Results of a conservation agreement and strategy for Rabbit Valley gilia (Gilia caespitosa)

Gilia caespitosa Gray (Rabbit Valley gilia) is a rare species restricted to scattered occurrences from the northern Waterpocket Fold to Thousand Lakes Mountain and Rabbit Valley in Wayne County, Utah. This species is a very narrow endemic, known only from unstable and faulting soils of detrital Navajo Sandstone. Species occurrences are often found with limited numbers of plants and minimal potential for increasing. Information available regarding historic abundance, ecology, biology, and demographics is limited. These factors contribute to the need to develop a Conservation Agreement and Strategy to provide the initial direction for conservation. Initial objectives of the strategy were to survey for additional occurrences and identify and establish management guidelines that would ensure the overall long-term survival of the species. Through an interagency effort, most of the initial conservation measures have been achieved. Results from these efforts include greatly expanded numbers of known population occurrences, refined monitoring protocols, and increased public awareness efforts.