Once on the brink of extinction, the bald eagle — the quintessential American symbol — now has a population in the hundreds of thousands. This is a reality made possible by the protections and authority of the Endangered Species Act and collaborative conservation efforts spanning decades.
Now in its 50th year, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has saved iconic American species like the American alligator, the whooping crane, and the peregrine falcon. The law has provided a critical safety net for fish, wildlife, and plants, preventing the extinction of hundreds of imperiled species, promoting the recovery of many others, and conserving the habitats upon which they depend. These species belong to a web of life, filling ecological niches that lead to balanced ecosystems with healthier air, land, and water for all to enjoy.
President Joe Biden’s agenda — Investing in America — is central to the work to conserve species and preserve habitats for generations into the future to enjoy. Last week alone, the Department of the Interior announced a $62.5 million investment from the Inflation Reduction Act to help plan for recovery efforts that will benefit more than 300 species currently listed under the ESA. This new funding will allow for the hiring of biologists that will work on recovery plans and fund the scientific research needed to recover listed species.
The ESA has been one of the most successful conservation tools in American history, saving 99% of listed species since its inception. And yet, there is still a tremendous amount more to accomplish as species today face emerging and growing threats from climate change, habitat loss and wildlife trafficking.
Once a species becomes endangered, its recovery can be complex and difficult work, often requiring substantial time and resources. As employees of the Department of the Interior, like me, continue to implement the critical work of the ESA, we are also increasing our focus on proactive conservation aimed at keeping species off the list in the first place. By working proactively with federal, state, local, private, and tribal partners, we have the power to not just save species from extinction, we can work to make them plentiful and resilient.
To understand what proactive conservation looks like, we can look at the reintroduction of the swift fox into Montana’s Fort Belknap Reservation in 2020.
The swift fox, found in a historic range stretching from northern Montana into southern Canada, was at risk of being listed as endangered in the early 1990s. Facing an impending listing scenario, federal partners, states, and tribes within the fox’s historic range came together to develop a conservation strategy that ultimately recovered its populations and allowed for the Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) Tribes of Fort Belknap to reintroduce swift foxes, a meaningful step for their tribal heritage.
We don’t have to and shouldn’t wait until a species is listed under the ESA to take action to secure its future. We must develop collaborative and inclusive conservation efforts that include farmers, ranchers and forest landowners, anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, Tribal Nations, states, territories, local officials and other important conservation partners. By engaging diverse stakeholders, we can tap into a wealth of knowledge and experience, ensuring that our strategies remain relevant and effective in a rapidly changing world.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Alliance of Forest Owners to advance the conservation of at-risk and listed species within private working forests nationwide. This is the new way forward. By harnessing the power of collective action, we can maximize the impact of our conservation efforts.
Fifty years ago, this nation chose to prevent the extinction of species, a value that is reflected in the persistent strong public support for the ESA today. The law is necessary — but not sufficient to stop the loss of biodiversity we are experiencing today. We must unite around a renewed commitment to species conservation where collaborative recovery is the focus, and where we are doing more than preventing extinction.
My hope for the next 50 years is that fewer species become threatened or endangered as a result of collaborative work that protects the web of life that each one of us is part of.
Shannon Estenoz is the assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the U.S. Department of the Interior.
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