National Parks

Why have we created parks and reserves? - their beautiful features inspire people to protect them (monumentalism) -protected areas offer recreational value to tourists, hikers, etc. - they offer utilitarian benefits - parks make use of sites lacking economically valuable material or they are hard to develop

Yellowstone National Park the striking scenery of the American West impelled the U.S. government to create the world’s first national parks Yellowstone National Park was founded in established by the U.S. congress, it was the first national park - the park was established as “a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people”

National Parks Service (NPS) created in Created to administer the growing system of parks and monuments -There are 388 sites today -Includes national historic sites, national recreation areas, and national wild and scenic rivers -Most widely used system, received 273 million recreation visits  a signal of success for this parks system, but has lead to overcrowding

National Wildlife Refuge - Another type of U.S. federal protected area system of national refuges begun in 1903 by Theodore Roosevelt U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S.F.W.S. - administers refuges with management ranging from “preservation to active manipulation of habits and populations” - serve as havens for wildlife, but also encourages public use - manages at the habitat and ecosystem levels

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -Established to preserve unique wildlife, wilderness and recreational values; to provide opportunities for continued subsistence uses to ensure necessary water quality in the Alaska Region Oil Drilling -The oil industry and its allies have launched a new attack on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the danger is greater than ever -They are attempting to industrialize national treasures for economic benefits

Wilderness areas have been established on federal lands -Wilderness Act- a response to public’s desire for undeveloped areas of land, it allowed areas of existing federal to be designated as wilderness areas -These areas are off-limits to development of any kind but open to public use -Wilderness areas have been established within portions of national forests, parks, wildlife refuges and BLM land

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Parks and reserves are increasing internationally “paper parks”: protected in paper but in reality aren’t protected World Heritage Sites: types of protected areas fall under national sovereignty are partially managed internationally by United Nations

Parks and reserves are increasing internationally “transboundary park”: 1) an area of protected land overlapping national borders 2) can account for 10% of protected land “peace parks”: ease tensions by acting as buffers between nations that have quarreled over boundary disputes UNESCO biosphere reserves: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Designates biosphere reserves

Layout/zones: core area- consists of provincial parks and pacific rim national park reserve Buffer zone: allows local activities and limited development that do not hinder the core area’s function Transition zone: agriculture, human settlement and other lands uses can be pursues in a sustainable way Parks and reserves are increasing internationally

Biosphere Reserve:Biosphere Reserve: A tract of land with exceptional biodiversity that couples preservation with sustainable development to benefit local people. Biosphere reserves are designated by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) following application by local stakeholders. Core Area:Core Area: biodiversity preservation Buffer Zone:Buffer Zone: local activities and limited development such as research, education, and tourism Transitional Zone:Transitional Zone: sustainable agriculture, human settlements, and other land uses Core Circular Shapes are more efficient for preserving organisms

“single large or several small” (SLOSS) dilemma The debate over whether it is better to make reserves large in size and few in number or many in number but small in size. Large mammals, such as the Siberian tigers that roam great distances, survive better in a single large reserve because they are able to then move around more. Smaller organisms, such as insects that live as larvae, are able to survive in smaller reserves that are large in quantity because then those that fly can also fly to other reserves.

Wildlife Corridors Helps restore and protect biodiversity and the exchange of genetic material between major habitat remnants. Feral predators such as foxes and cats can hunt native animals more effectively because there is limited vegetation cover along corridors. Fragmentation can reduce biodiversity if remnants are too small to sustain animals with a large home range. The extended ‘edges’ of corridors can aid weed invasion. Corridor: a passageway of protected land established to allow animals to travel between islands of protected habitat.

Multiple Use Lands The use of land for more than one purpose: – Grazing of livestock – Recreation – Timber production – Fishing – Water supply – Mining – Farming – Oil – Hunting – Conservation National Forest System (NFS) –156 Forests & 19 Grasslands –Managed under concepts of: Sustainable (Sustained) Yield Natural Resource Lands (Bureau of Land Management - BLM) –Grasslands, Prairies, Deserts, Scrub Forests, and open space –Western U.S. and Alaska Lands –Managed by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) “secure domestic supply of energy and strategic minerals”

Restricted Use Lands Land that is protected for conservation, ecological, resource management, or heritage purposes National Park System (NPS) –54 National Parks and 316 recreation areas, battlefields, memorials, etc. –Preserve and interpret the country’s historic and cultural heritage and protect wilderness areas –Used for camping, hiking, fishing and boating –Recreational areas: also mining and oil –49% of National Park system is wilderness National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) –Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964 To establish a National Wilderness Preservation System for the permanent good of the whole people, and for other purposes –474 roadless areas in National Parks, wildlife refuges and national forests –Used for hiking, fishing, camping, non-motorized boating, hunting, horseback riding –Roads, grazing, mining, buildings are prohibited

National Wilderness Preservation System Wilderness areas are areas of undeveloped Federal land that retain their primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, which are protected and managed to preserve their natural conditions. These areas are established as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System according to the Wilderness Act of They are owned or administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, or the National Park Service.

Wilderness Act 1964 Allowed areas of existing federal lands to be designated as wilderness areas. – Wilderness Areas are off-limits to development of any kind, but they are open to public recreation such as hiking, nature study and other activities that have minimal impact on the land. Such areas are necessary to prevent humanity from occupying and modifying all areas of the US. Wilderness areas have been established within portions of national forests, national parks, and national wildlife refuges. Overseen by the agencies that administer those areas. Some preexisting extractive land uses (mining, grazing, etc.) were allowed to continue so the within wilderness areas as a political compromise to ensure the passing of the act.

Opposition Many state governments object where large portions of land are federally owned. Idaho, Oregon and Utah own less than 50% of land within their own borders. 80% of land is federally owned in Nevada. The state governments have tried to obtain federally owned land to encourage resource extraction and development on it.

Wise-Use Movement Wise-use movement: a loose confederation of individuals and groups that coalesced in the 1980s and 1990s in response to the increasing success of environmental advocacy. Dedicated to: protecting private property rights, opposing government regulation, transferring federal lands to state, local and private hands, promoting motorized recreation on public land. Advocates include: farmers, ranchers, trappers, and mineral prospectors at the grassroots level who live off the land and groups representing the industries that extract timber, mineral and fossil fuel resources.

Non-Federal Efforts Efforts to set aside land for the purpose of preservation on a federal level are paralleled at regional and local levels. Each US state has agencies to manage the resources on state land.

NY Adirondack State Park Created in the 19 th in the mountainous area whose streams converge to form the headwaters of the Hudson River. The river is needed to provide water power to industries, keep canals filled, and provide drinking water. The decision has paid dividends through the years.

Land Trusts Land Trusts- local or regional organizations that purchase land with the aim of preserving it in its natural condition. The Natures Conservancy is considered the world’s largest land trust. However there are almost 1,700 local and state land trust in the US that cover 1.7million acres. Examples: Big Sur on the California coast, Jackson Hole in Wyoming and Maine’s Mount Desert Island.

Works Cited 1.Pearson – APES Textbook ctice_guideline_no_8.pdfhttp:// ctice_guideline_no_8.pdf 4. e.k12.oh.us/teachers/ohs/jsangdahl/APESWEB/ch%252024forest spark.ppt+restricted+use+lands+in+wilderness&cd=1&hl=en&ct= clnk&gl=ushttp:// /search?q=cache:7aoXbeFzXeYJ: e.k12.oh.us/teachers/ohs/jsangdahl/APESWEB/ch%252024forest spark.ppt+restricted+use+lands+in+wilderness&cd=1&hl=en&ct= clnk&gl=us 5. fhttp://facultyfiles.deanza.edu/gems/phillipsjulie/Lec5FedLands.pd f 6.