UM Faculty Members Rally For Endangered Species Act

By Tad Sooter, 4-21-06

Three University of Montana faculty members held a press conference in front of University Hall today, to rally support for the embattled Endangered Species Act. They drew a sparse crowd on a warm, rather-be-playing-frisbee Friday, but their message was clear: The ESA has been successful in rehabilitating many species, and can save more if it remains intact.

Economist John Duffield presented probably the most interesting perspective on the value of the act – Duffield has been surveying the economics of wolf recovery in Yellowstone National Park since the reintroduction program began, and considers the grey wolf an example of how the ESA can be a boon for the economy as well as animals. Duffield said the money wolves bring to the park far outweighs the costs of lost livestock and hunting permits.

“Wolves are what economists call a public good, millions of people can come and see them. Cattle and sheep, those are private goods,” Duffield said.

He said 94 percent of Yellowstone visitors surveyed listed wildlife viewing as their main reason for coming. Grizzlies are still king (55 percent of visitors said they came to see the big bears specifically) but wolves are now the number-two attraction. Four out of the top five wildlife species are large predators, and wolves alone brought an estimated $35 million into Yellowstone last year. Just $270,000 was needed to reimburse ranchers for livestock lost to wolves last year, Duffield added. The wolves’ impact on the elk population has been matched in a dramatic decrease in hunting permits sold, but the annual revenue for the states has only been $140,000 at most – and those losses are minimal compared to the economic, environmental and emotional value of a healthy wolf population, he said.

The other high profile ESA success has been the recovery of Montana and Yellowstone grizzly populations, said Chris Servheen, Grizzly Bear Recovery coordinator for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and an adjunct forestry professor. He said much more needs to be done to protect grizzly habitat and a strong ESA will be key for protecting species like them.

“We have the tools necessary to recover many threatened species. The main obstacle is a lack of funding and a lack of support,” Servheen said.

Environmental studies director Len Broberg pointed to bulltrout, eagles and linx as examples of the ESA working in Montana. By working to recover threatened species, the ESA often ends up improving water quality and the surrounding landscape, he said.

“The Endangered Species Act is a safety net for wildlife," Broberg said. “It’s about protecting those animals that are on the brink of disappearing forever.”