Custom «Renewing the Conservation Commitment» Essay Paper Sample

Introduction

The authors of this article seek to provide specific constructive recommendations for species recovery and conservation that are highlighted in three recurrent themes. This includes the role that the federal government is expected to play in the conservation of species, new actors as well as institutional relationships emerging in the area as well as the challenges that affect use of ESA as a biodiversity conservation tool (Goble, Scott & Davis 2006).

A summary of article 24: Renewing the conservation commitment by Frank Davis, Dale Goble and Michael Scott

In the first theme, the authors look at the shortcomings of the endangered species Act in accomplishing its mandate. The participants indicate that it is crucial to have federal leadership, technical expertise as well as funding if there is to be an effective protection and recovery strategies of species. Here, examples of partnerships between the federal-state that are making differences are highlighted. The article however points out that although the act has to a large extent been able to pre vent extinction of species through its effort there is still flaws in the manner the federal government is implementing the law. Amongst these include lack of funding, implementation is vulnerable to the interests of the congress and administrative government branches, the listing of species is too slow: species disappeared before being listed, the recovery programs hold an expectation of recovering species rapidly that is biologically unrealistic and bureaucracy delays, rigid doctrine adherence and costs are compromising conservation opportunities (Goble, Scott & Davis 2006).

The second theme addresses the success of conservation institutions as well as relationships that are emerging. The ESA has proven to have broad impacts on the implementing agencies of conservation as well as facilitating the evolution of Legal and administrative impacts at all levels of government by the law. This includes the enactments of endangered species acts at state level, incorporation of the natural resource planning in the process of land use decision as well as the new conservation partnerships as well as management systems. This is being achieved by conservation experiments being carried out around the country. Success of the conservation and recovery program is said to depend on local engagement, conflicts, resolution that is creative as well as problem solving aspects. Further, the authors present that the efforts to fix this act using top down reform is premature as well as ill-advised. Although it is important to localize the recovery and restoration programs, we find tat most of them operate over areas that are wide.  This however requires that the federal and state agencies be willing to take risks, be transparent (information and data), as well as relinquish some of the authority they have in recovery and conservation efforts (Goble, Scott & Davis 2006).

The thirds theme focuses on making the ESA a last option other than the first bulkhead of conservation. The critics of this act have been know to site that the recovered species in relation to the growing list of species that are endangered indicate that the policy is failing. However this trend is seen as a symptomatic of a problem that is more fundamental. This is the form of lacking choices at the federal, state and local level. Funding is seen as one of the way that can facilitate early warning system to aid in the process of conservation. It is also important to adopt a regional and statewide conservation plan that is systematic so as to be able to prioritize on areas of protection and recovery as well as design several mitigation banks as well as incentives so as to come up conservation plans that are market driven. Methods such as waiting for a species to be at risk of extinction are also noted as a counterproductive method of conservation. This act is seen as only capable of slowing down the extinction of species instead of preventing it within the American landscape. In conclusion, ESA is identified as being in a position to assume the more appropriate role as a final conservation plan as well as practicing sustainability and as such become the bulk-head of conservation of the biodiversity found in America (Goble, Scott & Davis 2006).

Questions for discussion

1. How can Endangered Species Act be reformed in the current political balance so as to be a more effective form of conservation and recovery of species program?
2. Identify areas in which Endangered Species Act has failed in it quest to present timely conservation and recovery of species in America?
3. How effective is the current Endangered Species Act efforts in fulfilling its mandate?
4. How is the Endangered Species Act expected to be implemented in future in an attempt to make it a proper system of practicing sustainability as well as biodiversity in the country's future?