Strategic decision planning for endangered species recovery in Puerto Rico: final report

In Puerto Rico, the Caribbean Ecological Services Field Office of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) currently bears the responsibility to manage, with the goal of recovery, 77 listed species (J. Cruz-Burgos, Endangered Species Program Coordinator, pers. comm.). The staff of the Caribbean Field Office Endangered Species Program performs diverse tasks (hereafter, recovery actions) to protect and recover these listed species, as well as additional at-risk species. With many endangered species, uncertain knowledge, and limited resources, there is a risk of inefficient resource allocation (reducing the rate of species recovery) or inadequate resource allocation (leading to species extinction). There is a need to develop a strategy to prioritize among possible recovery actions in a manner that maximizes the benefit to listed species over the long term while simultaneously protecting species at risk of imminent extinction. Planning the allocation of limited resources and effort is difficult, not only due to knowledge gaps, but also due to the inherent challenges of managing complex, dynamic systems under stress. However, formal analysis of management practices and decision alternatives can improve the planning process, reducing risks despite uncertainty and maximizing the chance of successful outcomes (Conroy et al. 2008; Gregory & Failing 2012; Martin et al. 2009).