Saving All the Parts Reconciling Economics and the Endangered Species Act

About this book

In the 1990s, the uneasy attempt to balance the needs and desires of humans with the needs of the earth and its wild inhabitants will affect virtually every resident of the United States. Saving All the Parts is a journalist's exploration of the coexistence of endangered species protection and the future of resource dependent communities - those with local economies based on fishing, logging, ranching, mining, and other resource intensive industries. Rocky Barker presents an insightful overview of current endangered species controversies - past history, why protection is important, how we know species are in trouble - and a comprehensive look at the wide-ranging implications of human activities. He provides important background and summary information concerning some of the "jobs vs. the environment" issues that are in the news almost daily and explains ideas and terms that are widely used but often little understood. Barker illustrates his analysis with comprehensive studies of the specific situations of a number of endangered species, including the grizzly bear, the Pacific salmon, the peregrine falcon, and the wolf. He examines the issues surrounding their endangered status and the progress they've made toward recovery, as well as the complex interactions between species populations and human communities that have existed for generations. Barker also analyzes trends in natural resource management, land use planning, and economic development that can lead to a future where economic activity can be sustained without the loss of essential natural values. Throughout, Barker provides a thorough and balanced analysis of both the ecological and economic forces that affect the lives andlivelihoods of the nation's inhabitants - both human and animal.

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