The Genetic Rescue Community is a growing network of biotechnologists, conservationists, legal scholars, ethicists, and others who acknowledge that there are various approaches to developing and applying biotechnologies for conservation efforts.
Members of this community may hold differing opinions on whether and which particular applications (including biobanking, cloning, genome editing, gene drives and de-extinction) may be suitable for achieving specific conservation goals. This reflects the complexity of conservation challenges, the wide range of potential solutions, and the varied perspectives within the community itself.
Nevertheless, we all agree that while biotechnologies can enhance conservation practices, they are dependent upon foundational conservation science and infrastructure. Developing and applying biotechnological tools for a given species requires knowledge of genomics, embryonic development, cell culture, reproductive physiology, behavior, ecology, and husbandry. Much of which is obtained through conservation practices that include protecting, monitoring, and studying species in their natural habitats, as well as in conservation breeding programs and restoration activities.
Recent high-profile advancements in de-extinction have caught the attention of US government officials. Misguided statements have been made that biotechnologies could replace existing conservation measures. This has evoked skepticism and concern from scientists, ecologists, ethicists, conservationists, and the broader public, jeopardizing the development and application of biotechnologies. In response, and in solidarity with those concerned, Revive & Restore, with members of the Genetic Rescue Community, have outlined these five shared values to create common ground for responsible innovation in conservation as we strive toward our shared biodiversity goals.
1. Biotechnologies are Not a Panacea for Conservation Problems
No new technology can substitute for preserving and restoring habitats and protecting species in the wild. Biotechnologies can be additive tools for saving species, and in some cases they enable scalable solutions that no other method can (e.g. controlling invasive species). However, while emerging biotechnologies give the impression that progress happens overnight, they can take years or decades to take effect. This is especially true for de-extinction: it will always be easier, safer, and less expensive to conserve existing species and ecosystems instead of expecting to “bring them back”. De-extinction as a practice cannot resurrect a species, but it aims to create functional ecological proxies that promote the conservation of habitats and biodiversity.
2. Laws Protecting Threatened and Endangered Species and Nature Reserves Remain Essential
Federal and state laws protecting endangered species, restricting invasive species, and conserving public lands and waters are critical tools for conservation. These are cornerstones of conservation policy in nations around the world, such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the U.S. When at-risk species and their habitats are protected under these conservation laws, we also safeguard countless other species, essential ecosystem functions and services that support human well-being, cultural and economic values, outdoor recreation opportunities, and unique biological properties that may lead to future scientific and medical breakthroughs.
3. Habitat Protection is Non-Negotiable
The U.S. Department of the Interior’s current proposal to redefine “harm” in the ESA undermines essential habitat protection that is critical to the survival of threatened and endangered species.
The destruction and fragmentation of ecosystems by human activities, including the introduction of invasive species, remain the foremost drivers of global biodiversity decline and the slow, often invisible process of extinction. Functioning ecosystems where species can thrive remain the foundation of effective conservation. The preservation, restoration, and conservation of intact, connected landscapes through robust implementation of public land and other conservation laws is essential and must increase regardless of biotechnological advances.
4. New Biotechnologies Can Play an Important Role in Conservation
21st Century problems require the aid of 21st Century solutions. Biodiversity faces unprecedented challenges, including ongoing habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and emerging diseases, all exacerbated by climate change.
Multiple conservation approaches working in concert offer the best path forward for addressing complex biodiversity challenges. Although most challenges will be solved without biotechnology tools, increasingly, conservationists are recognizing that biotechnologies will be vital to saving certain species from extinction.
5. This Genetic Rescue Community is Committed to Defining and Following Best Practices
Any intervention in nature has the potential to have wide-reaching effects in diverse environments, impacting not only many species but also human communities. Biotechnological conservation work demands high standards of practice, making every possible effort to:
- Recognize the intrinsic value of nature, the moral imperative to protect ecosystems as living communities, and the importance of animal welfare.
- Work within appropriate governance, ensuring legal compliance and third party oversight.
- Provide research transparency (such as scientific and economic incentives)
- Thoughtfully engage and include all relevant public and private parties
- Objectively evaluate intended and unintended socio-ecological consequences
- Communicate scientific research and policies clearly and accurately with the public
By embracing these principles, we can integrate cutting-edge biotechnology with established conservation practices while maintaining our fundamental commitment to protecting biodiversity and ecological health through multiple complementary approaches.
Signees of May 2, 2025 Publication:
*Note: The signees below have endorsed this statement as individuals and do not represent the viewpoints of their affiliated institutions.
Omar Akbari, Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, USA
George Amato, Director Emeritus, Conservation Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, USA
Michael Archer, Professor of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales (Thylacine & Lazarus Projects), Australia
Elizabeth Bennett, Communications Director, Revive & Restore, USA
Giacomo Bernardi, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz; and Fish Biologist, One People One Reef, USA
Stewart Brand, Co-founder and Board of Directors, Revive & Restore, USA
Evelyn Brister, Professor of Philosophy, Rochester Institute of Technology, USA
Alejandro E. Camacho, Chancellor’s Professor of Law and Faculty Director, Center for Land, Environment & Natural Resources, University of California, Irvine, USA
Tom Chase, Founder and Executive Director, Village and Wilderness, USA
George Church, Founding Core Faculty & Lead, Synthetic Biology, Wyss Institute at Harvard University; and Robert Winthrop Professor of Genetics, USA
Nicole Crane, Project Co-Director, One People One Reef; and Executive Director, Smith Conservation Research Fellowship, USA
Michael Dawson, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, USA
Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer, National Geographic Explorer, USA
Traci Eckels, Grants Manager, Revive & Restore, USA
José A. Fernández Robledo, Senior Research Scientist, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, USA
Alberto Fernández-Arias Montoya, Head of the Service of Hunting, Fishing and Aquatic Medium Wetlands, Aragon Government, Spain
Richard Frankham, Emeritus Professor in Biology, Macquarie University, Australia
Andrew French, Centre for Animal Biotechnology, University of Melbourne, Australia
Robert Friedman, Adjunct Faculty, J. Craig Venter Institute, USA
Michael Gerdes, CEO, CapitalCorals, Inc., USA
Daniel Gluesenkamp, Executive Director, California Institute for Biodiversity, USA
José Horacio Grau, Research Associate, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, USA
Harry Greene, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles, Cornell University, USA
Bruce Hay, Professor of Biology, California Institute of Technology, USA
Sean Hoban, Tree Conservation Biologist, The Morton Arboretum, USA
Ashlee Hutchinson, Program Manager, Revive & Restore, Australia
Jeff Johnson, Senior Scientist, The Peregrine Fund, USA
John Kanowski, Chief Science Officer, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Australia
Durrell Kapan, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Sciences, USA
Les Kaufman, Professor of Biology, Boston University, USA
Carly Kenkel, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Cnidarian Evolutionary Ecology Lab at University of Southern California Dornsife, USA
David S. Kong, Director, Community Biotechnology Initiative, MIT Media Lab, USA
Tiffany Kosch, Research Fellow, One Health Research Group, University of Melbourne, Australia
Philip Lavretsky, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, USA
Liv Liberman, Program Manager, Revive & Restore, USA
Michael Lierz, Professor, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Germany
Jeanne Loring, Emeritus Professor of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, USA, Research Fellow of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Marmee Manack, Director of Operations, Revive & Restore, USA
Maciej Maselko, Associate Professor of Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, Australia
Camila Mazzoni, Senior Research Scientist, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Germany
Elizabeth Moore, Conservationist and Philanthropist, Revive & Restore Board of Directors, USA
Ben J. Novak, Lead Scientist, Revive & Restore, USA
Clare Palmer, George T. and Gladys H. Abell Professor of Liberal Arts & Professor of Philosophy, Texas A&M University, USA
Steve Palumbi, Jane and Marshall Steel, Jr. Professor of Marine Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, USA
Angus Parker, Revive & Restore Board of Directors; Investment Manager, USA
Alexandra Pavlova, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Australia
Ryan Phelan, Co-founder and Executive Director, Revive & Restore, USA
Jennifer Pierson, Senior Ecologist, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Australia
Kaylah Reeves, Executive Assistant, Revive & Restore, USA
Paul Robbins, Professor and Dean, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
Yasha Rohwer, Professor of Philosophy, Oregon Tech, USA
Oliver Ryder, Director of Genetics, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, USA
Lauren Schiebelhut, Biology Faculty, Clovis Community College, USA
Andrea Schreier, Adjunct Associate Professor, Animal Science, University of California, Davis, USA
Guojun Sheng, Professor, International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan
Brad Stanback, Commissioner, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, Revive & Restore Board of Directors, USA
Mark Stanback, Professor of Biology, Emeritus, Davidson College, USA
Paul Sunnucks, Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Australia
Tierney Thys, Marine Biologist, National Geographic Emerging Explorer, USA
Christian Tiambo, Scientist, International Livestock Research Institute and Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, Kenya
Andrew Tighe, Research Fellow, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Ireland
Nikki Traylor-Knowles, Associate Professor of Marine Biology and Ecology, The Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, USA
Faith Walker, Director, Species from Feces Lab, Northern Arizona University, USA
David Will, Director of Impact and Innovation, Island Conservation, USA
Terrie Williams, Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, USA
Matt Winkler, Revive & Restore Board of Directors; Former Chairman & Founder of Asuragen, USA
R. Scott Winters, CEO, Coral Restoration Foundation, USA; Chairman, Coral Restoration Consortium, USA; Uehiro Oxford Institute, University of Oxford, UK
Paul Root Wolpe, Founding Director, Center for Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation, Emory University, USA
Qilong Ying, Professor, Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California, USA
Statement Authors:
This statement was initially drafted by Ryan Phelan, Ben J. Novak, and Elizabeth Bennett of Revive & Restore; and subsequently evolved through collaborative input of the following individuals: Stewart Brand, Evelyn Brister, Alejandro E. Camacho, George Church, Michael Dawson, Owain Edwards, José A. Fernández Robledo, Robert Friedman, José Horacio Grau, Ashlee Hutchinson, Jeff Johnson, John Kanowski, Durrell Kapan, Carly Kenkel, Erez Liberman-Aiden, Jeanne Loring, Camila Mazzoni, Alexandra Pavlova, Clare Palmer, Kent Redford, Paul Robbins, Yasha Rohwer, Andrea Schreier, Guojun Sheng, Brad Stanback, Mark Tizard, Nikki Traylor-Knowles, David Will, R. Scott Winters
