The Michigan Karner Blue Workgroups

Management Partners Workgroup

This Workgroup was organized in February, 2003, by invitation from the Department of Natural Resources. The overall function of this Workgroup is to assist in the development, over the next 3 years, of a comprehensive, ecosystem-based statewide KBB Habitat Conservation Plan. Members include public and private partners with experience in land management to benefit the butterfly and a history of interacting with other stakeholders.

The Habitat Conservation Plan is required under Section 10 of the Federal Endangered Species Act to support application for an Incidental Take Permit. During the course of management for KBBs, the application of many management techniques involves the risk of ‘taking’ KBBs in either the egg, larval, or adult form. Possession of an Incidental Take Permit is one way of facilitating this management while remaining sensitive to the risk of taking KBBs. The vision for this process culminates with the Department applying for and receiving an Incidental Take Permit and extending the benefits of this Permit to Partners via Certificates of Inclusion.

This Workgroup is expected to work interactively through the process of Habitat Conservation Plan development to produce a Plan that can be implemented and is compatible with the needs of the various Partners and those they represent.

Karner Blue Butterfly Working Group

This group was organized in the early 1990s to address the need for communication, both information dissemination and information sharing, between stakeholders regarding the KBB. The group does not have assigned membership but draws from the interest of the many stakeholders affiliated with the KBB and its management and recovery. Meetings of this group have occurred more or less annually and have been open to those with an interest in KBB. This meeting format has been effective in providing a platform for presentations by researchers, managers, and regulators regarding KBB issues and initiatives. The elements embraced have covered the full array of species and habitat needs.

With completion of the KBB Recovery Plan in 2003 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, species needs that can be addressed in Michigan will also become a topic of concern for this Group. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended that the individual States hosting KBBs maintain a communication network that is facilitated by groups like this to coordinate communication among the many stakeholders who have an interest in the species. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has also asked that the individual States hosting the KBB develop State Recovery Implementation Plans that follow on the goals and objectives of the KBB Recovery Plan and meet State commitments as detailed in the KBB Recovery Plan. The coordination resulting from the function of this group will contribute to that effort.

Jml 4/30/03