Unit Four

“Conservation Biology and Sustainability”

Recap

• Recall that biodiversity if the variety of life that exists on this planet.

• Recall that the four reasons for species decline are:– 1. Habitat Destruction– 2. Pollution– 3. Overexploitation– 4. Exotic Species

Recap

• Homo sapiens are the cause for the majority of species being in one of the four categories of decline:

1. Extinct - no longer in existence2. Endangered - very few in existence3. Threatened – numbers have been gradually

declining4. Species of Special Concern – numbers are

beginning to decline

Florida List of Decline

• Dusky Seaside Sparrow – Extinct circa 1987

• Florida Panther – Endangered

Florida List of Decline

• Gopher Tortoise– Threatened

• Burrowing Owl– Species of Special Concern

Recap

• Recall that biodiversity is found on three levels (from largest to smallest):– 1. Ecosystem diversity– 2. Species diversity– 3. Genetic diversity

How do humans preserve the biodiversity that still exists on the planet?

Solutions

• Conservation Biology is new discipline – 1980’s• Conservation Biologists are charged with the

task of preserving biodiversity• These scientists employ a variety of methods to

achieve this goal.• First, it is important to distinguish where the work

will be conducted:– In Situ – in the species ecosystem– Ex Situ - not in the species ecosystem (zoo)

Solutions

• The preferred mode of preservation is “In Situ”, but for a variety of reasons that is not often possible.

Examples: lack of adequate habitat too few individuals of population

illegal hunting – poachers presence of pollutants

Solutions

• In Situ Methods:– Reintroduction Program – Wolves in

Yellowstone/ Condors in California– Augmentation Program – Florida Panther– Corridor - State Road 46 west of Sanford

Preserves – SLOSS – single large or several small

Black Bear Corridor - Florida

Solutions

• Ex Situ Methods:– Captive Breeding

• Artificial Insemination• Embryo Transfer – Eland mother/bongo calf• Cross-fostering – bald eagle eggs placed in nest of closely

related species/mother eagle will produce another clutch• Artificial Incubation – alligators, sea turtles, and fish• Seed Banks – storage of seeds for germination at a later

date – http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/25/norway.seeds/

index.html

Eland Mother/Bongo Calf

Solutions

• Once a population has been brought back from severe decline, that population must continue to be monitored for as long as possible to ensure their recovery

• Conservation Biology requires eternal vigilance, solid research methods, and knowledge of many other disciplines (political science, sociology, meteorology, geology etc.)

Unit Four

“Cities, Forests, & Parks: Land Use & Resource Management”

Resource Management

• There are several resources that require careful oversight in how they are used and/or extracted– Soil– Water– Flora and Fauna– Rangeland – cattle grazing– Minerals - coal, zinc, tungsten, gold, silver

Resource Management cont’d

• In the USA, the federal government established agencies to manage all natural resources on public lands

• These agencies fall under the umbrella of three governmental departments

Resource Management cont’d

• Department of Agriculture– US Forest Service: founded 1905

• Manage timber resources• http://www.fs.fed.us/

– Natural Resource Conservation Service: founded 1935

• Assist citizens with conservation of air, water, and soil

• http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/about/

Resource Management cont’d

• Department of the Interior– Bureau of Land Management

• Manage mineral resources• http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en.html

– Bureau of Reclamation: founded 1902• Manage water supply in western states• http://www.usbr.gov/

Resource Management cont’d

– US Fish and Wildlife Service• Conservation of ecosystems, flora, and fauna• http://www.fws.gov/

– National Parks Service: founded 1916• Yellowstone, Yosemite etc.• http://www.nationalparkservice.org/

Resource Management cont’d

• Environmental Protection Agency (it is a department in itself): founded 1970– Maintain quality of water, air, and soil– http://www.epa.gov/

History of Global Forestry Many ancient tribes and groups of people recognized the need to maintain the forests in which they lived and depended for survival

– Advances in medicine and technology, as well as colonization of various regions of the world by Great Britain, France, Spain, and the Netherlands led to massive destruction of the world’s forests (transitional to industrial stage)

– The demands of the developed countries led to a massive felling of trees for numerous products

Original Global Forests

Today’s Global Forests

History of Global Forestry cont’d• Each developed country proceeded through

this same course of forest supply meeting the societal demand at different times in history, however, the same general progression occurred in each country1) wholesale harvesting of trees due to economic

development2) almost complete exhaustion of raw materials i.e.

trees3) institution of forest management policies to meet

economic demand while still maintaining forests in an effort to be sustainable in the long term

Forestry in the USA

• A paradigm shift occurred in the 1890’s from that of free reign over the land to that of resource sustainability over the long term

• In 1891, through the influence of the Boone and Crockett Club (Roosevelt, Phillips, and Hague), President Benjamin Harrison set aside Yellowstone National Park Timberland Reserve and it in essence became the birthplace of both the national parks and national forests

Forestry in the USA cont’d• In 1904 at the request of Gifford Pinchot

(first chief of the U.S. Forest Service), President Theodore Roosevelt transferred the forest reserves from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture

• In 1905, Pinchot’s Bureau of Forestry was now officially called the U.S. Forest Service

• Throughout his and future chiefs tenures, annual timber harvests were not as successful as originally projected

Forestry in the USA cont’d• “In 1976, President Gerald Ford signed the

National Forest Management Act, which stated that all management decisions were to be in accord with the multiple-use policy mandated for the National Forest System.” “Selective cutting was encouraged where proper; clear-cutting was not prohibited but was subject to guidelines set out by the Department of Agriculture.” (Cox, Maxwell, Thomas, & Malone, 1985)

• Due to this legislation, the U.S. Forest Service had flexibility in managing the national forests but were now required to operate under more specific guidelines

Future of Forestry - Sustainability

• In a 1984 book written by Larry D. Harris entitled The Fragmented Forest, contemporary timber harvesting practices were analyzed and determined to be less sustainable in the long term and less like natural forests in their composition (p 368 of text)

• Harris also stated that fragmentation of forests leads to lower biodiversity and in essence a lower forest ecosystem viability

• The crux of Harris’s theory based on island biogeography, states that for the optimal timber harvests at the lowest environmental costs, a system of long rotational islands should be set up to allow for ample recovery time between harvests

Private Entities Protecting Forests

• Several private environmental organizations have as their goal to preserve species and their ecosystems– The Nature Conservancy – purchases and manages

land– The Sierra Club – John Muir founder (he is on

California quarter)– Defenders of Wildlife– World Wildlife Fund– Audubon Society – does extensive work with birds

Smart Growth – Urban/Suburban

• People recognize the need to maintain a certain quality of life no matter the size of the population

• The best way to maintain a high quality of life is to control sprawl while keeping the air, water, and soil clean

Smart Growth Principles

• There are ten smart growth principles to serve as guidelines for regions, cities, and towns– 1. Mix land use– 2. Utilize compact building design– 3. Create a range of housing opportunities– 4. Create walkable neighborhoods– 5. Foster distinctive, attractive communities

with a strong sense of place

Smart Growth Principles

– 6. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas

– 7. Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities

– 8. Provide a variety of transportation opportunities

Smart Growth Principles

– 9. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective

– 10. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions

– http://www.myregion.org/Default.aspx?tabid=211

Urban Planning

• These professionals develop short and long term plans for the growth and revitalization of urban/suburban areas

• Urban planners attempt to develop a long term “blue print” for growth that optimizes economic and social activity while maintaining desired aesthetics and preserving the environment

Urban Planning

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQEaGyESK6c