Reconciliation Ecology - Legislation

Legislation

Governmental intervention can aid in encouraging private landowners to create habitat or otherwise increase biodiversity on their land. The United States' Endangered Species Act requires landowners to halt any activities negatively affecting endangered species on their land, which is a disincentive for them to encourage endangered species to settle on their land in the first place. To help mediate this problem, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has instituted safe harbor agreements whereby the landowner engages in restoration on their land to encourage endangered species, and the government agrees not to place further regulation on their activities should they want to reverse the restoration at a later date. This practice has already led to an increase in aplomado falcons (Falco femoralis) breeding in Texas and red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) in the southeastern US.

Another example is the US Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The CRP was originally put in place to protect soil from erosion, but also has major implications for conservation of biodiversity. In the program, landowners take their land out of agricultural production and instead plant trees, shrubs, and other permanent, erosion-controlling vegetation. Unintended, but ecologically significant consequences of this was the reduction of runoff, improved water quality, creation of wildlife habitat, and possible carbon sequestration.