Action timeline

June 18, 2007 – In coalition with four regional conservation organizations, the Center filed a petition to list this tree vole under the Endangered Species Act. Also in June, the Center released a report identifying 215 species of concern in Oregon's Tillamook rainforest and North Coast.

September 4, 2008 – After surveys failed to locate this population of tree vole in places it was once common, the Center, Cascadia Wildlands Project, Oregon Wild and Portland Audubon filed a notice of intent to sue the administration for its lack of response to our 2007 petition.

October 27, 2008 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finally heeded our petition and declared it would begin a status review to determine whether the North Coast population of red tree vole and the red tree vole species warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act.

July 12, 2011 – The Center reached a landmark agreement with the Fish and Wildlife Service compelling the agency to move forward in the protection process for 757 species, including the North Coast red tree vole.

October 12, 2011 – The Service announced that the North Coast population of red tree vole warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act.

September 26, 2012 – The Center for Biological Diversity, Cascadia Wildlands and Benton Forest Coalition filed a legal challenge to halt the controversial Rickard Creek timber sale on tree vole habitat.

Red tree vole photo by Nick Hatch