California Transect

Lecture: Public land use

© Dr Fred Watson, CSUMB, 2008-2015

Outline

• Overall message– Public lands are managed for differing purposes– The purpose of management affects the experience of different

visitors in different ways– In the future, when you visit land type X,

you’ll have a better understanding of its goals for management,and thus a better appreciation (or disdain) for what you see

– You can change what you see by advocating for different management within the goals of the designation, or for a different designation altogether

• Survey– Who’s been to which public land use types?– And what did you do there?

• Federal agencies – and the lands they manage• The mosaic of public land uses through which we’ll travel

Survey• Who’s been to, and what did you do at:

– A World Heritage Site ?– A National Park?– A National Forest?– A National Wildlife Refuge?– BLM Lands?– An Indian Reservation?– A State Park, State Beach, State Vehicular Recreation Area, etc.?

Federal agencies and the lands they manage. Underline indicates the four major land management agencies

• Department of the Interior– National Park Service – 79 million acres - est. 1916 (YNP est.

1872) – “Preserve unimpaired...for the enjoyment of...future generations”

• National Parks• National Monuments / Memorials (Can be proclaimed by President)• National Rivers / Recreational Areas• National Historic Parks / Sites• National Battlefields / Military Parks• National Trails• National Heritage Areas• National Seashores / Lakeshores• National Parkways

– U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – “Conserving the Nature of America” – 95 million acres - est. 1939

• 793 National Wildlife Refuges – fishing, hunting – endangered species (including plants)

– Bureau of Land Management – 262 million acres - est. 1946• “BLM Lands”- Multiple-use - Livestock & Mining

– Includes some National Monuments– Bureau of Reclamation - est. 1907

• Dams, power-plants, canals – water wholesale & hydro-electricity– Bureau of Indian Affairs – est. 1824

• Holds all Indian land in trust for 561 Tribes– US Geological Survey- “Science for a changing world” - est. 1879

• Not a land management agency• Department of Agriculture

– Forest Service – “Land of many uses” – Multiple-use – 193 million acres - est. 1905

• National Forests– Some National Monuments inside National Forests

• National Grasslands

• Department of Energy• National Laboratories

• Department of Defense• Military bases

• Department of Transportation• Department of Commerce• Department of Education• Department of Health and Human Services• Department of Homeland Security• Department of Housing and Urban

Development• Department of Justice• Department of Labor• Department of State• Department of the Treasury• Department of Veterans Affairs• Independent

– NASA• Not a land management

agency

Other land managers and land designations

• National Wilderness Preservation System(under the Wilderness Act, 1964)– National Wilderness

• 105 million acres - BLM, FWS, Forest Service, NPS

– Wild and Scenic Rivers• 11,000 miles

– National Trails System (Historic & Scenic)• California State Government

– Department of Parks and Recreation• State Parks• State Beaches• State Vehicular Recreation Areas

• County governments• County Parks

• Local Districts– Monterey Regional Parks District

• Garland Ranch Park• Palo Corona Park, etc...

• Cities– e.g. City of Marina

• City Park proposed on 2nd Avenue

• United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

• World Heritage sites(International Treaty, 1972 - Cultural and Natural)

• “World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world,irrespective of the territory on which they are located.”

• Mesa Verde National Park (1978) • Yellowstone National Park (1978) • Everglades National Park (1979) • Grand Canyon National Park (1979) • Independence Hall (1979) • Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek (1979, 1992,

1994) # * 29 • Redwood National and State Parks (1980) • Mammoth Cave National Park (1981) • Olympic National Park (1981) • Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (1982) • La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico (1983) • Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1983) • Statue of Liberty (1984) • Yosemite National Park (1984) # • Chaco Culture (1987) • Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (1987) # • Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville (1987) • Pueblo de Taos (1992) • Carlsbad Caverns National Park (1995) • Waterton Glacier International Peace Park (1995) *

National Park Service

• Mission– “The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural

and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.”

Forest Service

• Mission– “Sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s

forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.”

Bureau of Land Management

• Mission– “It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to

sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.”

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• Mission– “Working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish,

wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.”

• Mission of USFWS NWR System– “The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to

work with others, to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.”

Bureau of Indian Affairs

• Mission– “The Bureau of Indian Affairs is responsible for administering

Federal Indian policy; fulfilling its Federal trust responsibilities to American Indians, Tribal Governments, and Alaska Natives; and promoting tribal self-determination and self-governance.”

• Hunting– NWRs– BLM– NF– Not normally in NPs

• Fishing– Ditto, but ok in NPs

• Mountain biking– NF– BLM– Not common in NPs or NWRs

• Mining & grazing– BLM, or private– Some NFs

• Hiking & camping– Best in NPs & NWPSs– Good in NFs– Often pretty neat in BLM– Not in NWRs

• Birding– Everywhere! ...but especially great in NWRs

• Car camping– NFs and BLM are great

• Fighting wildfires– Not much in NPs– Plenty in NFs

• Prescribed burns– NPs, NFs, ...

• Picking flowers– Not in NPs, or NWPSs

• Fossil hunting– Not in NPs, or NWPSs

• Horse-riding– Ok in NWPSs (!)– Some NPs– NFs– BLM

• Dog walking– Not in NPs generally– Not in many State Parks

• Erecting fences– Ok in BLM

• Explosives– DOD and BLM-mining

Where can / should you do what?

Transect route