11.3, 11.7, & (11.8) Public Lands, National Parks, and Reserves

1. 11.3, 11.7, & (11.8) Public Lands, National Parks, and Reserves Julio Perez - 6390265 Ayme Sotuyo - 6376447

2. Public Lands http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2010/01/the_greatest_story_ever_told_-.php • Public Lands are nature lands owned by the government set aside for public recreation • Public Lands controversy pertains to the balance of biodiversity v. resource use

3. Types of Public Lands • National Forest System: forests that can be used for many things primarily logging, farming, extraction of material and hunting among other recreations • National Resource Lands: lands mainly for mining, oil and gas extraction, and grazing • National Wildlife Refuges: Lands that protects game as to allow them to reproduce for hunting, hunting and fishing among other activities occur here • National Park System: Includes parks and other monuments, battlefields, historic sites, etc. Is used for camping, hunting • National Wilderness Preservation System: Highly restrictve land used for hiking, sport fishing, camping and nonmotorized boating.

4. National Parks • National Parks are a natural reserve owned by a government meant for recreation and wildlife protection with little human development. • Yellowstone National Park was the first, established in 1872. • The National Park Service (established 1912) manages 56 major parks and 331 other recreational areas. • Sport hunting, mining, and oil/gas drilling is not allowed in National Parks. • Currently, there are more than 1,100 national parks in over 120 countries.

5. http://www.esf.edu/es/felleman/Gov%20Land%20Map.jpg.jpe Red is National Parks. Most are in the west and Alaska.

6. National Parks In Danger Dangers and Threats • Only 1% of parks are protected in developing countries. Unprotected parks are invaded by locals for resouces or poachers. • Most parks are too small to maintain many large animals. • In the U.S., National Parks are crowded with tourists that degrade the parks, damage vegetation and disturb wildlife. Solutions • Add new parkland near threatened parks. • Buy private land inside parks. • Locate visitor parking outside parks and use shuttle buses for entering and touring heavily used parks. • Increase funds (ie raise entry fees) for park maintenance and repairs. • Limit number of visitors to crowded park areas. • Increase number and pay of park rangers.

7. National (Nature) Reserves • http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/tlw3/enhancement_chapters/conservation.html • Nature Reserves are areas that are meant to be reserve and thus preserve endangered organisms or locales • At best are large tracts of land for organisms to move aound. • Different structures to preserve have developed: • Creating zones for preservations • Making zones but leaving parts in the outer area for tourism and settlements (biosphere reserves) • Private ownership as a means to preserve • Protect undeveloped land (wilderness) http://fundy-biosphere.ca/en/biosphere_reserves/

8. Top 5 Things to Remember Public Lands are federally owned nature land for public utilization Public Lands can be used for commercial utilizations like oil extractions as well as recreation like camping and hunting Nature Reserves are areas that are meant to be reserve and thus preserve endangered organisms or locales National Parks are a natural reserve owned by a government meant for recreation and wildlife protection with little human development. National Parks are too small, unprotected, and packed with tourists. (Common grievences)