SERPPAS: Red-cockaded Woodpecker Downlisted
We are excited to share the announcement from the Department of Interior that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is downlisting the red-cockaded woodpecker from endangered to threatened status under the Endangered Species Act. “This milestone is the result of five decades of collaborative conservation efforts between the Interior Department, federal and state partners, Tribes, the private sector and private landowners that have resulted in increasing populations of these remarkable birds throughout their range.”
Over its almost 20-year lifespan, SERPPAS has played an important role in the conservation efforts of this species that calls the Southeast U.S. home, including many military installations. Recognizing the compatibility and the complimentary nature of healthy, well-managed longleaf habitat for both the RCW and military training, one of the first efforts to be endorsed by the SERPPAS Principals was the SERPPAS Red-Cockaded Woodpecker translocation program. Beginning in 2008, the program brought together multiple federal, state and private entities to increase and stabilize RCW populations and support the recovery of the species across its range. To learn more about the efforts of SERPPAS for this and other species, please visit our story map: https://repi.osd.mil/portal/apps/storymaps/stories/d19228469f9e4ebb91f67e8a481af1ee
SERPPAS continues to support RCW and other species conservation efforts through the At-Risk, Threatened and Endangered Species work group, a core component of the 2024 SERPPAS Strategic Plan. Additionally, SERPPAS continues to collaborate with America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative and actively works to get more prescribed fire on the ground through the SERPPAS Southeast Prescribed Fire Initiative, all contributing to the long term sustainability of the longleaf ecosystem across the Southeast.
To learn more about SERPPAS, please visit: https://serppas.org/
Photo: Red-cockaded woodpecker by John Maxwell, USFWS
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Addie Thornton serves as the program manager for the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) and is responsible for providing technical and administrative support for its planning and operation. She prepares key and timely information regarding regional SERPPAS efforts, coordinates the logistical and content-related details for the Steering Committee and Principals' meetings in the Southeast, builds relationships with partners (local, state and federal entities) to work together on strategic priorities and monitors progress to help SERPPAS achieve its goals.
Addie received her Bachelor of Science in natural resources policy and administration from North Carolina State University and currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina. Previously, Addie was the program coordinator for the Forestry and Environmental Outreach Program at NCSU.
In her spare time, Addie enjoys volunteering with a local young professionals group involved in giving back to the local community, as well as spending time with friends and family.