The California Environmental Law & Policy Center (CELPC) hosted a major Endangered Species Act conference with the UC Davis School of Law on Friday, October 4, 2013: "The ESA at 40: Examining Its Past and Exploring Its Future." Congress enacted the Endangered Species Act 40 years ago. Four decades later, it’s appropriate to take a detailed look at the nation’s foremost wildlife and biodiversity protection law. CELPC’s “ESA at 40” conference brings together government policymakers, environmental lawyers, wildlife scientists, academics, and students for a thoughtful examination of both the ESA’s history and future. Comparisons are drawn with “little ESA” statutes in California and other states, and with biodiversity protection programs in foreign nations. The conference also examines creative approaches to endangered species issues, including Habitat Conservation Plans, Natural Community Conservation Planning, Candidate Conservation Agreements, and Safe Harbor Agreements.