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Conclusion

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Conventional paradigms of fish and wildlife management must evolve to meet the challenges of the future. The rise in endangered species listings and the decline in migratory birds and aquatic resources, such as anadromous fish, indicate that our best management efforts have not been enough. Resource managers must accept the reality that fish and wildlife populations and habitats will experience increasing impacts from human activities, the threat of which will require extraordinary flexibility and innovation on the part of our management systems. An ecosystem approach offers a promising method of meeting this challenge. The Fish and Wildlife Service is eager to work closely with others to explore, adopt, and further this approach.

We recognize change does not come easily or quickly. By rolling up our sleeves and working diligently with others, we hope to provide future generations of natural resource managers with more effective tools to protect our biological heritage and provide for the continued recreational and economic use of natural resources.

We recognize the Service is only one of many players in any ecosystem approach project. Our focus will continue to be on our mission and mandates (e.g., migratory birds, anadromous fish, endangered species, wetlands, National Wildlife Refuge System). We need assistance from the States and other partners to more effectively accomplish our mission, and we hope we can offer support to other organizations with complementary objectives. Our ability to build strong partnerships to achieve ecosystem goals that result in net gains for fish and wildlife will be the true test of whether our ecosystem approach is successful.

We will continue to evolve and improve our approach based on input from all programs and levels of the Service and from all our partners. We remain open to all suggestions.

               "It is from the earth that we must find our sustenance;
               it is on the earth that we must find solutions to the 
               problems that promise to destroy all life here."

                          Justice William O. Douglas

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