1. History of Wildlife Conservation

2. First practiced in England during the Middle Ages Ignored by European settlers to the United States due to the abundance of trees, water and wildlife George Washington was first to voice concern about environment

3. Wasteful Exploitation -making unwise use of resources killing too much game and cutting too many trees without using it -Late 1800’s opinions began changing due to the reduced animal populations -1870 the first game refuge was created in California -1872 land was set aside to create Yellowstone National Park

4. 1916-National Park Service established 1900-Congress passed the Game Bird and Wild Bird Preservation Act (Lacey Act) which regulated the shipment of illegally killed animals; helpful to states in enforcing laws

5. 1934-Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act passed that obligated all waterfowl hunters to buy a $1 hunting stamp in addition to the cost of the license; funds used to promote the well-being of migratory game birds

6. 1937-Pittman-Robertson Act passed that placed excise tax on all hunting equipment and ammunition; funds used to support state wildlife management programs

7. 1966-Endangered Species Act passed -protected endangered and threatened wildlife species -money provided to identify rare, threatened or endangered species & to manage populations to increase numbers

8. 1966-Wildlife Refuge System organized as a part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

9. Selected Federal Actions to Protect Wildlife 1903-1 st wildlife refuge established in Florida; Pelican Island Refuge 1913-Weeks-McClean Act; protected migratory waterfowl and song birds from being hunted during closed season

10. 1918-Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act; initiated federal involvement in wildlife management 1940-Bald Eagle Act; protected bald eagle 1940-Fish & Wildlife Service formed; consolidated efforts in wildlife conservation

11. 1950-Federal Aid in Fish Restoration Act; tax added to fishing tackle to fund research 1964-The Land & Water Conservation Act; created fund to buy land & water having scenic & recreational value to protect endangered species

12. 1964-Wildernss Act; set up wilderness preservation system to keep some areas untarnished 1971-Wild Free-roaming Horse & Burro Act; protected burros and horses on publicly owned land

13. 1972-Marine Mammal Protection Act; limited killing dolphins to 112,000/year 1973-Endangered Species Act; provided a comprehensive plan to protect endangered and threatened species 1985-Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) established; provided for areas of wildlife habitat on farms near crops

14. Leaders in Wildlife Conservation James Audubon-studied and painted birds of North America; American Audubon Society formed in 1905 named for him John Muir-founded the Sierra Club in 1892 to promote conservation

15. Theodore Roosevelt-U.S. President from 1901-1909; expanded the U.S. Forest Service; set up 5 national parks, 18 national monuments & 51 bird reservations; generally considered the father of the conservation movement in the United States

16. Gifford Pinchot-promoted the conservation of forest lands; generally considered the father of forestry in the United States Aldo Leopold-a pioneer in applying ecology to wildlife management; demonstrated the role of hunting and its impact on wildlife populations

17. Examples of Wildlife Management Banding-placing bands around the legs of birds to identify it for study; information used to determine migratory routes, set annual hunting regulations & ensure bird populations are maintained at high levels

18. Trapping & transplanting-used to introduce species to lower population areas (White tailed deer) Land Management-used to provide secure habitat for species that require specially protected areas

19. Wildlife population survey-counting the number of wildlife in an area; gives information about the relative abundance of a particular species Implementation of regulations-based on information on wildlife numbers and conditions; made by government agencies, helps determine season bag limits

20. Wildlife Productivity The rate at which mature wildlife organisms are produced Game management uses strategies that consider animal populations and productivity impacted by natural causes, hunting, introduced predators and habitat modifications Non-regulated hunting can have devastating impacts on wildlife.