Wacker Ranch Natural Area: permanent protection for an endangered flower
Thanks to the generosity of two Montrose ranchers, Harold and Kathleen Wacker, and the hard work of campaign partners The Nature Conservancy, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado Native Plant Society, and Center for Native Ecosystems, the wild buckwheat, a rare native flower that occupies less than 500 acres in Montrose and Delta counties and nowhere else in the world, will be protected for generations to come. The Wacker Ranch Natural Area was finally introduced to the community on July 13 as a preserve for one of the largest surviving clay-loving wild buckwheat populations in the world.

The future management of the Area, which is also home to populations of Gunnison's prairie dog, northern leopard frog, desert parsley, adobe penstemon and many other unique species, will focus on preserving its many unique native inhabitants, providing research opportunities for biologists, and educating the public on the value of this natural area.

Tampering with Science: Fish and Wildlife Service revisits politically tainted decisions
On Friday, July 20, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it would revisit some of its decisions to deny Endangered Species Act protection to several threatened native species including white-tailed prairie dog, Preble's meadow jumping mouse, Arroyo toad, Southwestern willow flycatcher, and Canada lynx. The review of these decisions is based on the possibility that they "may have changed in a manner that does not comport with the best available science or the appropriate legal standard."

Center for Native Ecosystems, along with its coalition partners, secured an exposé in the Washington Post in October 2006 highlighting the misdeeds of the Interior Department and in March, an Inspector General’s report was released, confirming the irresponsible and deliberate political influence over scientific findings.  A hearing by the House Natural Resources Committee in May and a second hearing in July reinforced the manipulation outlined in both the exposé and the Inspector General’s report and had committee members and guest experts urging the Department to revisit the tainted decisions.

Bureau of Land Management leases deferred: wildlife habitat spared from drilling
The Utah office of the federal Bureau of Land Management deferred oil and gas leases on 38,495 acres of sage grouse habitat after conservation groups, including Center for Native Ecosystems, protested their inclusion in the upcoming quarterly lease sale. In addition, the Utah Agency voluntarily deferred leasing on 157,731 acres, acknowledging it had not fully considered environmental impacts to natural resources such as the imperiled native plant Graham’s penstemon and several potential Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. All told, the Agency withdrew or postponed leasing on more than 292,000 acres based in part on recent court decisions, initiated by Center for Native Ecosystems, citing problems with their analysis of impacts to sensitive species and other natural values.

Victory in South Shale Ridge case
A U.S. District Court judge ruled in August that the Bureau of Land Management failed to consider impacts to the Uinta Basin hookless cactus, an endangered wildflower, and other natural values and must therefore halt its plan to allow oil and gas drilling in the pristine and scenic South Shale Ridge area of western Colorado.  Center for Native Ecosystems was part of the coalition of conservation groups that first brought this case to the Court.