PATC Policy
The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club will work with partners and concerned citizens groups to identify and locate threatened or endangered species of flora and fauna. Where colonies of endangered or threatened species are found to exist, the Club will evaluate each and its position relative to the existing footpath and visitor use patterns and determine what, if any, management practices must be undertaken to minimize damage to the fragile species.
Partners’ Policies
U.S. Department of the Interior
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service maintains the national list of threatened and endangered species. The Service is responsible for approving additions to the list and for recovery and management plans for listed species.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Threatened and endangered species are protected under federal laws for those species threatened or endangered nationally, and state laws, for those species threatened or endangered on a statewide basis. The Pennsylvania Ecological Inventory Office maintains a database known as the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory (PNDI). This database contains information on all known species on both lists.
Bureau of Forestry
The Bureau supports the PNDI and reviews projects and proposals that may impact endangered plant species and unique natural areas. Information from the database is used in permit programs administered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to help the agency to determine the costs and benefits of development projects that potentially threaten the natural resources of the state.
The Bureau can protect endangered plants and other plants on forest lands pursuant to Section 51.70 of its regulations, which reads, in part, “Picking, digging, cutting, damaging, or removing any living plant shall be prohibited…” without a permit.
Bureau of State Parks
The Bureau actively seeks PNDI information when planning new projects. In addition, the Bureau used PNDI information in developing its resource-management plans and actively manages and protects PNDI sites on its lands.
§31.5 of the regulations governing state recreation areas prohibits the “cutting, removing, damaging, or defacing of any tree, rock, plant, or other natural object without written permission…” on state park lands.
Department of Transportation
The Department must attempt to avoid impacts to endangered and threatened species when developing projects.
Commonwealth of Virginia
Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
The Commonwealth of Virginia maintains lists of threatened or endangered species that are developed by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (under the Endangered Plant and Insect Species Act) and by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (under the Endangered Species Act).
The Department is responsible for monitoring, research, and management plans to prevent extirpation of plants and insects listed by the state or federal government as threatened or endangered.
Department of Conservation & Recreation
The Division of Natural Areas Conservation maintains the inventory of known locations of species endangered, threatened, or rare in the state under the Natural Heritage Program administered by the Department. The program was established in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy, which provided the database for the inventory. The Natural Heritage Program reviews projects and permits in the state to ensure that nationally or state-listed species are not affected. In addition, the agency is acquiring lands for “natural area preserves” to be managed to protect unique natural habitats and rare species and has a stewardship program in which it develops protection plans for areas with listed species.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is responsible for listed species of animals. This Department has regulatory jurisdiction over birds and wildlife through state game laws and can enforce laws prohibiting their destruction. Listed species are known to exist in the vicinity of the Shenandoah National Park. Under Department regulations (§18.2-119), it is illegal to cut, mutilate, destroy, or remove any vegetation on state lands. These rules can be invoked to protect endangered or threatened species.
Department of Transportation
The Department is required avoid impacts to protected species when developing projects, particularly if federal highway funding is involved.
West Virginia
Division of Natural Resources
It is illegal to remove any man-made or natural objects from the Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area except game and fish legally taken during the open seasons as prescribed by 58 C.S.R. Objects that may not be removed include historical or archaeological artifacts.
The State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) reviews all proposed projects that require an Environmental Review to determine an impact on historic properties or archaeological sites.
