1. Land Use in the World

2. Land Use in the United States
Rangeland and pasture 29%

3. U.S. Public Lands

4. Managing U.S. Public Lands
Management ethics
Economic
Balanced multiple use
Ecological
Preservationist

5. Changing Management Through late-1800s: economic
Developed to maximize use and profit
Sold to homesteaders, railroads,
timber and mining companies

6. Changing Management Late-1800s: balanced multiple use
Use in several ways, but manage
properly so resource is not damaged
Maximum sustained yield
Set aside forest reserves to ensure
adequate timber supply, protect
river watersheds

7. Changing Management Also late-1800s: ecological
Use it, but emphasize maintaining
natural aspects (plants, animals)
1872: lands set aside for eventual 1st
national park - Yellowstone
Ethic supported greatly by U.S.
President Theodore Roosevelt

8. Changing Management Throughout 1900s: preservationist
No development, leave as is for future
Aldo Leopold, WI conservationist
1964: National Wilderness Act (4%)
- lands set aside, retained in natural
state, no development unless for the
“national good”

9. Today’s Management Most lands managed according to
balanced multiple use or ecological
ethics
- e.g. U.S. Forest Service
Bureau of Land Management
Public lands still facing many problems

10. Conflicting Demands
Mineral Resources

11. Wilderness Problems Suffering from overuse Limited entry in many areas
Timber, mining companies want
access to resources
For the “national good”

12. Park Problems Severe overuse Billions of visitors each year
Cars, noise, pollution, litter, crime
Conflicts between providing for
visitor enjoyment and still
conserving resources

13. Managing and Sustaining National Parks
Most parks are too small to maintain biodiversity
Invasion by exotic species
Popularity a major problem
Traffic jams and air pollution
Visitor impact (noise)
Natural regulation
Better pay for park staff

14. Forest Problems Conflicting demands
Timber, grazing, recreation, mining,
ecology
Ecological benefits: air cleaning,
erosion control, oxygen, soil fertility,
water recycling, wildlife shelter
Exceeding maximum sustained yield
in many areas

15. Types of Forests Old-growth (frontier) forests Second-growth forests
Tree farms/plantations

16. Rangeland Problems Overgrazing Too many on too little for too long
Kills grass root systems
When combined with drought,
overgrazing can cause desertification
- conversion to desert

17. The Fuelwood Crisis Planting fast-growing fuelwood plants
Burning wood more efficiently
Switching to other fuels

18. Degradation of Tropical Forests

19. Logging Roads Increased erosion and runoff Habitat fragmentation
Pathways for exotic species
Accessibility to humans

20. Tropical Deforestation
Rapid and increasing
Loss of biodiversity
Cultural extinction
Unsustainable agriculture and ranching
Clearing for cash crop plantations
Commercial logging
Fuelwood

21. Reducing Tropical Deforestation
Identification of critical ecosystems
Reducing poverty and population growth
Sustainable tropical agriculture
Encourage protection of large tracts
Debt-for-nature swaps
Less destructive harvesting methods