Dear EarthTalk: Do environmentalists think the Endangered Species Act has been a success or failure with regard to protecting biodiversity in the U.S.? - Ron McKnight, Trenton, NJ
The Center for Biological Diversity found that the Endangered Species Act (ESA) had a very successful recovery rate, with some 90 percent of species recovering at the rate specified by their recovery plans. The recovery of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear is considered to be an ESA success story.
Credit: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
While that very question has been a subject of debate already for decades, most environmental advocates are thankful such legislation is in place and proud of their government for upholding such high standards when it comes to preserving rare species of plants and animals.
That said, critics of the legislation make some solid points. For starters, only one percent of species (20 out of 2,000) under the protection of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) have recovered sufficiently to qualify for delisting. And the millions of dollars spent on often failed recovery efforts are difficult to justify, especially in these otherwise tough economic times.
But even though the vast majority of species protected under the ESA have not recovered doesn’t undermine the significance of those species—bald eagles, gray wolves, and grizzly bear to name a few—that have rebounded thanks to forward thinking legislation and wildlife management. Louisa Wilcox of the Natural Resources Defense Council is grateful to the ESA for the continued existence of grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park. “After listing, the government cleaned up the massive garbage problems in Yellowstone Park, which reduced the habituation of bears to human foods—a pattern that often leads to grizzly deaths,” she reports. Commercial sheep herds were moved out of core grizzly habitat while hundreds of miles of roads on public lands in the region were closed to improve the iconic bears’ chances for survival. The result: The Yellowstone grizzly population more than doubled while human/bear interactions and incursions by hungry grizzlies onto local ranches have declined. “So, by any reckoning, the Yellowstone grizzly bear story is an ESA success,” concludes Wilcox.
To test whether or not the ESA has been effective on a grander scale, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), another leading green group, compared for its 2012 “On Time, On Target” report the actual recovery rate of 110 listed species with the projected recovery rate in their federal recovery plans. The 110 species occupy all 50 U.S. states, include all major taxonomic groups, and have various listing lengths.
CBD found that the ESA had “a remarkably successful recovery rate: 90 percent of species are recovering at the rate specified by their federal recovery plan,” adding: “On average, species recovered in 25 years, while their recovery plan predicted 23 years—a 91 percent timeliness accomplishment.”
CBD also confirmed the hypothesis that the majority of listed species have not enjoyed protection for long enough to warrant an expectation of recovery yet. “80 percent of species have not yet reached their expected recovery year,” reports CBD, adding that on average species have been listed for just 32 years, while their recovery plans required 46 years for success. This recent study’s findings echo the results of an earlier (2006) analysis in the Northeastern U.S. that found some 93 percent of federally listed species there were stabilized or improving since getting ESA protection and 82 percent were on track to meet recovery goals. “When judged in the light of meeting recovery plan timelines for recovery, the Endangered Species Act is remarkably successful,” says CBD. “Few laws of any kind can boast a 90 percent success rate.”
CONTACTS: CBD, www.biologicaldiversity.org; “On Time, On Target” Report, www.esasuccess.org.
That said, critics of the legislation make some solid points. For starters, only one percent of species (20 out of 2,000) under the protection of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) have recovered sufficiently to qualify for delisting. And the millions of dollars spent on often failed recovery efforts are difficult to justify, especially in these otherwise tough economic times.
But even though the vast majority of species protected under the ESA have not recovered doesn’t undermine the significance of those species—bald eagles, gray wolves, and grizzly bear to name a few—that have rebounded thanks to forward thinking legislation and wildlife management. Louisa Wilcox of the Natural Resources Defense Council is grateful to the ESA for the continued existence of grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park. “After listing, the government cleaned up the massive garbage problems in Yellowstone Park, which reduced the habituation of bears to human foods—a pattern that often leads to grizzly deaths,” she reports. Commercial sheep herds were moved out of core grizzly habitat while hundreds of miles of roads on public lands in the region were closed to improve the iconic bears’ chances for survival. The result: The Yellowstone grizzly population more than doubled while human/bear interactions and incursions by hungry grizzlies onto local ranches have declined. “So, by any reckoning, the Yellowstone grizzly bear story is an ESA success,” concludes Wilcox.
To test whether or not the ESA has been effective on a grander scale, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), another leading green group, compared for its 2012 “On Time, On Target” report the actual recovery rate of 110 listed species with the projected recovery rate in their federal recovery plans. The 110 species occupy all 50 U.S. states, include all major taxonomic groups, and have various listing lengths.
CBD found that the ESA had “a remarkably successful recovery rate: 90 percent of species are recovering at the rate specified by their federal recovery plan,” adding: “On average, species recovered in 25 years, while their recovery plan predicted 23 years—a 91 percent timeliness accomplishment.”
CBD also confirmed the hypothesis that the majority of listed species have not enjoyed protection for long enough to warrant an expectation of recovery yet. “80 percent of species have not yet reached their expected recovery year,” reports CBD, adding that on average species have been listed for just 32 years, while their recovery plans required 46 years for success. This recent study’s findings echo the results of an earlier (2006) analysis in the Northeastern U.S. that found some 93 percent of federally listed species there were stabilized or improving since getting ESA protection and 82 percent were on track to meet recovery goals. “When judged in the light of meeting recovery plan timelines for recovery, the Endangered Species Act is remarkably successful,” says CBD. “Few laws of any kind can boast a 90 percent success rate.”
CONTACTS: CBD, www.biologicaldiversity.org; “On Time, On Target” Report, www.esasuccess.org.
Querido DiálogoEcológico: ¿Creen los ecologistas que la Ley de Especies en Peligro de Extinción ha tenido un gran éxito o fracaso con respecto a la protección de la biodiversidad en EEUU? - Ron McKnight, Trenton, NJ
El Centro de Diversidad Biológica encontró que la Ley de Especies en Peligro de Extinción (ESA) tenía una tasa muy exitosa de recuperación, con un 90 por ciento de las especies recuperándose a la tasa especificada por sus planes de rehabilitación. La recuperación del oso pardo del Yellowstone se considera como uno de los éxitos notables de la ESA.
Aunque esa misma pregunta ha sido tema de debate ya por décadas, la mayoría de los defensores del ambiente están agradecidos que tal legislación está en vigencia y orgullosos de su gobierno por apoyar tales estándares tan altos cuando se trata de preservar las especies más vulnerables de plantas y animales.
A pesar de esto, los críticos de la legislación avanzan algunos puntos sólidos. Para empezar, sólo uno por ciento de las especies (20 de 2.000) bajo la protección de la Ley de Especies en Peligro de Extinción (ESA, por sus siglas en inglés), se ha recuperado suficientemente como fuera de peligro para meritar eliminación de la lista. Y los millones de dólares gastados en esfuerzos de recuperación a menudo fallidos son difícil de justificar, especialmente en estos tiempos económicos difíciles.
Pero aunque la inmensa mayoría de las especies protegidas bajo la AEE no se han recuperado, esto no disminuye el significado de esas especies—águilas calvas, lobos grises, y oso pardo para nombrar sólo algunos—que han repuntado gracias a legislación de vanguardia y buena gestión de fauna. Louisa Wilcox del Consejo de Defensa de Recursos Naturales está agradecida a la AEE por la existencia continuada de osos pardos en y alrededor del Parque Nacional de Yellowstone. "Después de listarlos, el gobierno limpió los problemas masivos de basura en el Parque de Yellowstone, que redujo la aclimatación de osos a alimentos humanos—una pauta que a menudo lleva a la muerte de estos animales," indica ella. Las manadas comerciales de oveja fueron mudadas del centro del hábitat de osos a la vez que cientos de millas de caminos en tierras públicas de la región fueron cerradas al tráfico vehicular para mejorar la probabilidad de supervivencia de los osos icónicos. Resultado: La población de osos pardos de Yellowstone se ha duplicado mientras que las interacciones entre humanos y osos y las incursiones por parte de osos pardos hambrientos en haciendas locales han disminuido. "Así, a todas luces, la historia del oso pardo de Yellowstone es un éxito de la AEE," concluye Wilcox.
Para probar si la AEE ha sido efectiva en una escala más grande, el Centro de Diversidad Biológica (CBD, siglas en inglés), otro grupo verde prominente, comparó para su informe de 2012 "A la hora, En el Objetivo", la tasa verdadera de recuperación de 110 especies listeadas con la tasa proyectada de recuperación en los planes federales de recuperación. Las 110 especies ocupan todos los 50 estados de EEUU, incluyen todos los grupos taxonómicos mayores, y tienen listas de diversos tamaños.
CBD encontró que la AEE tenía "una tasa notablemente exitosa de recuperación: El 90 por ciento de las especies se están recuperando a la tasa especificada por su plan federal de recuperación," agregando: "En promedio, las especies se recuperaron en 25 años, mientras su plan de recuperación predecía 23 años—un logro en términos de proyección de 91 por ciento".
CBD también confirmó la hipótesis que la mayoría de las especies listadas no han disfrutado todavía de protección por el tiempo suficiente como para esperar una recuperación efectiva. El “80 por ciento de las especies todavía no ha alcanzado su año proyectado de recuperación," indica CBD, agregando que en promedio, las especies han sido listadas por sólo 32 años, mientras que su recuperación proyectada requeriría 46 años para el éxito. Las conclusiones de este estudio reciente confirman los resultados de un análisis anterior (2006) en el noreste de EEUU que encontró que un 93 por ciento de las especies listadas federalmente allí se habían estabilizado o estaban mejorando desde que consiguieron la protección de la AEE y 82 por ciento estaban en vías de cumplir con los objetivos de recuperación. "Cuando juzgamos a la luz de las proyecciones de los planes de recuperación, la Ley de Especies en Peligro de Extinción es notablemente exitosa," dice CBD. "Pocas leyes de cualquier tipo pueden jactarse de una tasa de éxito del 90 por ciento".
CONTACTOS: CBD, www.biologicaldiversity.org; “On Time, On Target” Report,www.esasuccess.org.
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