The action is the latest step in efforts to save the tiger salamander while trying to preserve land and development rights.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service imposed emergency protections for California tiger salamanders in Sonoma County in 2002 under the federal Endangered Species Act. When the agency downgraded the classification from "endangered" to "threatened," it prompted a lawsuit that was partially settled when the wildlife service agreed to identify salamander habitat before December 2005.

With the preliminary boundaries now in place, federal wildlife officials have scheduled a public hearing to discuss what land within the boundaries will be needed to preserve the salamander while allowing development. The meeting is Sept. 8 at the Flamingo Hotel in Santa Rosa.

"Our hope is that all people will stay engaged in the process and come up with a good conservation strategy," said Donner.

The Santa Rosa Plain Conservation Strategy Team, a broad-based coalition of federal and state regulators, local government officials, landowners, developers and environmentalists, is heading that effort.