Editors' Summary

For state endangered species protection laws to achieve their overarching purpose of species recovery, states should rethink their approaches to species conservation and adopt an integrated, recovery-oriented approach that harnesses their broad authorities as land use planners, transportation planners, and water managers. The focal point of this new approach would be multi-species recovery plans, based on the latest GIS habitat-mapping tools developed by state wildlife agencies. These plans would identify the location, type, and amount of habitat critical for the long-term conservation of listed species. State endangered species acts would require that all major land use, transportation, and water development projects be consistent with the plans' objectives. Implementing this approach could benefit, not only state and federally listed species, but also the ecosystems upon which they depend.