ConservaNode Sourced public facts about wildlife and the laws that protect it.
Early prototype: Sourced public regulatory facts from U.S. Federal Register notices. Intended for release under CC0. See About & Methodology.

What Is Happening in My Locality & How Can I Help?

Wildlife conservation in the United States is not a closed-door process. Under the Endangered Species Act and the Administrative Procedure Act, everyday citizens, local residents, outdoor enthusiasts, and scientists have specific, legally protected rights to initiate protections, submit local evidence, and comment on proposed rules.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-17

1. Submit Public Comments on Proposed Rules & Information Requests

Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. § 553) and Section 4(b) of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)), federal agencies must publish proposed wildlife listings, 4(d) protective rules, and critical habitat designations in the Federal Register and open a public comment period (typically 60 days).

  • What Agencies Look For: Local observations of a species' habitat, water quality or land-use changes in your county, scientific studies, or practical feedback on proposed 4(d) conservation rules.
  • How to Submit: Click the Official Federal Register Notice ↗ link on any notice page in ConservaNode. Open notices display a green "Submit a Formal Comment" button on federalregister.gov (connected to regulations.gov).

Real Examples in Our Dataset:

Official Sources: 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b) Rulemaking Procedures on uscode.house.gov ↗ • U.S. Federal Register on federalregister.gov ↗

2. Citizen Petitions & 90-Day Status Reviews (16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3))

Did you know that any interested person can petition the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or NOAA Fisheries to list or protect an imperiled species? Under 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(A), within 90 days of receiving a citizen petition (to the maximum extent practicable), the agency must publish a 90-Day Finding in the Federal Register stating whether the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that protection may be warranted.

When a 90-day finding is positive, the agency launches a formal 12-month status review and asks the public to submit local data on the species' population trends, range, and threats.

90-Day Citizen Petition Reviews in Our Dataset (0 Notices):

Official Sources: 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3) Citizen Petitions on uscode.house.gov ↗ • USFWS Listing Petitions Overview on fws.gov ↗

3. Protecting Local Rivers, Counties & Critical Habitat

When a species is protected, federal notices often designate Critical Habitat (16 U.S.C. § 1533(a)(3)) or establish seasonal public-land closures in specific counties and river basins. Knowing which species live in your watershed helps local communities, anglers, boaters, and landowners protect stream banks, avoid disturbing nesting grounds, and prevent the spread of wildlife pathogens (such as salamander chytrid fungus under Notice #98).

Local Habitat & Public Land Protections in Our Dataset:

Explore Your U.S. State on the Interactive Locality Map →

Official Sources: USFWS Critical Habitat Program on fws.gov ↗ • NOAA Fisheries Critical Habitat on fisheries.noaa.gov ↗

4. Public Input on International Wildlife Trade (CITES CoP)

Before every Conference of the Parties to CITES (such as CoP20), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service publishes notices in the Federal Register announcing public meetings and inviting citizens, scientists, and NGOs to recommend species proposals and comment on tentative U.S. negotiating positions.

Official Source: USFWS CITES Program on fws.gov ↗