CNDDB News Blog

Bear Lake buckwheat (Eriogonum microtheca var. lacus-ursi)
CDFW photo by Kristi Lazar

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will be conducting a status review for Bear Lake buckwheat to inform the California Fish and Game Commission's decision on whether to list the species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). More details about the listing proposal and CDFW's request for public comments may be found in our CDFW newsletter. As part of this process, CDFW is soliciting information regarding the species’ ecology, genetics, life history, distribution, abundance, habitat, the degree and immediacy of threats to its reproduction or survival, the adequacy of existing management and recommendations for management of the species. The CNDDB would like to encourage anyone who has observed Bear Lake buckwheat to submit their findings to us. People who have questions or comments about the review process should email our Native Plant Program. The deadline for both data submission and comments is February 10, 2025 to allow us sufficient time for evaluation.

Bear Lake buckwheat (Eriogonum microtheca var. lacus-ursi) is a subshrub in the buckwheat family with only a single known occurrence on the south shore of Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino County, California. Bear Lake buckwheat grows on a unique substrate of gray, silty, clay soil in a Jeffrey pine and juniper woodland. Bear Lake buckwheat occupies an area of less than 0.18 acre on a parcel of private property that is being leased to the City of Big Bear Lake. The main threats to Bear Lake buckwheat are habitat modification or destruction from development of the property where the species occurs, human disturbances (off-road vehicle use, littering/trash dumping, and footpaths/trampling), effects of small population size, and fire and fuel reduction activities.

On July 16, 2024, CDFW’s Native Plant Program submitted a petition to the California Fish and Game Commission to list Bear Lake buckwheat as an endangered species under CESA. The Commission published findings of its decision to make the species a candidate for listing as an endangered species on October 25, 2024, and as such, Bear Lake buckwheat now receives the same legal protection afforded to an endangered or threatened species (Fish and Game Code sections 2074.2 and 2085). Take of this species is prohibited without an appropriate permit for scientific, educational or management purposes. For more information on permitting, visit our CESA permits page.

We need your help in better understanding the status of Bear Lake buckwheat. If you have ever found the species in the wild, submit your findings to us through our Online Field Survey Form. Together, we can help the Fish and Game Commission make an informed decision on the listing proposal for the Bear Lake buckwheat.

Our barred owl datasets have been updated! 

Barred Owl Observations by PLSS Section [ds2873] is available to view and to download in the BIOS Viewer. This layer summarizes the information contained in the Barred Owl Observations Database and allows users to see PLSS sections containing barred owl detections as well as the first and last years that owls were reported in those sections.

Barred Owl Observations [ds8] is available in the BIOS Viewer for CNDDB subscribers. The barred owl database includes barred owl (Strix varia), Strix hybrid, and unknown Strix detections. This dataset is only available to view and download by CNDDB subscribers because it contains references to sensitive spotted owl locations. To download the dataset, navigate the CNDDB Data Updates page and click on Subscriber Downloads. For site-specific inquiries, email owlobs@wildlife.ca.gov.

Due to the varied nature of barred owl surveys, detections, and reporting in the state, these datasets may not fully represent the historical and current distribution of barred owls in California.

For more information on barred owls in California, check out CDFW’s Barred Owl Threat web page.

The following CNDDB documents have been updated:

• Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Endangered, Threatened, and Rare Plants List (PDF)
• Changes to the CNDDB Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Special Animals List (PDF)
• Endangered and Threatened Animals List (PDF)

Links to the T&E and Special Plants/Animals lists can be found on the CNDDB Plants and Animals web page. More information about state listing can be found on the California Fish and Game Commission CESA web page and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife CESA web page. If you have any questions about these lists, please email us at CNDDB@wildlife.ca.gov.