The General Assembly finds that certain species of wildlife and plants have been rendered extinct as a consequence of man’s activities and that other species of wildlife and plants are in danger of or threatened with extinction or have been otherwise reduced or may become extinct or reduced because of destruction, modification or severe curtailment of their habitats, exploitation for commercial, scientific, educational, or private use or because of disease, predation or other factors; that such species are of ecological, scientific, educational, historical, economic, recreational and aesthetic value to the people of the state, and that the conservation, protection and enhancement of such species and their habitats are of state-wide concern. Therefore the General Assembly declares it is a policy of the state to conserve, protect, restore and enhance any endangered or threatened species and essential habitat.