Abstract

Endangered Sentry Milkvetch Habitat Model, Grand Canyon National Park
Track: Parks, Natural Reserves, Fisheries, and Wildlife Management
Authors: Mark Nebel, Janice Busco, Shahed Dowlatshahi, Lori Makarick

The Sentry Milkvetch (SMV) is a federally-listed endangered plant species endemic to the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. As part of the species� Recovery Plan, iterative GIS analyses and modeling were effectively used to identify and prioritize suitable potential reintroduction sites, based on geology, soil, vegetation, and elevation-derived criteria. Field investigation confirmed the model validity, and a new population of SMV was discovered in a location predicted by the model.