Western Lily (Lilium occidentale) Genetics Study

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, through the Habitat Conservation Planning Branch Native Plant Program, has issued a scientific, educational, or management permit (Permit No. 2081(a)-26-005-RP) to Teresa Bird for the Western Lily (Lilium occidentale) Genetics Study. Pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 2081 and California Code of Regulations Title 14, this project is authorized to collect small amounts of plant tissue from western lily populations in Del Norte County during the summer of 2026. Collection sites include the Crescent City Marsh Wildlife Area, Point St. George, Table Bluff Ecological Reserve, and the private Christensen Site. The project is exempt under CEQA Section 15306, Class 6, as it involves basic data collection and research designed to avoid detrimental impacts on the endangered species. The scope of work involves collecting 10 to 20 leaf tissue samples from flowering individuals with normal morphotypes at each location, with up to 20 additional samples from plants displaying phenotypic variation. Each sample must be documented with a photo and site label. Collected tissues will be silica-dried in the field, transferred to the Northwest American Indian Coalition offices in Oregon, and then sent to the Landscape Stewardship Collective in Flagstaff, Arizona, for DNA extraction and analysis. The primary objective of the study is to determine the level of hybridization, relatedness, gene flow, and genetic diversity among populations to inform plant propagation projects and support overall species recovery.