Public opinion on endangered species conservation and policy

The propriety and viability of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are functio ns of its social context, including public opinion. We conducted a nationwi de survey on attitudes toward species conservation and other related concep ts and institutions. Species conservation is valued by respondents as much as property rights or economic growth. Ecosystem health and democracy are v alued more, and the availability of resources for posterity is valued most of all. The public strongly supports (I) ESA and the implementation of ESA on private lands, and (2) the compensation of landowners for losses incurre d by the implementation of ESA. Vastly different implications are associate d with these conclusions. Collectively, our survey results imply that educa tors concerned with species conservation should focus on the links among ec onomic growth, natural resources extraction, habitat loss, and species enda ngerment.