The Codex of the Endangered Species Act, Volume II

If the last fifty years were about preventing extinction by establishing an effective ESA emergency room for the most imperiled species, the next half century must be about confronting the extinction crisis by building a system of preventative and rehabilitative care that invests both upstream to save at-risk species before they're on the brink of extinction and to accelerate the recovery of species already listed. For years, Lowell Baier has been a key partner in our work by advancing a national conversation on the best way to recover at-risk species. He brings the same level of bipartisan zeal that originally brought the ESA to life. Through the Codex, he convenes a broad range of authors who aspire to improve the law so it can continue to thrive in a new, modern era. Lowell shines a light on all aspects of the ESA, from the technical and administrative to its economic, legal, and political implications. --Senator Martin Heinrich, United States Senate, New Mexico (D) More than a decade has passed since the UN warned of the global threat to biodiversity. Yet, little has been accomplished to alleviate this threat to nature and society. The biodiversity crisis demands a comprehensive, collaborative, science-driven response. The Codex of the Endangered Species Act, Volume II offers a range of innovative conservation strategies for tackling this crisis building on the lessons learned over the past 5 decades in implementing this ground-breaking law. The Congress, federal and state fish and wildlife agencies and their conservation partners, private landowners, and conservation organizations all have opportunities to improve outcomes for species and their ecosystems. This book urges us to seize them now. --Jim Lyons, USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment (1993-2000); USDI Deputy Assistant Secretary, Lands and Minerals Management (2013-2016); Professor in the Practice of Natural Resource Management, Yale University (2000-2003); Lecturer and Research Scholar, Yale School of Forestry The Endangered Species Act of 1973 spawned to thwart the continued loss of species. The law's effectiveness lies at the intersection of science and policy and this book captures the present need to improve science, policy, and their integration if we are to meet the challenges posed by the anthropogenic sixth mass extinction. The authors have assembled a star cast of leading experts and practitioners that culminated in a must-read for anyone concerned about the future of the nation's biodiversity. --Dr. Edward B. Arnett Ph.D., CEO, The Wildlife Society. Certified Wildlife Biologist Wildlife conservation today too often seems an intractable problem. Conflicting priorities for land, resources, and funding divide us along familiar lines: public-private, state-federal, Republican-Democrat. The Codex of the Endangered Species Act, Volume II is a beacon of hope, offering solutions that bring people together. Over the course of more than a dozen essays by over 25 distinguished experts, the book presents a blueprint for a world where wildlife management is not riddled with conflict but is instead collaborative, innovative, and effective conservation. --Leopoldo Miranda-Castro, Executive Director, Conservation Without Conflict. and Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2018-2022)