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5 conflict between the species' conservation and development or other economic activities (the latter factor doubles the number of levels: lC, 1, 2C, 2, 3e, 3 ...). Each listed species is assigned a priority by the lead Region at the time of listing. In general, the lower the numerical value, the greater the likelihood of extinction and the greater the justification for the Service to expend recovery resources on that species. ' The second is the Recovery Task Priority System. In developing a recovery plan, recovery tasks are assigned numerical priorities of 1, 2, or 3 according to the relative contribution they may make to species recovery. (See definitions under Implementation Schedule: Append'ix I). In concept, resources should be allocated first to accomplishing priority-l recovery tasks for species with a recovery priority number of 1 and last to priority-3 tasks for a species with recovery priority of 18 (lowest priority delineated in the current system). Actual funding allocations, however, may not follow this formula strictly in all cases. Some otherwise low priority species that need only one or two low priority tasks to complete recovery might receive resources to expedite their down1isting or de1isting. In practice, Congress sometimes mandates that funds be spent on species or tasks that would otherwise not yet be funded by a strict application of the two priority systems. Also, a Regional Director must often be flexible enough to take advantage of special opportunities provided by shifting social, political, or economic circumstances. Therefore, the two formal priority systems, used in tandem, serve as a guide rather than a mold to which all actions must conform. When appropriate, Service managers may practice the art of management in deft and imaginative ways to get the greatest conservation benefits for resources expended. Other agencies, groups, and individuals can and should become involved in the coordinated recovery effort. Service policies with direct application to recovery include those on vertebrate populations, captive propagation or cultivation, land acquisition, hybrids, reintroduction, experimental populations, and termination of recovery. These policies are described in Appendix IV. Plan preparers should be familiar with these policies to ensure consistency of the recovery plan tasks they write. II. RECOVERY PLAN PREPARATION AND PROCESSING The method to be used for plan preparation is based on several factors, including the range (limited vs. extensive), or ecosystem (simple vs. complex), of the species, the complexity of the recovery actions OS/25/90