Wildlife and other natural resources are a public trust which means that every citizen has an interest and a voice in the management of natural resources. The public trust is a legal concept that implies that we all share equal, undivided interests in America’s wildlife.

Adrian Treves, professor, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. points out that “efforts to delist the wolf are driven by the opposite tendencies: to deplete nature for a small minority of hunters and intolerant livestock producers”

“In an ongoing lawsuit, teenagers are suing the federal government for failing to regulate greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. The youths argue for their constitutional right to a stable and predictable atmosphere. The same lawsuit might be brought for failure to preserve our native wildlife. For too long, current adults have monopolized the legacy of nature over which we adults are only temporary caretakers.”

More via Chicago Tribune.

Learn more about Predators and the Public Trust.