Why Plants Are Disproportionately Underprotected Under U.S. Environmental Laws

Plants are given little protection under U.S. environmental laws and receive significantly less funding for recovery compared to animals, despite being the foundation of terrestrial life. A study published in BioScience found that plants are the 'most 'underprivileged' group' with respect to funding for recovery under the Endangered Species Act. This means that endangered plants receive less than half the funding per species compared to animals like amphibians and invertebrates, even though plants are the basis for their habitats. The authors write, 'No other group simultaneously receives so much attention with respect to listing action (approximately 50 percent of all listed species are plants) and so few resources in support of recovery efforts.' This bias is further highlighted by the fact that three times as many plants in the U.S. are considered 'endangered' as animals, yet plants are only half as likely to receive listing protection. In 1998, the Fish and Wildlife Service reported that endangered plants received only 12 percent of recovery funds. Adding to the disparity, listed plants can be deliberately destroyed without a permit, while killing listed animals is illegal. This legal precedent stems from the historical view of animals as property of the state or society, while plants are considered property of the landowner.