Conservation Assessments Inititated - September 2002: Amphibians and Reptiles / Birds / Fish / Insects / Invertebrates / Mammals / Mollusks / Non-Vascular Plants / Plants / Communities and Species Groups Overview Conservation assessments, approaches, strategies and agreements guide the conservation of Regional Forester Sensitive Species.  Providing conservation assessments for sensitive species is one of the priorities of the Eastern Region Threatened and Endangered Species Program. A conservation assessment gathers information on the life history, status and distribution of a species, species group or ecosystem.   The assessment provides background information to prepare a conservation approach that will later be incorporated into forest plans as a conservation strategy. Once a conservation strategy is in place, the Forest Service works with cooperating agencies or organizations to draft a formal conservation agreement that identifies how a multiple entities can work together to conserve species. As of April 2002, the Eastern Region of the Forest Service has Conservation Assesments initiated for over half of its Regional Forester Sensitive Species. The assesments will be posted on this website as they are completed: