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WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS

US Endangered Species Act Based on Strong Scientific Foundation

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Forest Networking a Project of Ecological Enterprises

July 15, 1995

OVERVIEW & SOURCE

The Ecological Society of America has recently completed an

assessment of the scientific merit of the United States Endangered

Species Act. They have released their scientific consensus

report, "Strengthening the Use of Science in Achieving the Goals

of the Endangered Species Act," and the major conclusion are

paraphrased here. This was posted in econet's biodiversity

conference.

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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:

/* Written 2:38 PM Jul 14, 1995 by lyee in igc:biodiversity */

/* ---------- "ESA Report: Ecol. Soc. of America" ---------- */

Ecological Society of America NEWS

13 July 1995

SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT IS STRONG SAYS

SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY REPORT

The Ecological Society of America, a 7,500 member professional

organization, today released its latest scientific consensus

report, "Strengthening the Use of Science in Achieving the Goals

of the Endangered Species Act." A committee of nine ecologists

was charged by the Society to address the ecological issues

relevant to reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act.

Like the recently published scientific report of the National

Research Council, the independently conducted, peer-reviewed

report of the Ecological Society of America finds that the

Endangered Species Act is firmly based on scientific principles

and suggests the establishment of new policies to prevent further

losses of key habitat.

"It is important to understand that proactive habitat protection

is needed in addition to species-oriented protection efforts if

the goals of the Act are to be achieved in a scientifically sound,

cost-effective manner," said Gordon Orians, member of the

Committee and President-Elect of the Ecological Society of

America.

"Re-establishing a species on the cusp of extinction usually

requires enormous effort and expense," explained Orians. "The

goals of the Endangered Species Act are more likely to be

achieved, and realized at lower total cost, if steps are taken to

help prevent populations from spiralling downward in the first

place. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to maintain

habitats important to biological communities."

Major conclusions of the Ecological Society of America report

include:

- The 1973 Endangered Species Act is a powerful and sensible way

to protect biological diversity, and contains the procedures and

mechanisms with which to achieve this goal.

- On the basis of science, the most important priorities to use in

deciding which candidate species to list are: 1) number of other

species that will benefit from the listing; 2) ecological role of

the species; 3) the organism's recovery potential; and 4) its

taxonomic distinctness.

- Formal Population Viability Analysis offers a method to identify

how a species' survival potential can be maximized in the least

controversial manner.

- The likelihood of restoring the viability of an endangered

species is enhanced when: 1) recovery plans seek to achieve

apopulation distributed in suitable habitats across the landscape;

and 2) these plans are developed and implemented expeditiously.

- Additional programs for ecosystem-level protection that would

complement existing legislation offer promise for a proactive

approach that would effectively protect our Nation's biological

heritage at lower long-term cost.

"Scientific, socio-economic, and ethical issues are components of

all science policy decisions," said Judy Meyer, President of the

Ecological Society of America. "We hope that this report, which

analyzes the scientific foundations of the Act, will assist

policymakers in their efforts to ensure that biological science

plays its appropriately strong role during the reauthorization

process."

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To receive of a copy of "Strengthening the Use of Science in

Achieving the Goals of the Endangered Species Act: An Assessment

by the Ecological Society of America," contact Gabriel Paal, ESA

Public Affairs Office, 2010 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 400,

Washington, DC 20036; ph: 202/416-6181; fax: 202/833-8775; e-

mail: gabriel@esa.org.

The Ecological Society of America has produced other reports

focusing on possible ecological consequences of the release of

genetically modified organisms, delineation of wetlands, and

ecological research priorities.

The Ecological Society of America (ESA) is a scientific,

nonprofit, 7,500-member organization founded in 1915. Through ESA

reports, journals, membership research and expert testimony to

Congress, ESA seeks to promote the responsible application of

ecological data and principles to the solution of environmental

problems. ESA publishes three scientific, peer-reviewed journals:

Ecology, Ecological Applications, and Ecological Monographs.

Information about the Society and its activities are published in

the bi-monthly Newsletter of the Ecological Society of America.

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