Chapter 18Chapter 18

Land Resources and Land Resources and ConservationConservation

VocabularyVocabulary

Urban- city/high densityUrban- city/high density Rural- sparsely populated areasRural- sparsely populated areas

Current Land UseCurrent Land Use

55% private55% private 3% Native American3% Native American 35% Federal government (mostly Alaska & 35% Federal government (mostly Alaska &

11 western states)11 western states) 7% State & Local government7% State & Local government Federal land managed by U.S. Dept. of Federal land managed by U.S. Dept. of

Interior (Bureau of Land Management, Fish Interior (Bureau of Land Management, Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service) & & Wildlife Service, National Park Service) & by Dept. of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service by Dept. of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service

Land Use TypesLand Use Types

WildernessWilderness National ParksNational Parks Wildlife RefugesWildlife Refuges ForestsForests RangelandsRangelands WetlandsWetlands Agricultural landsAgricultural lands Suburbia/Urban landsSuburbia/Urban lands

WildernessWilderness– Land not greatly disturbed by human Land not greatly disturbed by human

activities & where humans visit but do not activities & where humans visit but do not livelive

Wilderness (cont)Wilderness (cont)

Government to set aside wilderness lands Government to set aside wilderness lands as part of National Wilderness Act of 1964- as part of National Wilderness Act of 1964- authorized U.S. Preservation Systemsauthorized U.S. Preservation Systems– 42% of wilderness areas are in National parks42% of wilderness areas are in National parks– 33% of wilderness areas are in National forests33% of wilderness areas are in National forests– 22% of wilderness areas are in Wildlife refuges22% of wilderness areas are in Wildlife refuges

Given the highest protection of any federal landsGiven the highest protection of any federal lands– 50% are in Alaska & western states50% are in Alaska & western states

Wild & Scenic Rivers Act of 1968Wild & Scenic Rivers Act of 1968

Protect rivers w/ outstanding beauty, Protect rivers w/ outstanding beauty, recreational value, unique geological recreational value, unique geological features, important habitat or features, important habitat or species & historic value.species & historic value.– 50% are in Alaska & Pacific NW w/ < 1% 50% are in Alaska & Pacific NW w/ < 1%

of nation’s total river systemsof nation’s total river systems– No development on shorelineNo development on shoreline– Mining claims are allowedMining claims are allowed

National ParksNational Parks

– Large scenic areas & cultural & historic Large scenic areas & cultural & historic sitessites

Sites/Lands purchased with money from Land & Sites/Lands purchased with money from Land & Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965

Primary role of National Park Service is to teach Primary role of National Park Service is to teach people about natural environment, management people about natural environment, management of natural resources & historyof natural resources & history

Problems= over crowding & resource violationsProblems= over crowding & resource violations Natural Regulation- letting nature take its course Natural Regulation- letting nature take its course

most of the time.most of the time.

Wildlife RefugesWildlife Refuges

Land committed to wildlife habitatLand committed to wildlife habitat Established in 1903 by T. Roosevelt Established in 1903 by T. Roosevelt

(National Wildlife Refuge System)(National Wildlife Refuge System) 508 refuges representing all major 508 refuges representing all major

ecosystemsecosystems

ForestsForests

Occupy< 1/3 earth land areaOccupy< 1/3 earth land area Ecosystem service includeEcosystem service include

– Provide timberProvide timber– RecreationRecreation– Transpiration=> biological coolingTranspiration=> biological cooling

– OO22/CO/CO2 2 regulationregulation

Forest Management Options:Forest Management Options:

1.1. Tree plantation- monocultureTree plantation- monoculture

2.2. Ecological sustainable forest Ecological sustainable forest management- sustain forest management- sustain forest diversity & ecosystem services but diversity & ecosystem services but keep it commercially viable.keep it commercially viable.

3.3. Selective cutting- cut individual or Selective cutting- cut individual or small strands of treessmall strands of trees

Forest Management Options:Forest Management Options:

4. Shelter wood cutting- removal of all 4. Shelter wood cutting- removal of all mature trees in an area over a period mature trees in an area over a period of time.of time.

5. Seed Tree cutting- almost all trees 5. Seed Tree cutting- almost all trees are harvested leaving a scattering of are harvested leaving a scattering of desirable trees left behind to provide desirable trees left behind to provide a scattering of trees.a scattering of trees.

6. Clear cutting- All Trees harvested 6. Clear cutting- All Trees harvested – DeforestationDeforestation

Effects of Deforestation:Effects of Deforestation:

Soil erosionSoil erosion Regional/Global climate changes Regional/Global climate changes

97% of water absorb from soil is 97% of water absorb from soil is transpiredtranspired

Erosion and decrease in soil fertilityErosion and decrease in soil fertility COCO2 2 increases increases

Tropical Rain forestsTropical Rain forests ~1/2 Tropical Rain forests found in Brazil, Congo, & ~1/2 Tropical Rain forests found in Brazil, Congo, &

Indonesia.Indonesia. Tropical Rain forests are disappearing due to:Tropical Rain forests are disappearing due to:

– Slash & burn agricultureSlash & burn agriculture– Commercial loggingCommercial logging

Tropical Dry Forests are destroyed for fuelTropical Dry Forests are destroyed for fuel Boreal Forests- worlds largest biome(11%)Boreal Forests- worlds largest biome(11%) Conservation easement- legal agreement protecting forests Conservation easement- legal agreement protecting forests

property form development for specific # of years.property form development for specific # of years.

RangelandsRangelands

Grasslands (temperature & tropical)Grasslands (temperature & tropical)– Provide food for livestockProvide food for livestock– Preserved for biological habitatPreserved for biological habitat– Mined for mineralsMined for minerals– Contains mainly grasses, forbs, & shrubsContains mainly grasses, forbs, & shrubs

Grasslands- predominately grasses w/ Grasslands- predominately grasses w/ fibrous root system w/ growth buds below fibrous root system w/ growth buds below gradegrade– Tends to be overgrazed which can lead to Tends to be overgrazed which can lead to

desertificationdesertification

Rangelands ContRangelands Cont

Rangeland is ~ 30% of total land Rangeland is ~ 30% of total land area w/ ~ 1/3 publicly owned and 2/3 area w/ ~ 1/3 publicly owned and 2/3 privately ownedprivately owned

BLM manages most rangeland via BLM manages most rangeland via the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, Federal Land Policy & Management Federal Land Policy & Management Act of 1976, & Public Rangelands Act of 1976, & Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978Improvement Act of 1978

WetlandsWetlands

Transitional lands between aquatic and Transitional lands between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystemsterrestrial ecosystems

Ecosystem Services:Ecosystem Services:– Recharge ground waterRecharge ground water– Reduce damage from floodingReduce damage from flooding– Improve water qualityImprove water quality– Provide habitatProvide habitat– Produce many commercial products Produce many commercial products

> ½ of wetlands have been lost since > ½ of wetlands have been lost since colonial timescolonial times

Wetland loss controlled under:Wetland loss controlled under:

1972 Clean Water Act (good for coastal, 1972 Clean Water Act (good for coastal, poorer for inland wetlands)poorer for inland wetlands)

1986 Emergency Wetlands Resources Act1986 Emergency Wetlands Resources Act– Requires FWS to inventory & map wetlandsRequires FWS to inventory & map wetlands– Development of wetlands allowed only w/ Development of wetlands allowed only w/

creation of new restored wetland in same creation of new restored wetland in same amountamount

– Problems w/ definition of wetlandsProblems w/ definition of wetlands 1985 Food Security Act1985 Food Security Act

– Created wetlands reserve program => Created wetlands reserve program => voluntary program to protect/restore privately voluntary program to protect/restore privately owned freshwater wetlands owned freshwater wetlands

Wetland loss controlled under:Wetland loss controlled under: Federal government owns < 25% of wetlands Federal government owns < 25% of wetlands

in lower 48 statesin lower 48 states– Remaining 75% is privately ownedRemaining 75% is privately owned

Coastal wetlands = Saltwater wetlandsCoastal wetlands = Saltwater wetlands– Highly productiveHighly productive– Protects coastal lines from erosionProtects coastal lines from erosion– Reduce damage from hurricanesReduce damage from hurricanes

Protected under similar legislation & rolling Protected under similar legislation & rolling easements easements

Marine sanctuaries (12 in nation) protect off Marine sanctuaries (12 in nation) protect off shore areas that act as breeding grounds for shore areas that act as breeding grounds for marine animals/plants & protect sites of marine animals/plants & protect sites of historic valueshistoric values

Agricultural landsAgricultural lands

U.S. has > 300 million acres of prime U.S. has > 300 million acres of prime farmland (lands w. soil, growing farmland (lands w. soil, growing conditions & available water to conditions & available water to produce food, forage, fiber & oilseed produce food, forage, fiber & oilseed crops)crops)

Note: not all prime farmland is used to grow crops; Note: not all prime farmland is used to grow crops; 1/3 contains roads, pastures, buildings, etc.1/3 contains roads, pastures, buildings, etc.

Biggest problem facing agricultural Biggest problem facing agricultural lands is urbanizationlands is urbanization

Prevention of Urbanization:Prevention of Urbanization:

1996 Farm Bill- established Farmland 1996 Farm Bill- established Farmland Protection Program, a voluntary Protection Program, a voluntary program that helps farmers keep program that helps farmers keep their land in agriculture by selling their land in agriculture by selling their conservation easements to their conservation easements to prevent conversion to non-prevent conversion to non-agricultural uses for at least 30 yrs. agricultural uses for at least 30 yrs.

Solution to UrbanizationSolution to Urbanization

Urban planning such as smart growthUrban planning such as smart growth– Define urban planningDefine urban planning– 32% of world’s total land area is 32% of world’s total land area is

agricultural lands (~ 11.6 billion acres) agricultural lands (~ 11.6 billion acres) (30% of world’s land is considered (30% of world’s land is considered uninhabited by humans)uninhabited by humans)