Number: 1992-22
WHEREAS, the term biological diversity describes the variety and complexity of living things at all levels of integration, including genetic, species, ecological communities and landscapes; and
WHEREAS, these elements of biological diversity and the interactions among them are essential to the productive functioning of the earth’s ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, the loss of biological diversity through extinction is irreversible; and
WHEREAS, the Endangered Species Act only protects threatened and endangered species from extinction and was not intended to provide comprehensive protection of other levels of biological diversity;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 19-22, 1992, in Portland, Oregon,
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- Supports systematic conservation, which is the maintenance of the full range of natural diversity including species, communities, and ecosystems on representative and self-sustaining bases;
- Supports living resource conservation, which is the interaction of conservation and development and includes:
- maintaining essential ecological processes and life-support systems;
- preserving genetic diversity;
- ensuring that the utilization of species and ecosystems is sustainable;
- Encourages ecosystem evaluation and use of those evaluations to influence long-term environmental planning from the earliest possible date; and
- Supports efforts to develop and enact federal legislation that will provide for the protection of biological diversity.