Factors Affecting Implementation of Recovery Plans

Abstract

Recovery plans for endangered and threatened species will not benefit conservation efforts unless prescribed tasks are actually implemented. We analyzed data collected on task implementation in early 1999 and found that an average of 70.3% of recovery tasks were either partially or completely implemented, although they ranged from 0% to 100% implemented. Plans approved in 1990 or earlier had relatively uniform task implementation, whereas implementation of more recent plans varied with plan and species attributes. Among plans approved after 1990, multi-species plans had lower task implementation than single-species plans. Recovery plans for plants, terrestrial species, and insular species had a lower degree of task implemention than those for animals, aquatic species, and continental species, respectively. Analyses further indicated that species with: (1) critical habitat designation, (2) conflict designation, (3) revised recovery plans, (4) a recovery coordinator, and (5) a dedicated database had greater task implementation than species lacking these management features. These results suggest that multi-species plans are implemented more slowly than single-species plans, and that recovery plans for species with greater public or agency profiles (as evidenced by critical habitat designation, conflict designation, and plan revision) are implemented at a higher rate. The effect of administrative strategies on higher rates of task implementation indicate that recovery efforts should include a recovery coordinator and database whenever possible. When developing recovery plans, responsible agencies should explicitly consider attributes of species and plans that influence task implementation.