The Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday finalized federal protections for the endangered Ocmulgee skullcap, a rare plant found in the vicinity of a site that advocates hope will become Georgia’s first national park.
Citing dire conditions that have recently gotten worse, FWS formally elevated the skullcap to endangered status after initially proposing in 2022 that it be designated as threatened. The agency also deemed approximately 6,600 acres in Georgia and South Carolina to be critical habitat.
“We are very grateful to our co-collaborators who submitted new evidence on threats to the Ocmulgee skullcap, leading us to upgrade its status to endangered,” FWS biologist Michele Elmore said in a statement.
Elmore added that “we plan to work hand-in-hand with our partners on the ground, and together, we will provide a solid framework to recover this beautiful plant.”
