Land, Public and Private Chapter 10

Human Activities Affecting Land and Environment Extensive logging – mudslides Deforestation – climate change Paving – water runoff, “heat islands” Overuse of farmland – soil degradation, water pollution

Tragedy of the Commons Land viewed as a common resource Garrett Hardin a. Tragedy of the Commons - shared, limited resource becomes depleted due to people acting on self-interest for short-term gain More common when there’s no land use agreement or regulation * As populations increased, common lands tend to become degraded through overgrazing, overharvesting and deforestation

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Result of negative externality - can lead to serious environmental problems - no one be held legally or financially responsible Solution - private ownership - regulation Externality – cost or benefit of a good or service that is not included in the purchase price of that good or service Regulation – land can be managed effectively at a community level http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/examples-externalities-market-7577.html

Maximum Sustainable Yield (MYP) a. maximum amount that can be harvested without compromising the future availability of that resource b. keeps the resource population at ~1/2 carrying capacity of environment c. permits an indefinite use without depletion of resource Varies case by case depending on carrying capacity of population as well as growth rate Example: deering hunting not regulated compared to being prohibited - intermediate hunting is ideal because it leaves enough deer to reproduce at a rate that willl maintain the population but not too many to where they have to compete for food MSY – intermediate harvest

Public Land Use ~ 11% of Earth’s land area is protected International Categories of Public Lands a. National Parks b. Managed Resource Protected Areas c. Habitat/Species Management Areas d. Strict Nature Reserves and Wilderness Areas e. Protected Landscapes and Seascapes f. National Monuments Lands are classified according to how they are used.

b. managed for scientific, educational, and recreational use National Parks a. 3,400 in the world b. managed for scientific, educational, and recreational use c. not used for extraction of resources Exist to generate tourism and protect animal species Negative: government have evicted some indigenous people from their homes http://parks.mapquest.com/national-parks/rocky-mountain-national-park/

Managed Resource Protected Areas a. 4,100 sites b. allows for sustained use of biological, mineral and recreational uses c. ex) national forests http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallatin_National_Forest

Habitat/Species Management Areas a. 27,600 sites b. actively managed to maintain biological communities c. done through predator prevention, etc. http://data.prbo.org/partners/mwadc/index.php?page=habitat-mgmt

Strict Nature Reserves and Wilderness Areas a. 6,000 sites b. established to protect species and ecosystems http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151030/

Protected Landscapes and Seascapes a. 6,500 sites b. nondestructive use of natural resources with opportunities for tourism and recreation c. ex) orchards, beaches, etc http://batanesryan.blogspot.com/

b. protect unique sites of natural and cultural interest National Monuments a. 20,000 b. protect unique sites of natural and cultural interest http://www.shedexpedition.com/arc-de-triomphe/

Public Land in the US Owned by federal, state, or local govnt’s Federal is the largest (~25% of country) Classification a. include - rangelands, national forests, national parks, wildlife refuges, and wilderness areas

a. used for recreation, grazing, timber, and mineral extraction Multiple-Use Lands a. used for recreation, grazing, timber, and mineral extraction Done in order to manage competing interests (done by the US government) Other lands are designated as protected lands

a. Bureau of Land Management - grazing, mining, recreation, timber Federal Agencies a. Bureau of Land Management - grazing, mining, recreation, timber b. United States Forest Service - timber, grazing, mining c. National Park Service - recreation and conservation d. Fish and Wildlife Service - wildlife conservation, hunting, recreation The use of land determines how it is classified. More than 95% of all federal lands are managed by four federal agencies.

Land Management Practices Rangelands a. dry, open grasslands b. primarily used for cattle grazing c. Grazing 1. benefit - uses less fossil fuel then feedlots 2. consequence - leaves land exposed to erosion http://ecotope.org/anthromes/v1/guide/rangelands/ leaves land exposed to wind erosion making it difficult for soil to absorb and retain water

b. used for commercial logging - pulp and wood Forests a. dominated by trees b. used for commercial logging - pulp and wood c. harvesting techniques 1. clear-cutting - removing all trees in an area - forests are replanted all at once - steep slopes: loss of soil and nutrients - increases sunlight reaching water - replanting * use of herbicides and fire * reduces soil quality, contaminates water, reduces biodiversity Commercial logging companies are allowed to use these private lands due to exchange for a royalty (percentage of their revenues) Federal government tends to spend more money on managing the timber program than what it receives in revenue Clear-cutting - easiest method - replanted forests are composed of trees the same age - steep slopes – increased wind and and water erosion, erosion adds silt and sediment to streams - replace these areas with what is called tree plantations that are easily harvested in cycles because they grow quickly due to full sunlight http://www.nerrs.noaa.gov/doc/siteprofile/acebasin/html/modules/landuse/lmclcut.htm

2. selective-cutting - removes single tree among many - creates small openings - trees of different ages - shade-tolerant 3. Impacts of both types of harvesting - logging roads to carry equipment * destruction of habitats * compaction of soil  loss of nutrients and ability to infiltrate water http://allthingsconnect.wordpress.com/2013/03/02 /blog-post-3-environmental-history-and-worldviews/

d. Fire Management - natural process for nutrient cycling - provides openings for early-successional species - prescribed burn * fire set under controlled conditions Build up of dead biomass on forest floor if fires do not happen therefore we do them under controlled settings Best example: fire in yellowstone national park summer of 1988 Fires have created new nutrient rich habitats for species http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_fires_of_1988

National Parks a. 58 in US b. Goal 1. based on multiple-use principle 2. set aside to protect ecosystems c. human activities 1. air and water pollution 2. lead to destruction of habitats

Wildlife Refuges and Wilderness Areas a. protecting wildlife b. limited human use and are roadless

Federal Regulation a. National Environmental Policy Act - assesses all projects b. Environmental Impact Statement - analyzes environmental impact c. Environmental Mitigation Plan - how will the impact be addressed d. Endangered Species Act - designed to protect species

Expanding Residential Land Use Suburban v. Exurban a. suburban 1. surrounds metropolitan areas 2. low population densities b. exurban 1. unconnected to any central city

a. urbanized areas that have spread into rural areas Urban Sprawl a. urbanized areas that have spread into rural areas b. removes clear boundaries between the two c. causes 1. automobiles and highways 2. living costs 3. urban blight 4. government policies - highway trust fund - zoning Has led to automobile dependence Suburban areas use much more land than urban areas Automobiles and highways - we think nothing of having to drive to the city to work Living costs - you get more for your money in terms of housing when living in the suburbs compared to living in urban areas - tax rates are lower in the suburbs as well Urban blight - as population shifts to the suburbs, the city’s revenue shrinks but maintaining the services remain the same - jobs follow to the suburbs as the population shifts in that direction causing shops to shut down in the city (positive feedback loop) Government policies - highway trust fund – funded by gasoline tax and pays for maintenance of highways and roads; more highways means more driving and more gasoline purchases - zoning – separates industry and businesses from residential areas resulting in quieter and safer communities - multi-use zoning

a. strategies that encourage development of Smart Growth a. strategies that encourage development of sustainable, healthy communities 1. 10 basic principles - mixed land uses - range of housing choices - walkable neighborhoods - collaboration in development decisions - compact building design - attractive communities with a sense of place - preserve open space - variety of transportation - direct development towards existing communities - cost-effective decisions