If we accept that minimizing the levelized cost of energy is critical for growth of wind (it is!!), there must be a limit to the amount of money that can be spent on wildlife issues. There is a case – both biological and political – that, perhaps, spending limited funds on conservation rather than on surveys and monitoring, could provide a greater conservation benefit to many species. This dynamic panel will consider the arguments for and against that shift. If the shift is deemed desirable, how can we achieve that shift under the current regulatory environment?