Thin-Leaved Peavine Habitat Lost by 98% in Oregon

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Rare thin-leaved peavine plant faces extinction with only a handful of populations left in Oregon's Willamette Valley and one isolated site in Washington.

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The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned on April 29 to protect this climbing plant with bell-shaped white flowers under the Endangered Species Act.

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Nearly 98% of the valley's original prairie has vanished due to farming and urban development, pushing these delicate plants to the brink.

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Many surviving peavines cling to existence along vulnerable roadsides where mowing, herbicides, and invasive species threaten their survival.

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Previous attempts to grow new populations have flopped, with conservation experts struggling to establish seedlings in new locations.

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A new Willamette Valley Conservation Area created in 2024 aims to protect over 22,000 acres of crucial habitat, offering a glimmer of hope.

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Other endangered valley plants like Bradshaw's desert parsley have bounced back after receiving federal protection, showing what's possible for the peavine.

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Proposed changes to environmental laws could weaken protections by requiring economic impact studies and giving states more control over endangered species.

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