How did the Service determine what areas should be proposed as critical habitat for the Colorado butterfly plant?
The Service used the best scientific data available to determine areas that contain the physical and biological features essential for the conservation of the plant and reviewed all the available information concerning habitat conditions, threats, limiting factors, population demographics, and the known location, distribution, and abundance of the plant. The Service designated only those areas that currently have the biological features essential to the conservation of the Colorado butterfly plant Q. How does a critical habitat designation affect private landowners? The designation of critical habitat on privately-owned land does not mean the government wants to acquire or control the land. Activities on private lands that do not require Federal permits or funding are not affected by a critical habitat designation. Critical habitat does not require landowners to carry out any special management actions or restrict the use of the land. If a landowner needs a Federal permit or receives F
