Environmental advocates in Maryland are celebrating legislation, which expands the definitions of wildlife in the state. The law also requires the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to review once every five years whether any new species need to be added to the state list. Logan Christian, with the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, says the expanding definition of wildlife includes invertebrates important in our food system – and other critical functions in our ecosystem.
"Pollinators are really important for biodiversity. They're responsible for one out of every three bites of food that we take. Having the ability to think about all species – where are species at and should they be listed – it's just really important to have wildlife be defined broadly for that purpose."
He points out that a species could also be removed from the list, if conservation efforts succeed in increasing its wildlife populations.
The new law also lets private citizens get involved. Any interested person can submit a petition asking the Secretary of Natural Resources to review whether any species should be listed or removed from the Endangered Species Act. Christian says public input in species conservation can provide valuable help to government agencies trying to monitor hundreds of species.
"It allows for states to kind of add capacity by bringing in the public and nonprofits and other keepers of knowledge in the state, who might have their finger on the pulse of what’s happening with species better just because of the nature of their work or what they do."
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources tracks the status of more than 550 species that are threatened, endangered or in need. The U-S Fish and Wildlife Service only lists 39 of those species as threatened or endangered.
Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr, who sponsored the bill, says it cements many existing practices in the state, such as including invertebrates in the definition of wildlife. She also emphasizes the Endangered Species Acts has worked well for conservation across the country – and in Maryland.
"The Endangered Species Act really has been a huge success – both the state level laws and the federal laws. We have preserved so much biodiversity in our country over the last 50 years because of this law – and we really should regard this as one of the great environmental protections in our country."
Signed into law last May, the new policies governing endangered species went into effect July 1st.
