Southwestern Region

The Threatened, Endangered & Sensitive (TES) Species Program is the Forest Service’s dedicated initiative to conserve and recover plant and animal species that need special management attention and to restore National Forest and Grassland ecosystems and habitats. From 1980 to 2009, the number of species endangered or threatened with extinction and listed under the Endangered Species Act rose from 281 to 1,319.  In 2008, 422 (32 percent) of those species either use National Forest/Grassland habitats, or are potentially affected by Forest Service management activities.  Some 251 other species are candidates for listing (i.e., meet listing criteria, but have not yet been formally proposed), and over 50 of those occur on National Forest or Grasslands.

The TES program involves a variety of activities conducted by the Forest Service and partners, including inventory and monitoring, habitat assessments, habitat improvements through vegetation treatments and structure installation, species reintroductions, development of conservation strategies, research, and information and education. Working with other Federal and State agencies, academic institutions, private organizations and citizens is vital to leverage limited resources and achieve effective on-the-ground conservation accomplishments. 

Below are listings of sensitive species by type or forest.

Complete Lists

• RF's Sensitive Species List—Animals (PDF, 423kb)
• RF's Sensitive Species List—Plants (PDF, 248kb)
• Definitions