Authorization for several conservation programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) expires in 2007, raising questions about how these programs may be modified, including how they can better support conservation of threatened and endangered species. Private landowners receive funding under these programs to implement conservation projects directed at several resource concerns, including threatened and endangered species. In this report, GAO discusses (1) stakeholder views on the incentives and disincentives to participating in USDA programs for the benefit of threatened and endangered species and their suggestions for addressing identified disincentives and (2) coordination efforts by USDA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to benefit threatened and endangered species. In performing this work, GAO conducted telephone surveys with a nonprobability sample of over 150 federal and nonfederal officials and landowners.

GAO-07-35 USDA Conservation Programs: Stakeholder Views on Participation and Coordination to Benefit Threatened and Endangered Species and Their Habitats

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 protects plant and animal species that are either facing extinction or are likely to face extinction in the foreseeable future and protects the ecosystems upon which they depend. It includes provisions for listing species that need protection, designating habitat deemed critical to a species' survival, developing recovery plans, and protecting species against harm. Over the last 10 years, the auditor has reported on many of the major program areas of the ESA -- listing, critical habitat, recovery, and the consultation process by which fed. agencies ensure that their actions do not cause harm to listed species. This report discusses recommend. that have and have not been implemented. Charts and tables.

Sustainable Agroecosystem Management: Integrating Ecology, Economics, and Society examines the challenges for developing integrated approaches to the management of agricultural ecosystems. Providing historical background of attempts to bridge the ecological and agricultural sciences, this book highlights recent efforts to integrate natural and social science perspectives. Through various case studies with global applications, the text explores practical innovative strategies, policies, and research needs for emphasizing whole system productivity, diversification of agricultural operations, and management of agricultural systems that sustain multiple functions including ecological integrity.