We must fight for the Endangered Species Act and build up other lines of defense
The Endangered Species Act – protecting wildlife since 1973 – is in danger itself.
A bipartisan Congress and President Nixon put it in place, recognizing habitat loss and pollution were putting species in crisis.
Today, as a new generation of lawmakers threatens the ESA, it's clear we need the law, combined with other methods of conservation, to keep wildlife safe.
Why the ESA is essential
There are nearly 1,300 plants and animals on the endangered species list – more than 90 percent of them have active recovery plans. The ESA has helped dozens of other species recover – from the American bald eagle to the black-footed ferret.
It's a necessary emergency room for endangered wildlife, as it stops the bleeding and wards off immediate extinction. But as with humans, these species need more preventive care, so they don't have to rush to the ER in the first place.
-Creating incentives to conserve habitat
Why: Three-quarters of the land in the United States is privately owned – big potential to work directly with ranchers, farmers and other landowners.
How: We launched the Safe Harbor program to give landowners new incentives to protect rare species on their property.The idea became a national program that now includes 4 million acres, Furthermore, we developed habitat exchanges, which allow landowners to earn credits by maintaining and improving habitat for vulnerable species on their land.
These flexible kinds of solutions protect wildlife while offering economic opportunity.
