GovInfo provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.
Search U.S. Government Publishing Office’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications for catalog records. Many records link to the full text.
Search U.S. Government Publishing Office’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications for catalog records. Many records link to the full text.
All FDLP Resource Guides are open educational resources for anyone to share, copy, and reuse.
Learn about different species, including endangered and invasive ones, and the history of key U.S. Government legislation on the management or protection of wildlife.
Photograph of a giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas), which is a threatened species (Image source: Brian Hansen/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service/NAID: 166703218)
Click on each tab in this box to learn more about all species from the Biodiversity Heritage Library, data.gov, National Museum of Natural History, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
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data.gov (U.S. General Services Administration)
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National Museum of Natural History
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries
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Smithsonian Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL)
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U.S. Department of Agriculture
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The Endangered Act of 1973 defines endangered species as "any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range." Click on each tab in this box to learn more about endangered species from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, NOAA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USFWS, and USGS.
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Protecting Endangered Species from Pesticides
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
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U.S. Geological Survey
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Invasive species are "alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health," per Executive Order 13112. Click on each tab in this box to learn more about invasive species from the NOAA, National Park Service, USDA, U.S. Department of the Interior, USFWS, and USGS.
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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U.S. Department of Agriculture National Invasive Species Information Center (NISIC)
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U.S. Department of the Interior National Invasive Species Council
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Click on the side arrows in this box to read more information.
This is the "Nation's first federal wildlife protection law."*
"The Secretary of Agriculture may conduct a program of wildlife services with respect to injurious animal species and take any action the Secretary considers necessary in conducting the program."^
This act "provided broad authority for investigation, demonstrations and control of mammalian predators, rodents and birds."*
This act "regulates agricultural and vegetable seed shipped in interstate commerce."*
"To provide for the conservation, protection, and propagation of native species of fish and wildlife, including migratory birds, that are threatened with extinction; to consolidate the authorities relating to the administration by the Secretary of the Interior of the National Wildlife Refuge System; and for other purposes."^
The act "establishes a unifying mission for the Refuge System, a process for determining compatible uses of refuges, and a requirement for preparing comprehensive conservation plan."*
"It is particularly fitting that my first official act in this new decade is to approve the National Environmental Policy Act... By my participation in these efforts I have become further convinced that the 1970’s absolutely must be the years when America pays its debt to the past by reclaiming the purity of its air, its waters, and our living environment. It is literally now or never."^
NEPA established a "national policy for the environment," becoming the "'Magna Carta' of Federal environmental laws."*
"To provide for the conservation of endangered and threatened species of fish, wildlife, and plants, and for other purposes."^
This act was a "response to the declining populations of many species of animals and plants."*
"To provide for the control and eradication of noxious weeds, and the regulation of the movement in interstate or foreign commerce of noxious weeds and potential carriers thereof, and for other purposes."^
The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture has the authority "to designate plants as noxious weeds by regulation." The act also prohibited unpermitted "movement of all such weeds in interstate or foreign commerce."*
"... Executive agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, restrict the introduction of exotic species into the natural ecosystems on lands and waters which they own, lease, or hold for purposes of administration; and, shall encourage the States, local governments, and private citizens to prevent the introduction of exotic species into natural ecosystems of the United States."^
This order "required federal agencies to restrict the introduction of 'exotic organisms.'"*
"To prevent and control infestations of the coastal inland waters of the United States by the zebra mussel and other nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species, to reauthorize the National Sea Grant College Program, and for other purposes."^
This act prevents invasive species from entering "waters of the United States through ballast water management."^
"...The Secretary of Agriculture shall hereafter operate a program, under terms and conditions acceptable to the Postal Service, to protect Hawaii from the introduction of prohibited plants, plant pests, and injurious animals that may be contained in mail received in Hawaii, except that this subsection shall not apply to mail that originates and is intended for delivery outside the United States."^
The act protects the "State of Hawaii from the introduction of prohibited plants, plant pests and injurious animals that may be contained in the mail."*
"To promote the conservation of wild exotic birds, to provide for the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Tissue Bank, to reauthorize the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1980, to reauthorize the African Elephant Conservation Act, and for other purposes."^
This act "requires that all trade in wild birds involving the United States is biologically sustainable."*
"To provide for ballast water management to prevent the introduction and spread of nonindigenous species into the waters of the United States, and for other purposes."^
Amending the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990, this act mandates "regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic nuisance species into the Great Lakes through ballast water."*
"... to prevent the introduction of invasive species and provide for their control and to minimize the economic, ecological, and human health impacts that invasive species cause."^
Revoking Executive Order 11987, this order creates a "Council of Departments [for] dealing with invasive species."*
"... The detection, control, eradication, suppression, prevention, or retardation of the spread of plant pests or noxious weeds is necessary for the protection of the agriculture, environment, and economy of the United States."^
Part of the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000, the Secretary of Agriculture now has the "ability to prohibit or restrict the importation, exportation, and the interstate movement of plants, plant products, certain biological control organisms, noxious weeds, and plant pests."*
"To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to provide assistance to eligible weed management entities to control or eradicate noxious weeds on public and private land."^
The act amends the Plant Protection Act to "direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to provide financial and technical assistance to weed management entities to control or eradicate noxious weeds."*
"Of substantial growing concern are invasive species that are or may be vectors, reservoirs, and causative agents of disease, which threaten human, animal, and plant health. The introduction, establishment, and spread of invasive species create the potential for serious public health impacts, especially when considered in the context of changing climate conditions. Climate change influences the establishment, spread, and impacts of invasive species."^
Amending Executive Order 13112, this order "directs actions to continue coordinated Federal prevention and control efforts related to invasive species."*
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