OOS 13-5
Using adaptive management to recover species in rapidly changing ecosystems
The mandate of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is to conserve (recover) species to the point that they are secure and no longer need the protections afforded them by the ESA. One mechanism required under the ESA to achieve recovery is the development and implementation of recovery plans that include management actions, recovery criteria and an estimate of the time and costs to recovery. The value of a strategic plan to focus recovery activities is self-evident, but plans tend to be static documents and the ESA requires public review and comment in order to revise any of the elements identified above. The challenge is to devise recovery plans that retain strategic focus yet are nimble enough to adjust to changing conditions, particularly with the ever-increasing knowledge and changes presented by climate change.
Results/Conclusions
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating ways to adjust its recovery plans to accommodate these seemingly conflicting needs. This presentation will discuss the opportunities and challenges of using adaptive management as a recovery planning tool to address these problems in an effective and efficient manner.