Lizard conservation plan approved

While it still needs to be signed, the Texas Conservation Plan for the dunes sagebrush lizard has been approved and is in its final stages, U.S. Fish and Wildlife representative Tom Buckley said. Conservation plans allow landowners to work with the government voluntarily to protect species’ habitat while maintaining work on the land, such as ranching or oil and gas production. In the past, landowners and oil and gas companies in southeastern New Mexico signed candidate conservation agreements, or candidate conservation agreements with assurances, to coordinate management of the species. Under such agreements, potential lizard populations are located within the habitat and projects are either moved or not started in that particular area. Members of the Texas Oil and Gas Association said they viewed the plan as a solution balancing wildlife considerations while maintaining oil and gas production, a news release stated. It is the first plan in the U.S. to address conservation and recovery measures for the dunes sagebrush lizard, the release stated. Environmentalists are also pleased with the new measure...more