Sustaining Sustaining Ecosystems: Forests, Ecosystems: Forests, Rangelands, Parks Rangelands, Parks and Wildernessand Wilderness

First national park in the First national park in the world: Yellowstoneworld: Yellowstone

Public Lands in the USPublic Lands in the US 35% of land belongs to federal 35% of land belongs to federal

governmentgovernment Large percentage in AlaskaLarge percentage in Alaska 60% of this land is in the western US60% of this land is in the western US

Multiple-Use LandsMultiple-Use Lands

1. 1. National Forest SystemNational Forest System 156 Forests156 Forests 20 Grasslands20 Grasslands Logging, mining, livestock grazing, farming, Logging, mining, livestock grazing, farming,

oil and gas extraction, recreation, sport oil and gas extraction, recreation, sport hunting and fishing and commercial fishing, hunting and fishing and commercial fishing, conservation of watershed, soil, wildlifeconservation of watershed, soil, wildlife

Managed by the US Forest ServiceManaged by the US Forest Service Principle of sustainable yieldPrinciple of sustainable yield Principle of multiple usePrinciple of multiple use

More multi-use landsMore multi-use lands

2. National Resource Lands2. National Resource Lands Managed by the Bureau of Land Managed by the Bureau of Land

Management (BLM)Management (BLM) Provides secure domestic supply of energy Provides secure domestic supply of energy

and strategic mineralsand strategic minerals Preserves rangelands for livestock grazing Preserves rangelands for livestock grazing

under a permit systemunder a permit system

Red Rock Canyon Red Rock Canyon National ForestNational Forest

Bureau of Land Bureau of Land ManagementManagement

Moderately Restricted-Moderately Restricted-Use LandsUse Lands

National Wildlife RefugesNational Wildlife Refuges 508 refuges, containing 95 million acres508 refuges, containing 95 million acres

Managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service Managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior)(Department of the Interior)

Most protect habitats for waterfowl and big game for Most protect habitats for waterfowl and big game for huntershunters

Other uses such as sport hunting, trapping, sport and Other uses such as sport hunting, trapping, sport and commercial fishing, oil and gas development, mining, commercial fishing, oil and gas development, mining, logging, grazing, and farming permitted (if deemed logging, grazing, and farming permitted (if deemed compatible)compatible)

Montezuma Wildlife Montezuma Wildlife Refuge, New YorkRefuge, New York

Arctic National Wildlife Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, AlaskaRefuge, Alaska

National Refuge SystemNational Refuge System

Bryce Canyon National Bryce Canyon National ParkPark

Bristlecone Pine – longest lived species on earth

Hoodoos at sunrise

Restricted-Use LandsRestricted-Use Lands

1. National Park System1. National Park System Managed by the National Park ServiceManaged by the National Park Service Includes parks, recreational areas, Includes parks, recreational areas,

monuments, memorials, battlefields, historic monuments, memorials, battlefields, historic sites, parkways, trails, rivers, seashores, sites, parkways, trails, rivers, seashores, and lakeshores.and lakeshores.

Parks allow camping, hiking, fishing, and Parks allow camping, hiking, fishing, and boatingboating

Recreational areas also allow hunting, Recreational areas also allow hunting, mining, and oil and gas drillingmining, and oil and gas drilling

Everglades National ParkEverglades National Park

Zion National ParkZion National Park

Giant Sequoias at Kings Giant Sequoias at Kings Canyon National ParkCanyon National Park

Sequoia Sequoia National National ParkPark

Restricted-Use LandsRestricted-Use Lands2. National Wilderness Preservation System2. National Wilderness Preservation System

Roadless areasRoadless areas Within National Parks, National Wildlife Within National Parks, National Wildlife

Refuges, and National ForestsRefuges, and National Forests Managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Managed by the National Park Service, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest ServiceForest Service

Goal is to leave these areas “unimpaired” for Goal is to leave these areas “unimpaired” for future use and enjoyment as wilderness”future use and enjoyment as wilderness”

Allows hiking, sport fishing, camping, non-Allows hiking, sport fishing, camping, non-motorized boating, some hunting and motorized boating, some hunting and horseback ridinghorseback riding

Other preservesOther preserves

Adirondack Park Adirondack Park PreservePreserve

Private, non-profit Private, non-profit organizationsorganizations The Nature The Nature

ConservancyConservancy

Adirondack Park PreserveAdirondack Park PreserveView from Mt. Marcy View from Mt. Marcy © 2002 Gary Randorf. Used by permission. All rights reserved.© 2002 Gary Randorf. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Adirondack Park Preserve Adirondack Park Preserve West Branch of Ausable River West Branch of Ausable River © 2002 Gary Randorf. Used by permission. All rights reserved.© 2002 Gary Randorf. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

National Geographic Article: The Adirondack Park

The Nature ConservancyThe Nature ConservancyChaumont Preserve, NYChaumont Preserve, NY

The Nature ConservancyThe Nature ConservancyThousand Acre SwampThousand Acre Swamp

Wild and Scenic RiversWild and Scenic Rivers

• National System protects 12,598 miles of 203 National System protects 12,598 miles of 203 rivers in 38 states and Puerto Rico (2011)rivers in 38 states and Puerto Rico (2011)

This is one-quarter of 1% of the nation's riversThis is one-quarter of 1% of the nation's rivers

By comparison, more than 75,000 large dams By comparison, more than 75,000 large dams across the country have modified at least across the country have modified at least 600,000 miles, or about 17%, of American 600,000 miles, or about 17%, of American rivers.rivers.

Rivers are classified as wild, Rivers are classified as wild, scenic, or recreational.scenic, or recreational.

Wild river areas — Those rivers or sections of rivers that are free Wild river areas — Those rivers or sections of rivers that are free of impoundments and generally inaccessible except by trail, with of impoundments and generally inaccessible except by trail, with watersheds or shorelines essentially primitive and waters watersheds or shorelines essentially primitive and waters unpolluted. These represent vestiges of primitive America. unpolluted. These represent vestiges of primitive America.

Scenic river areas — Those rivers or sections of rivers that are Scenic river areas — Those rivers or sections of rivers that are free of impoundments, with shorelines or watersheds still largely free of impoundments, with shorelines or watersheds still largely primitive and shorelines largely undeveloped, but accessible in primitive and shorelines largely undeveloped, but accessible in places by roads. places by roads.

Recreational river areas — Those rivers or sections of rivers that Recreational river areas — Those rivers or sections of rivers that are readily accessible by road or railroad, that may have some are readily accessible by road or railroad, that may have some development along their shorelines, and that may have undergone development along their shorelines, and that may have undergone some impoundment or diversion in the past. some impoundment or diversion in the past.

Four Federal AgenciesFour Federal Agencies

Bureau of Land Management National Park Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Forest Service

Alagnak River, AlaskaAlagnak River, Alaska

http://www.rivers.gov/wildriverslist.html