Glossary of Terms Pertinent to AWR's Work

Critical Habitat

When listing a species, FWS is responsible to designate critical habitat concurrent with listing or within one-year. They didn't, so we sued and won a settlement to have them designate critical habitat. The USFWS defines critical habitat as: "a specific geographic area(s) that is essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and that may require special management and protection."

Endangered Species Act

The goal of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is to conserve the ecosystems on which threatened and endangered species depend, and to conserve and recover populations of threatened and endangered species - protecting the habitat and populations so that someday those species won't require the intensive hands-on management they now require to keep them from going extinct. The ESA is administered by The Fish and Wildlife Service, in the Department of the Interior and the National Marine Fisheries Service, in the Department of Commerce. Read a basic overview of the ESA, published by the USFWS.