One of the most important pieces of legislation in the United States is the Endangered Species Act. For people who work in conservation, the ESA is the foundation of a lot of the political and legal work we do. It has been extremely successful in halting extinctions and has reversed the decline of many species. All of that being said, I can’t help think that there are things we can do to make the ESA better.

The science around species and ecosystems has progressed significantly since the 1970’s, when the ESA was passed. We now know about keystone and umbrella species; there’s growing evidence to suggest that single species conservation isn’t working; and without appropriate resources, we’re forced to make hard decisions about which species get help and which ones don’t. The ESA, by and large, doesn’t address these issues.

And instead of reforming the ESA for the better, conservation groups have to defend the ESA from “reforms” that are meant to weaken the act and give more concessions to corporations and developers. Reforming the ESA has become a Republican talking point, and the current administration has been systematically weakening the ESA by changing the rules and regulations of how the act is implemented.

All of this can be disheartening: we have a good law on the books that needs some updating, but it is constantly being attacked, preventing us from making progress. Fortunately, I’m friends with one of the biggest ESA nerds on the planet: Meg! We chatted about the current attacks on the ESA, ways species conservation in the US could be improved, and what the future holds for this bedrock of environmental policy.