all existing plants and animals in order to maintain at least viable populations and to avoid actions which might cause species to become federally listed. The (Forest Service) Chief, through Forest Service Manual 2670, has directed the Regional Foresters to establish programs to identify Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species occurring in the regions and to provide special management emphasis that will ensure their viability. Forest Service policy for Threatened and Endangered species is to manage their habitats to achieve recovery objectives so that special protection measures under the Endangered Species Act are no longer necessary. For Sensitive Species, the Forest Service is directed to develop and implement management practices to ensure that these species do not become Threatened and Endangered.

Sensitive Species (S). Taxa that are identified by the Regional Forester for which viability is a concern, as evidenced by significant current or predicted downward trends in population numbers or density, or significant current or predicted downward trends in habitat capability that would reduce a species' existing distribution (Forest Service Manual 2670).

Watch (W). Region 1, headquartered in Missoula, MT, currently utilizes this designation for plant species.