Landowner Incentives for Species Management Backed

February 3, 2000

The American Farm Bureau Federation supports legislation that would provide incentives for landowners to manage listed endangered species on their property. Most listed species are found on private property, AFBF says.

A proposal by Rep. Don Young (R-AK) requires the "conservation efforts undertaken by private landowners as well as by state, local and tribal governments be recognized and considered in any Endangered Species Act decision."

Testifying before the House Resources Committee, Washington State Farm Bureau President Steve Appel said that is recognition "that recovery stands a better chance with private landowner management and rural community involvement. The current situation sadly lacks this understanding."

Charles D. Collett, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders Environment Committee, testified that his organization also supports Young’s legislation. "Overall, the bill would reform the ESA in a manner that achieves appropriate balance between species protection and the regulation of private property."

William R. Murray, natural resources counsel for the American Forest & Paper Association, said the bill would improve the quality of the science and the process to be used for listings, remove the "inefficiencies and inequities from the consultation process" and provide a "strong legislative foundation for policies which recognize the important of including, rather than excluding, private landowners in species conservation efforts" as well as enhance the species recovery process.

"We believe the bill will improve both protection of species and the ability of landowners to manage their land in the presence of listed species," Murray said. "We fail to understand how anyone can oppose such concepts as peer review, allowing landowners and applicants to participate in the process, analysis of alternatives recovery measures to as not to miss less disruptive methods, providing certainty as an incentive to conserve species and habitat."