Our Amphibian Conservation Program was invited to participate in a week long workshop to address the continued decline of f latwoods salamanders ( Ambystoma cingulatum and Ambystoma bishopi ) in the south east US. Flatwoods salamander populations have reduced by 50%/decade for the last 50 years or so, with a drastic drop (90%) since 2000. The Flatwoods Salamander recovery team (L-R): Connor McGowan, Ray Semlitsch, Danté Fenolio, Arianne Messerman, Susan Walls (Group Leader), Tom Gorman, Allison Keever, Nathan Allan, Harold Mitchell, Adam Green and me. The workshop was offered by USFWS and USGS using Structured Decision Making as the framework to move forward on the complicated task of conserving flatwoods salamanders. 'Structured Decision Making' can be a powerful tool and is defined as: the formal application of common sense for situations too complex for the informal use of common sense (R. Keeney). The first days were spent thoroughly describing the problem we are ...