WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity has developed new maps that identify areas where limiting pesticide use, and other conservation measures, are critically needed to protect 50 threatened and endangered species, including the Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew and Karner blue butterfly.

These maps show where reducing or eliminating pesticide use will have the greatest benefits to protected species, such as around Mortenson Lake where the endangered Wyoming toad is still found. They provide a critical tool in the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to build new strategies for protecting vulnerable species from the poisons.

“The most effective way to prevent extinctions is to target our conservation efforts where endangered plants and animals live,” said J.W. Glass, EPA policy specialist at the Center. “Federal regulators and conservation groups have to work together to build more of these detailed maps to guide work to protect every one of the 1,700 protected species in this country from dangerous pesticides and other threats.”

The Center plans to release 500 species maps by the end of 2024 for use by the EPA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the public.

Nearly all the areas the EPA has identified for limited pesticide use are based on species’ historical ranges. The Center’s work focuses on mapping areas where the plants and animals live now — areas where avoiding pesticide use is critical to species’ survival.

These more-detailed habitat maps use information from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service such as species status assessments, species recovery plans and protection decisions.

Over the past two years the EPA has taken steps to comply with the Endangered Species Act through strategies to improve on-the-ground conservation of protected species, including reducing harms from pesticides.

In response to the EPA’s draft herbicide, insecticide and vulnerable species pilot proposals, the Center has submitted dozens of maps detailing where endangered species live and recommending that conservation efforts target those areas.

The maps and the underlying data supporting them are available to the public.