Saving a Place: Endangered Species in the 21st Century (Ashgate Studies in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics)

It has become clear that the noble goals embodied in the Endangered Species Act are colliding with financial and social realities. Citizens increasingly face the cost of policies (for example gnat catchers in Southern California and grizzly bears in Idaho and Montana). In general, policies which fail to respect liberty and property meet serious resistence. While there is widespread verbal support for saving species "at any cost", when trade-offs become obvious, the values compete, support for these policies evaporates. The editors of this book believe it is ethically and materially irresponsible to pretend this reality away. This book provides some insights from several disciplines, then offers modest constructive reforms that may increase the effectiveness and viability of endangered species protection.