A Natural Legacy for the Future: State Laws for Endangered and Threatened Species

Overview

With one-third of our nation’s wildlife at risk of extinction, and the impacts of climate change accelerating, the time is now to find new and better ways to protect our natural heritage. Innovations must be found, not only for the wildlife and the habitats upon which they depend, but also for the current and future human generations who are inextricably linked to the natural world. State endangered species laws are one tool that can be used to this end. The goal of this report is to highlight what is and isn’t working across states and to spotlight innovative case studies of species recovery. Actions taken before a species becomes endangered can also save the lives of individual species, in addition to saving considerable money, time, and effort.