ESA Implementation | Overview
Federally threatened piping plover at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts.
Photo credit: Matt Poole/USFWS
Throughout its history, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has proven to be incredibly effective in stabilizing populations of species at risk, preventing the extinction of many others, and conserving the habitats upon which they depend. All Americans can take pride in the fact that, under the protection of the ESA, the California condor, grizzly bear, Okaloosa darter, whooping crane, and black-footed ferret have all been brought back from the brink of extinction. We can also celebrate that many other species no longer need the ESA's protection and have been removed from the list of endangered and threatened species, including the bald eagle—the very symbol of our nation's strength.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) collaborates with states, tribes, private landowners, non-governmental organizations, and federal partners to achieve on-the-ground conservation for species and habitats around the country. It is only through our inclusive efforts with the conservation community that we can collectively protect our shared resources.
Working with partners to achieve our shared conservation goals, we focus on the following principles:
- Focus on recovery
- Provide conservation incentives
- Increase public participation through grants and partnerships
- Ensure clear and consistent policies and implementation
- Base decisions on sound science
- Provide private landowners and industry with tools to implement projects
The ESA provides a broad and flexible framework to facilitate conservation with a variety of stakeholders. We have many tools to help our agency work with, leverage, and expand our existing network of conservation partnerships to produce effective conservation practices and conservation strategies on-the-ground.
We continue to work in close partnership with our sister agency, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), to improve and strengthen implementation of the ESA. On June 4, 2021, as part of this effort, we jointly propose a set of regulatory revisions to the ESA. Learn more about the proposed regulatory revisions.