The Endangered
Endangered Species Act

The disappearing black-footed ferret

Different Drummer, Winter, 1996

Many of the articles in the endangered species issue of Different Drummer are posted on the web. Four articles are posted in two different versions: the short version as it appeared in the magazine and the long version as it appears in a full-length research paper.

Unsigned articles are by Randal O'Toole. All are under 10k unless otherwise noted.

Few of the graphics used in the magazine are posted on the web. Use the order form to obtain a hard copy of any of the four research papers or the magazine itself.

• Summary of this Issue
• Introduction
  • Introduction
  • Findings in Brief
• The Law and the Agencies
  • How the Endangered Species Act Is Supposed to Work
  • History of the Endangered Species Act
  • The Fish & Wildlife Service
  • The National Marine Fisheries Service
  • Section-by-Section Overview of the Act
• Saving Species
  • Saving the Black-Footed Ferret by Karl Hess, Jr.
    • Short version (as it appears in the magazine, 30k)
    • Long version (as it appears in the full-length research paper, 190k)
  • The Spotted Owl Pork Barrel
  • Saving the Bull Trout by Craig Knowles & Robert Gumtow
    • Short version (as it appears in the magazine, 22k)
    • Long version (as it appears in the full-length research paper, 85k)
  • Organizational Obstacles to Saving Species
  • The Effects of Subsidies by Jeff Opperman
    • Short version (as it appears in the magazine, 26k)
    • Long version (as it appears in the full-length research paper, 86k)
  • An Endangered Species Success Story
• Analysis: How to Save Them All (55k)
  • Understanding Species Declines
  • Understanding Property Rights
  • Species Declines in the U.S.
  • Is the Endangered Species Act Working?
  • Nine Reasons Why the Act Isn't Working
  • Understanding the Takings Issue
  • The Cost to Private Landowners
  • Designing New Institutions
  • The North Platte Whooping Crane Trust by Darla Guenzler
  • Contracting for Recovery by Greg Schildwachter
• Legislative Alternatives
  • Senator Slade Gorton's Bill
  • The Clinton Administration's Response
  • Noah's Choice
  • The Diversity Funding Initiative
  • The Keystone Consensus
• Opinion
  • Save Species, Not the Act by Ike C. Sugg
  • Taking the Folly Out of the Act by John Baden & Doug Noonan
• Solutions: Fixing the Endangered Species Act (33k)
  • Different Drummer's Proposals for Fixing the Law
    1. Create a Biodiversity Trust Fund
    2. Turn the Law into a Subsidy Killer
    3. Reform Public Land Management
    4. Experiment with Private Ownership of Wildlife
    5. Eliminate Regulatory Language
  • Saving Species with Incentives by Brett Schaerer
    • Short version (as it appears in the magazine, 13k)
    • Long version (as it appears in the full-length research paper, 72k)
  • Working With Local Communities
• Conclusions
• References