Chapter 18Chapter 18Land ResourcesLand Resources

Land Use- WorldwideLand Use- Worldwide

Land Use- United StatesLand Use- United States

Land Use- United StatesLand Use- United States

55% of US land is privately owned55% of US land is privately ownedRemainder of land is owned by governmentRemainder of land is owned by government

• Most federally owned land is in Alaska and 11 Most federally owned land is in Alaska and 11 western stateswestern states

Managing Public and Private Managing Public and Private LandLand

Public Planning and Land UsePublic Planning and Land Use• Land use decisions are complex and have Land use decisions are complex and have

multiple effectsmultiple effects• Must take into account all repercussions of Must take into account all repercussions of

proposed land useproposed land use

Management of Federal LandManagement of Federal Land• Wide-Use MovementWide-Use Movement• Environmental MovementEnvironmental Movement

Wilderness Parks and Wildlife Wilderness Parks and Wildlife RefugesRefuges

WildernessWilderness• A protected area of land in which no human A protected area of land in which no human

development is permitteddevelopment is permitted

Wilderness Act (1964)Wilderness Act (1964)• Set aside federally owned land as part of Set aside federally owned land as part of

National Wilderness Preservation SystemNational Wilderness Preservation System• No development permitted (including No development permitted (including

roads)roads)

Managed by NPS, USFS, FWS & BLMManaged by NPS, USFS, FWS & BLM

WildernessWilderness

Some areas have a limited number of Some areas have a limited number of permitted human guests to reduce permitted human guests to reduce impactimpact

Other problems include invasive speciesOther problems include invasive species

National Park SystemNational Park System

Created in 1916Created in 1916

Currently includes 58 Currently includes 58 parksparks

Primary goalPrimary goal• Land set aside for Land set aside for

recreation and recreation and preservationpreservation

• Teach people about the Teach people about the natural environment, natural environment, management of natural management of natural resources and history of a resources and history of a sitesite

Yosemite National ParkYosemite National Park

Wilderness, Parks, and Wilderness, Parks, and Wildlife RefugesWildlife Refuges

National ParksNational Parks

Most popularMost popular

National Park SystemNational Park System

Threats to U.S. ParksThreats to U.S. Parks• Crime & VandalismCrime & Vandalism• Traffic jamsTraffic jams• Pollution of the soil, water and airPollution of the soil, water and air

• Originating both inside and outside the parkOriginating both inside and outside the park• Resource violationsResource violations

Natural RegulationNatural Regulation• Policy to let nature take it coursePolicy to let nature take it course• No culling wildlifeNo culling wildlife• No suppressing wildfireNo suppressing wildfire

Wilderness, Parks, and Wilderness, Parks, and Wildlife RefugesWildlife Refuges

National Parks:National Parks: Threats to US ParksThreats to US Parks

Wildlife RefugesWildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge System (1903)National Wildlife Refuge System (1903)Represent all major ecosystems found in Represent all major ecosystems found in

the USthe USMissionMission

• To preserve lands and waters for the To preserve lands and waters for the conservation of fishes, wildlife and conservation of fishes, wildlife and plants of the USplants of the US

Recreation (including hunting and fishing) Recreation (including hunting and fishing) are permitted are permitted • Cannot impede conservation effortsCannot impede conservation efforts

ForestsForests

Role in Hydrologic Role in Hydrologic Cycle (right)Cycle (right)

Forest ManagementForest Management

DeforestationDeforestation

Forest Trends in the Forest Trends in the USUS

Trends in Tropical Trends in Tropical ForestsForests

Boreal ForestsBoreal Forests

Forest ManagementForest Management

Traditional Forest ManagementTraditional Forest Management• Low diversity- monocultures Low diversity- monocultures

(right)(right)• Managed for timber productionManaged for timber production• Heavy use of pesticidesHeavy use of pesticides

Ecological Sustainable Forest Ecological Sustainable Forest ManagementManagement• Environmentally balancedEnvironmentally balanced• Diverse treesDiverse trees• Prevent soil erosionPrevent soil erosion• Preserve watershedsPreserve watersheds• Wildlife corridors- unloggedWildlife corridors- unlogged

Harvesting TreesHarvesting Trees

Harvesting Trees - ClearcuttingHarvesting Trees - Clearcutting

DeforestationDeforestation

Temporary or permanent clearance of Temporary or permanent clearance of large expanses of forest for agriculture or large expanses of forest for agriculture or other useother use

World forests shrank 90 million acres from World forests shrank 90 million acres from 2000–2005. Now exceeds 22 million 2000–2005. Now exceeds 22 million acres a year.acres a year.

CausesCauses• FireFire• Expansion of agricultureExpansion of agriculture• Construction of roadsConstruction of roads• Tree harvestTree harvest• Insect and diseaseInsect and disease

DeforestationDeforestation

ResultsResults• Decreased soil fertilityDecreased soil fertility• Uncontrolled soil erosionUncontrolled soil erosion• Production of hydroelectric power (silt build Production of hydroelectric power (silt build

up behind dams)up behind dams)• Increased sedimentation of waterwaysIncreased sedimentation of waterways• Formation of desertsFormation of deserts• Extinction of speciesExtinction of species• Global climate changesGlobal climate changes

Forest Trends in USForest Trends in US

Most temperature forest Most temperature forest are steady or are steady or expandingexpanding

Returning stands lack Returning stands lack biodiversity of original biodiversity of original forestsforests

More than half of US More than half of US forest are privately forest are privately owned (right)owned (right)• Forest Legacy Program Forest Legacy Program

19901990• Conservation easementConservation easement

US National ForestsUS National Forests

Managed for multiple usesManaged for multiple uses• Timber harvestTimber harvest• Livestock forageLivestock forage• Water resource and watershed protectionWater resource and watershed protection• Mining, hunting, fishing, etc.Mining, hunting, fishing, etc.

Road building is an issueRoad building is an issue• Provides logging companies with access to Provides logging companies with access to

forestforest

Clearcutting is an issueClearcutting is an issue

Case-In-Point Tongass National ParkCase-In-Point Tongass National Park

One of world’s few One of world’s few temperate temperate rainforestsrainforests

Prime logging areaPrime logging area

Modified 1997 Forest Modified 1997 Forest PlanPlan

Roadless Area Roadless Area Conservation Rule Conservation Rule (2000)(2000)

Politics rules Politics rules government government agenciesagencies

Trends in Tropical ForestsTrends in Tropical Forests

Tropical rainforests (below) and tropical Tropical rainforests (below) and tropical dry forestsdry forests

Disappearing Tropical Rain Disappearing Tropical Rain ForestsForests

Population growthPopulation growth• Cannot account for Cannot account for

all of itall of it

Immediate causesImmediate causes• Subsistence Subsistence

agricultureagriculture• Commercial loggingCommercial logging• Cattle ranchingCattle ranching

Other causesOther causes• MiningMining• Hydroelectric powerHydroelectric power

Disappearing Tropical Dry Disappearing Tropical Dry ForestsForests

Primarily destroyed for fuelwoodPrimarily destroyed for fuelwood• Used for heating and cookingUsed for heating and cooking

Boreal ForestsBoreal ForestsWorld’s largest biomeWorld’s largest biomeExtensive clearcuttingExtensive clearcutting

• Primary source of world’s industrial wood Primary source of world’s industrial wood and wood fiberand wood fiber

Rangeland and Agricultural landsRangeland and Agricultural lands

RangelandRangeland• Land that is not intensively managed and is used Land that is not intensively managed and is used

for grazing livestockfor grazing livestock

Rangeland Degradation and Rangeland Degradation and DeforestationDeforestation

Overgrazing leaves ground barrenOvergrazing leaves ground barren• Animals exceed their carrying capacityAnimals exceed their carrying capacity

Land degradationLand degradation• Natural or human-induced process that Natural or human-induced process that

decreases future ability of land to support decreases future ability of land to support crops or livestockcrops or livestock

Desertification (1,374 sq. miles per year.)Desertification (1,374 sq. miles per year.)• Degradation of once fertile land into Degradation of once fertile land into

nonproductive desertnonproductive desert

Rangeland Trends in USRangeland Trends in US

Make up 30% of total US land areaMake up 30% of total US land area• 2/3 privately owned2/3 privately owned

Pressure from developers to subdividePressure from developers to subdivide

Public rangeland managed by:Public rangeland managed by:• Taylor Grazing Act (1934)Taylor Grazing Act (1934)• Federal Land Policy and Management Act Federal Land Policy and Management Act

(1976)(1976)

Conditions of public rangeland are slowly Conditions of public rangeland are slowly improvingimproving• Grazing fees is an issueGrazing fees is an issue

Agricultural LandAgricultural Land

US has 300 million acres of prime US has 300 million acres of prime farmlandfarmland

Much is being Much is being overtaken by overtaken by suburban suburban sprawlsprawl• Parking lotsParking lots• Housing Housing

developmentsdevelopments• Shopping mallsShopping malls

WetlandsWetlands

Lands that are usually covered with water Lands that are usually covered with water for at least part of the yearfor at least part of the year

Have characteristic soils and water-tolerant Have characteristic soils and water-tolerant vegetationvegetation

BenefitsBenefits• Habitat for migratory waterfowl and wildlifeHabitat for migratory waterfowl and wildlife• Recharge groundwaterRecharge groundwater• Reduce damage from floodingReduce damage from flooding• Improve water qualityImprove water quality• Produce many commercially important Produce many commercially important

productsproducts

WetlandsWetlands

Human activity that threatens wetlandsHuman activity that threatens wetlands• Drainage for agriculture or mosquito Drainage for agriculture or mosquito

controlcontrol• Dredging for navigationDredging for navigation• Construction of dams, dykes or seawallsConstruction of dams, dykes or seawalls• Filling in for solid waste disposalFilling in for solid waste disposal• Road buildingRoad building• Mining for gravel, fossil fuels, etc.Mining for gravel, fossil fuels, etc.

Shrinking 58,500 acres per yearShrinking 58,500 acres per year

Restoring WetlandsRestoring Wetlands

No Net Loss of Wetlands:No Net Loss of Wetlands:

Development of Development of wetlands is allowed if wetlands is allowed if corresponding amount corresponding amount of previously of previously converted wetland is converted wetland is restoredrestored

Not all wetland Not all wetland restorations are restorations are successfulsuccessful

CoastlinesCoastlines

Coastal wetlandsCoastal wetlands• Provide food and habitat for many aquatic Provide food and habitat for many aquatic

animalsanimals• Historically regarded as wastelandHistorically regarded as wasteland

US starting to see US starting to see importance of importance of protecting this protecting this environmentenvironment• Retaining Retaining

seawalls (right)seawalls (right)

Coastal DemographicsCoastal Demographics

Many coastal areas overdevelopedMany coastal areas overdeveloped• 3.8 billion people live within 150km of coastline3.8 billion people live within 150km of coastline• 6.4 billion people will likely live there by 20256.4 billion people will likely live there by 2025

United StatesUnited States• 14 of 20 largest US cities along coast14 of 20 largest US cities along coast• 19 of 20 most densely populated countries along 19 of 20 most densely populated countries along

coastscoasts

Conservation and Land Conservation and Land ResourcesResources

All types of ecosystems must be preservedAll types of ecosystems must be preserved

Four criteria of importance:Four criteria of importance:• Areas lost or degraded since European Areas lost or degraded since European

colonizationcolonization• Number of present examples of a particular Number of present examples of a particular

ecosystem (or the total area)ecosystem (or the total area)• Estimate of the likelihood that a given Estimate of the likelihood that a given

ecosystem will lost a significant area or be ecosystem will lost a significant area or be degraded in next 10 yearsdegraded in next 10 years

• Number of threatened and endangered Number of threatened and endangered species living in the ecosystemspecies living in the ecosystem

Conservation and Land Conservation and Land ResourcesResources