F25AS00228 Candidate Species Conservation Fund

Listing a plant or animal as federally protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is proven to be successful in preventing extinction. However, this level of protection is America’s last line of defense. Before a species may warrant listing and protections under the ESA, many voluntary conservation opportunities can be undertaken. Voluntary actions can improve conditions for species and improve habitats for at-risk, listed, and common species alike. At-risk species conservation is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) initiative promoting proactive conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants with partners before the species warrant protections under the ESA. The FWS collaborates with all partners (Federal and State agencies, Tribes, private landowners, non-government organizations, and industries) across all landscapes to implement this initiative. The FWS’s at-risk species efforts are intended to encourage and support voluntary actions that proactively conserve species and their habitats. We believe that if we work with partners to improve the status of species before they come to the FWS for review under the ESA, we may be able to reduce the impact of stressors and stabilize or increase populations. Ideally, this proactive conservation work may help us avoid listing these species, thus improving species and their habitat, while simultaneously reducing regulatory burden.