Plants - Protection Of Plants Under The Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) protects listed plants from deliberate destruction or vandalism. Plants also receive protection under the consultation requirements of the act—that is, all federal agencies must consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to determine how best to conserve species as well as to ensure that no issued permits will jeopardize listed species or harm their habitats.

However, many conservationists believe that plants receive less protection than animals under the Endangered Species Act. First, the ESA only protects plants that are found on federal lands. It imposes no restrictions on private landowners whose property is home to endangered plants. Critics also complain that the Fish and Wildlife Service has been slow to list plant species and that damage to plant habitats is not addressed with the same seriousness as for animal species. However, the agency points out that the number of plants listed under the ESA has risen dramatically over the past two decades, as shown in Figure 11.2.

In 2000, in an effort to bolster conservation efforts for plants, the FWS formed an agreement with the Center for Plant Conservation, a national association of botanical gardens and arboreta. The two organizations are cooperating in developing conservation measures to help save North American plant species, particularly those listed as threatened or endangered. Central to the effort is the creation of educational programs aimed at informing the public about the importance of plant species for aesthetic, economic, biological, and medical reasons. The Center for Plant Conservation also aids in developing recovery plans for listed plant species.