Action timeline

1993 – The Center petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list Canelo Hills ladies' tresses as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

1996 – The Center filed suit against the Service for failing to list five riparian species, including Canelo Hills ladies' tresses.

January 1997 – Canelo Hills ladies' tresses were listed as endangered.

November 1997 – The Center filed suit against the National Forest Service challenging 92 grazing allotments on seven national forests in the Gila and Little Colorado river basins, including allotments that would adversely affect Canelo Hills ladies' tresses.

1998 – The Forest Service admitted that 80 out of 92 grazing allotments could harm endangered species, including Canelo Hills ladies' tresses. It then announced it would publish an Environmental Impact Statement addressing the effects of grazing on endangered species within the bioregion of the allotments. The statement codified a plan to ban cattle from the habitats of eight species, but was very weak on protections for four others. It completely ignored the needs of Canelo Hills ladies' tresses and eight similarly imperiled plants and animals.

Photo by Jim Rorabaugh, USFWS