Fate of the Wild : The Endangered Species Act and the Future of Biodiversity

by Burgess, Bonnie B.

• ISBN13: 9780820322964
• ISBN10: 0820322962
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-05-01
• Publisher: Univ of Georgia Pr

Summary

Given widespread concern over the worldwide loss of biodiversity and popular crusades to "save" endangered species and habitats, why has the Endangered Species Act remained unauthorized since October 1992? In Fate of the WildBonnie B. Burgess offers an illuminating assembly of facts about biodiversity and straightforward analysis of the legislative stalemate surrounding the Endangered Species Act. Fate of the Wildsurveys the history of and analyzes the conflict over the legislation itself, the heated issues regarding its enforcement, and the land-use and habitat battles waged between conservationists, environmental activists, and private property proponents. Burgess's meticulous and exhaustive research makes Fate of the Wilda valuable resource for professionals in conservation biology, public policy, environmental law, and environmental organizations, while the narrative clarity of the book will appeal to anyone interested in the fate of nonhuman species. Burgess explains how wilderness has been consumed by concrete and asphalt, the effects of toxins on plants and animals, strip mine tailings, oil slicks, and smog. She exposes, as well, the "invisible" damage that manifests itself in the subtle degradation of natural systems and in the increased incidence and number of diseases, the rise in human infertility, and the drastic alteration of weather patterns and landscapes. Fate of the Wildpresents a factual and balanced discussion of the various sides of the contemporary debate over the Endangered Species Act, alongside the author's clearly stated position: We are overpopulating, polluting, and overdeveloping our environment, and as a species we have embarked on a crash course toward a sixth great extinction event on this Earth.

Author Biography

Bonnie B. Burgess is a public educator at the National Zoo and coordinator of the Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation graduate course at the Johns Hopkins University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Abbreviations	xi
Introduction	xiii
Part One. Setting the Stage
History of the Endangered Species Act	3	(17)
The Endangered Species Act Today	20	(9)
The Importance of Biodiversity	29	(18)
Part Two. Characters
Protagonists and the Environmental Argument	47	(14)
Antagonists and the Private Property Rights Argument	61	(16)
Part Three. Conflict
In the Halls of Congress	77	(26)
Presidential Power	103	(9)
The Bureaucratic Contribution	112	(18)
Species Economics	130	(21)
Part Four. Resolution
Ecosystem Management	151	(19)
Antidote	170	(21)
References	191	(10)
Index	201