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1
Perga, T. "Theodore Roosevelt’s Policy in the Field of Ecology: Conservation Natural Resources." Problems of World History, no. 2 (December 1, 2016): 82–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.46869/2707-6776-2016-2-5.
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The article examines the principles and directions of the state policy of the USA on the nature protection in the early XX century, which is named conservation. It was determined that its precondition is the growing attention to wildlife of American philosophers, artists, writers, scientists who contributed to the formation of ecological consciousness in society. The article analyses the role of the USA President T. Roosevelt in development of conservation policy and its main areas: creation of public land reserve, including national forests and parks, forest conservation, water resources, reclamation of arid areas, initiating of various commissions that have to audit natural resources of the USA. The role of Governors’ Meeting (1908) and the National Congress on Conservation (1909) in the activization of the movement for conservation of natural resources in the United States is considered. It is proved that President Т. Roosevelt formulated the ideals of the American society on nature conservation, based on the values of civilization, patriotism and social morality, which became the basis of environmental policy in late XX – early XXI century.
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Gullion, Margaret E., and Taylor Stein. "Opening the Door to Nature: Accounting for People’s Constraints to Nature-based Recreation." EDIS 2019, no. 4 (August 1, 2019): 6. http://dx.doi.org/10.32473/edis-fr415-2019.
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Although millions of people recreate in parks, forests, and other conservation areas in the United States every year, research shows that some are left out; not everyone takes advantage of natural areas for the numerous benefits nature-based recreation provides. Results show that many people who do not participate in nature-based recreation feel constrained by their quality of time, not the quantity of time. In other words, they're saying, "Prove to me that it's worth my time to go out in nature. Show me something cool!" Based on research conducted in Hillsborough County, Florida and similar studies, this 6-page fact sheet written by Margaret E. Gullion and Taylor Stein and published by the UF/IFAS School of Forest Resources and Conservation addresses identifies strategies to improve the opportunities natural areas can provide a diverse public. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr415
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Aczel, Miriam R., and Karen E. Makuch. "Shale Resources, Parks Conservation, and Contested Public Lands in North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Is Fracking Booming?" Case Studies in the Environment 4, no. 1 (January 1, 2020): 1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/cse.2019.002121.
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This case study analyzes the potential impacts of weakening the National Park Service’s (NPS) “9B Regulations” enacted in 1978, which established a federal regulatory framework governing hydrocarbon rights and extraction to protect natural resources within the parks. We focus on potential risks to national parklands resulting from Executive Orders 13771—Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs [1]—and 13783—Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth [2]—and subsequent recent revisions and further deregulation. To establish context, we briefly overview the history of the United States NPS and other relevant federal agencies’ roles and responsibilities in protecting federal lands that have been set aside due to their value as areas of natural beauty or historical or cultural significance [3]. We present a case study of Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) situated within the Bakken Shale Formation—a lucrative region of oil and gas deposits—to examine potential impacts if areas of TRNP, particularly areas designated as “wilderness,” are opened to resource extraction, or if the development in other areas of the Bakken near or adjacent to the park’s boundaries expands [4]. We have chosen TRNP because of its biodiversity and rich environmental resources and location in the hydrocarbon-rich Bakken Shale. We discuss where federal agencies’ responsibility for the protection of these lands for future generations and their responsibility for oversight of mineral and petroleum resources development by private contractors have the potential for conflict.
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Mizukami, Naoki, and Sanja Perica. "Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Snowpack Density in the Mountainous Regions of the Western United States." Journal of Hydrometeorology 9, no. 6 (December 1, 2008): 1416–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/2008jhm981.1.
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Abstract Snow density is calculated as a ratio of snow water equivalent to snow depth. Until the late 1990s, there were no continuous simultaneous measurements of snow water equivalent and snow depth covering large areas. Because of that, spatiotemporal characteristics of snowpack density could not be well described. Since then, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has been collecting both types of data daily throughout the winter season at snowpack telemetry (SNOTEL) sites located in the mountainous areas of the western United States. This new dataset provided an opportunity to examine the spatiotemporal characteristics of snowpack density. The analysis of approximately seven years of data showed that at a given location and throughout the winter season, year-to-year snowpack density changes are significantly smaller than corresponding snow depth and snow water equivalent changes. As a result, reliable climatological estimates of snow density could be obtained from relatively short records. Snow density magnitudes and densification rates (i.e., rates at which snow densities change in time) were found to be location dependent. During early and midwinter, the densification rate is correlated with density. Starting in early or mid-March, however, snowpack density increases by approximately 2.0 kg m−3 day−1 regardless of location. Cluster analysis was used to obtain qualitative information on spatial patterns of snowpack density and densification rates. Four clusters were identified, each with a distinct density magnitude and densification rate. The most significant physiographic factor that discriminates between clusters was proximity to a large water body. Within individual mountain ranges, snowpack density characteristics were primarily dependent on elevation.
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Wah, John S., Daniel P. Wagner, and Darrin L. Lowery. "Loess in the mid-Atlantic region, USA." Quaternary Research 89, no. 3 (April 3, 2018): 786–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/qua.2017.113.
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AbstractLoess is common in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States south of the Late Wisconsinan glacial border particularly along rivers draining the glaciated areas of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The broadest deposits occur on the flat landscapes of the Delmarva Peninsula in Maryland where two episodes of deposition have been identified. The earlier Miles Point Loess has a limited distribution and is buried by the more widespread Paw Paw Loess. OSL and 14C dates place deposition of the Miles Point Loess during MIS 3. The well developed paleosol formed in the Miles Point Loess acts as a stratigraphic marker. The Paw Paw Loess buries Clovis age cultural materials which date deposition to the end of the Pleistocene. Loess deposits and paleosols are critical in understanding regional landscape evolution, Late Pleistocene environments, and early North American cultural history. Mapping the extent of loess in the Mid-Atlantic using the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s gSSURGO database overrepresents loess in some areas and underrepresents in others.
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Ostry, M. E., and P. M. Pijut. "Butternut: An Underused Resource in North America." HortTechnology 10, no. 2 (January 2000): 302–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/horttech.10.2.302.
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Butternut (Juglans cinerea L.) has many fine qualities as a nut species, however, it has never been commercially important. Although the nut is very edible, only a few cultivars have been selected that have desirable nut size and cracking qualities. In the last 20 years there has been a dramatic decline in the number of butternut in native stands caused to a large extent by the lack of natural reproduction and a damaging canker disease. Evidence suggests that superior, disease resistant trees can be propagated and if isolated from areas where the disease is prevalent, may remain disease-free. It is important that the remaining genetic diversity within the species is maintained. Various butternut conservation practices and research projects to restore butternut populations are underway in the United States and Canada.
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Ibrahim, Salma, Babikir Brasi, Qingchun Yu, and Magdi Siddig. "Curve number estimation using rainfall and runoff data from five catchments in Sudan." Open Geosciences 14, no. 1 (January 1, 2022): 294–303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0356.
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Abstract The United States Natural Resources Conservation Services Curve Number (NRCS-CN) method uses the CN and rainfall to calculate runoff. However, there are still some uncertainties in the method, such as choosing the most appropriate CN value. Therefore, this study attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of using the NRCS-CN method to estimate the runoff of five catchments in Sudan. For each catchment, CN values were obtained from the number of observed rainfall-runoff events using the NRCS table, arithmetic mean, median, and geometric mean methods. For each method, Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) was obtained to evaluate the fit between the observed and runoff, and negative NSE values were found for all methods. Negative values of NSE indicate that the observed runoff and estimated runoff are not well fitted, and the NRCS-CN method is not suitable for runoff calculation in the study areas.
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Vallejo, Luiz Renato. "Unidade de Conservação: Uma Discussão Teórica á Luz dos Conceitos de Território e Políticas Públicas." GEOgraphia 4, no. 8 (September 21, 2009): 57. http://dx.doi.org/10.22409/geographia2002.48.a13433.
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RESUMO A criação de unidades de conservação é considerada como principal ação de governo cujo objetivo é a preservação e conservação da biodiversidade. A delimitação de “áreas especiais” é uma prática observada desde as sociedades mais tradicionais, sendo que em muitas delas prevalecia um sentido mítico-religioso e, ao mesmo tempo, de conservação de recursos naturais. Em outras sociedades, essa ação esteve associada com a prática de esportes de caça por parte da realeza e da aristocracia rural. Os parques públicos começaram a surgir no século XIX nos Estados Unidos, numa perspectiva de preservação das belezas cênicas e proteção dos bens naturais contra a ação deletéria da sociedade. O tema em questão é discutido à luz da categoria geográfica de território e dos processos de territorialização, utilizando-se para esse fim suas múltiplas abordagens conceituais— biológica, ecológica e social. Discute-se no trabalho os problemas da desterritorialização, em ambos os sentidos (biológico e social), além da formação das redes empenhadas no processo de criação e gestão das unidades de conservação. Houve um esforço de trazer para essa discussão uma contribuição sobre o valor agregado à conservação da biodiversidade com base em princípios de uma nova disciplina - a Biologia da Conservação. O trabalho aborda ainda aspectos conceituais sobre as políticas públicas, em geral, e sobre a influência que elas têm, especificamente, sobre a problemática das unidades de conservação no Brasil.ABSTRACT The principal goal to create natural parks and biological reserves in the world is to promote the conservation of biodiversity. During long time, traditional people established “especial areas” to guarantee natural resources for the future. Others, as kings and rural aristocracy used this areas for practice sports like hunting. The first public parks were created in United States during the XIX century, to preserve the environmental features of the Yellowstone against the human explotation. In this work, I wil discuss conservation of natural areas using the territory and the territorialization concepts and their several meanings: biological/ecological and social. The biodiversity value under principles of a new discipline — Biological Conservation — is showed as contribution. Public policy is discussed at the end of work exploring some reasons of the controversy between government speech and the conservation practice in natural parks and biological reserves.
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Vallejo, Luiz Renato. "Unidade de Conservação: Uma Discussão Teórica á Luz dos Conceitos de Território e Políticas Públicas." GEOgraphia 4, no. 8 (September 21, 2009): 57. http://dx.doi.org/10.22409/geographia2002.v4i8.a13433.
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RESUMO A criação de unidades de conservação é considerada como principal ação de governo cujo objetivo é a preservação e conservação da biodiversidade. A delimitação de “áreas especiais” é uma prática observada desde as sociedades mais tradicionais, sendo que em muitas delas prevalecia um sentido mítico-religioso e, ao mesmo tempo, de conservação de recursos naturais. Em outras sociedades, essa ação esteve associada com a prática de esportes de caça por parte da realeza e da aristocracia rural. Os parques públicos começaram a surgir no século XIX nos Estados Unidos, numa perspectiva de preservação das belezas cênicas e proteção dos bens naturais contra a ação deletéria da sociedade. O tema em questão é discutido à luz da categoria geográfica de território e dos processos de territorialização, utilizando-se para esse fim suas múltiplas abordagens conceituais— biológica, ecológica e social. Discute-se no trabalho os problemas da desterritorialização, em ambos os sentidos (biológico e social), além da formação das redes empenhadas no processo de criação e gestão das unidades de conservação. Houve um esforço de trazer para essa discussão uma contribuição sobre o valor agregado à conservação da biodiversidade com base em princípios de uma nova disciplina - a Biologia da Conservação. O trabalho aborda ainda aspectos conceituais sobre as políticas públicas, em geral, e sobre a influência que elas têm, especificamente, sobre a problemática das unidades de conservação no Brasil.ABSTRACT The principal goal to create natural parks and biological reserves in the world is to promote the conservation of biodiversity. During long time, traditional people established “especial areas” to guarantee natural resources for the future. Others, as kings and rural aristocracy used this areas for practice sports like hunting. The first public parks were created in United States during the XIX century, to preserve the environmental features of the Yellowstone against the human explotation. In this work, I wil discuss conservation of natural areas using the territory and the territorialization concepts and their several meanings: biological/ecological and social. The biodiversity value under principles of a new discipline — Biological Conservation — is showed as contribution. Public policy is discussed at the end of work exploring some reasons of the controversy between government speech and the conservation practice in natural parks and biological reserves.
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Riitters, Kurt, Kevin Potter, Basil Iannone, Christopher Oswalt, Qinfeng Guo, and Songlin Fei. "Exposure of Protected and Unprotected Forest to Plant Invasions in the Eastern United States." Forests 9, no. 11 (November 20, 2018): 723. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f9110723.
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Research Highlights: We demonstrate a macroscale framework combining an invasibility model with forest inventory data, and evaluate regional forest exposure to harmful invasive plants under different types of forest protection. Background and Objectives: Protected areas are a fundamental component of natural resource conservation. The exposure of protected forests to invasive plants can impede achievement of conservation goals, and the effectiveness of protection for limiting forest invasions is uncertain. We conducted a macroscale assessment of the exposure of protected and unprotected forests to harmful invasive plants in the eastern United States. Materials and Methods: Invasibility (the probability that a forest site has been invaded) was estimated for 82,506 inventory plots from site and landscape attributes. The invaded forest area was estimated by using the inventory sample design to scale up plot invasibility estimates to all forest area. We compared the invasibility and the invaded forest area of seven categories of protection with that of de facto protected (publicly owned) forest and unprotected forest in 13 ecological provinces. Results: We estimate approximately 51% of the total forest area has been exposed to harmful invasive plants, including 30% of the protected forest, 38% of the de facto protected forest, and 56% of the unprotected forest. Based on cumulative invasibility, the relative exposure of protection categories depended on the assumed invasibility threshold. Based on the invaded forest area, the five least-exposed protection categories were wilderness area (13% invaded), national park (18%), sustainable use (26%), nature reserve (31%), and de facto protected Federal land (36%). Of the total uninvaded forest area, only 15% was protected and 14% had de facto protection. Conclusions: Any protection is better than none, and public ownership alone is as effective as some types of formal protection. Since most of the remaining uninvaded forest area is unprotected, landscape-level management strategies will provide the most opportunities to conserve it.
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Barnett, Jenny K., and Gail H. Collins. "Species Richness and Seasonality of Bat Occupancy on Northwestern National Wildlife Refuges." Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 10, no. 2 (September 1, 2019): 468–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/032019-jfwm-019.
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Abstract Bats are critical to ecosystem integrity but are being threatened by a variety of disease and anthropogenic stressors. Further, information is generally lacking on basic parameters necessary for long-term bat conservation in North America, including the timing of seasonal activity and location of overwintering sites. Between 2011 and 2016, we used passive acoustic recording equipment to collect and analyze 115,855 bat calls from six National Wildlife Refuges across three geographic areas in the northwestern United States; the majority of the data was collected from 2014 to 2015. We documented the presence of 16 species, with species richness varying from 6 to 15 species across sampled Refuges. This includes detection of two species outside of their expected ranges: western red bat Lasiurus blossevillii were found in the Great Basin and western pipistrelle Pipistrellus hysperus were found in the Northern Rockies. Overwintering bats were found across all three geographic areas, although only one species, western pipistrelle, was documented as active year round on more than one Refuge. Six species of bats were also identified as potentially overwintering within their respective areas. For suspected nonoverwintering species, including those considered susceptible to white-nose syndrome, dates of first detections began in early March to early May and last detections between early October and early November. Public lands established for conservation can provide important monitoring and conservation resources for bats.
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Pickens, Bradley A., Rua S. Mordecai, C. Ashton Drew, Louise B. Alexander-Vaughn, Amy S. Keister, Hilary L. C. Morris, and Jaime A. Collazo. "Indicator-Driven Conservation Planning Across Terrestrial, Freshwater Aquatic, and Marine Ecosystems of the South Atlantic, USA." Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 8, no. 1 (April 1, 2017): 219–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/062016-jfwm-044.
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Abstract Systematic conservation planning, a widely used approach to identify priority lands and waters, uses efficient, defensible, and transparent methods aimed at conserving biodiversity and ecological systems. Limited financial resources and competing land uses can be major impediments to conservation; therefore, participation of diverse stakeholders in the planning process is advantageous to help address broad-scale threats and challenges of the 21st century. Although a broad extent is needed to identify core areas and corridors for fish and wildlife populations, a fine-scale resolution is needed to manage for multiple, interconnected ecosystems. Here, we developed a conservation plan using a systematic approach to promote landscape-level conservation within the extent of the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative. Our objective was to identify the highest-ranked 30% of lands and waters within the South Atlantic deemed necessary to conserve ecological and cultural integrity for the 10 primary ecosystems of the southeastern United States. These environments varied from terrestrial, freshwater aquatic, and marine. The planning process was driven by indicators of ecosystem integrity at a 4-ha resolution. We used the program Zonation and 28 indicators to optimize the identification of lands and waters to meet the stated objective. A novel part of our study was the prioritization of multiple ecosystems, and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this approach. The evaluation of indicator representation within prioritizations was a useful method to show where improvements could be made; some indicators dictated hotspots, some had a limited extent and were well represented, and others had a limited effect. Overall, we demonstrate that a broad-scale (408,276 km2 of terrestrial and 411,239 km2 of marine environments) conservation plan can be realized at a fine-scale resolution, which will allow implementation of the regional plan at a local level relevant to decision making.
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Mishra, Vikalp, James F. Cruise, Christopher R. Hain, John R. Mecikalski, and Martha C. Anderson. "Development of soil moisture profiles through coupled microwave–thermal infrared observations in the southeastern United States." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 22, no. 9 (September 25, 2018): 4935–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4935-2018.
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Abstract. The principle of maximum entropy (POME) can be used to develop vertical soil moisture (SM) profiles. The minimal inputs required by the POME model make it an excellent choice for remote sensing applications. Two of the major input requirements of the POME model are the surface boundary condition and profile-mean moisture content. Microwave-based SM estimates from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) can supply the surface boundary condition whereas thermal infrared-based moisture estimated from the Atmospheric Land EXchange Inverse (ALEXI) surface energy balance model can provide the mean moisture condition. A disaggregation approach was followed to downscale coarse-resolution (∼25 km) microwave SM estimates to match the finer resolution (∼5 km) thermal data. The study was conducted over multiple years (2006–2010) in the southeastern US. Disaggregated soil moisture estimates along with the developed profiles were compared with the Noah land surface model (LSM), as well as in situ measurements from 10 Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) sites spatially distributed within the study region. The overall disaggregation results at the SCAN sites indicated that in most cases disaggregation improved the temporal correlations with unbiased root mean square differences (ubRMSD) in the range of 0.01–0.09 m3 m−3. The profile results at SCAN sites showed a mean bias of 0.03 and 0.05 (m3 m−3); ubRMSD of 0.05 and 0.06 (m3 m−3); and correlation coefficient of 0.44 and 0.48 against SCAN observations and Noah LSM, respectively. Correlations were generally highest in agricultural areas where values in the 0.6–0.7 range were achieved.
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Barrett, Kyle, Nathan P. Nibbelink, and John C. Maerz. "Identifying Priority Species and Conservation Opportunities Under Future Climate Scenarios: Amphibians in a Biodiversity Hotspot." Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 5, no. 2 (August 1, 2014): 282–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/022014-jfwm-015.
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Abstract Climate change is driving shifts in the distribution of plants and animals, and prioritizing management actions for such shifts is a necessary but technically difficult challenge. We worked with state agencies in the southeastern United States to identify high-priority amphibian species, to model the vulnerabilities of those species to regional climate change, and to identify long-term climatic refugia within the context of existing conservation lands. Directly interfacing with state natural resource experts ensured that 1) species prioritization schemes extend beyond political boundaries and 2) our models resulted in conservation-relevant applications. We used a correlative model to project midcentury distributions of suitable climate for priority species and to evaluate each species' vulnerability to climate change. Using spatially explicit projected climate distributions, we ranked existing protected areas relative to their ability to provide climatic refugia for priority species in 2050. We identified 21 species as regional high-priority species. Fifteen of the 21 species are forecast to lose more than 85% of their climatically suitable habitat. Regions in the Appalachian Mountains, the Florida Panhandle, and the north-central region of Alabama are projected to lose the most climatic habitat for priority amphibian species. We identified many existing protected areas as midcentury climatic refugia in the Appalachians; however, our projections indicated refugia in the Southeast Coastal Plain to be exceedingly scarce. Although the topographic relief present in the Appalachians appears to provide future conservation opportunities via climatic refugia, the Coastal Plain affords fewer such opportunities and conservation of amphibians in that region is likely to be more challenging. The approach outlined here could be applied across a broad range of taxa and regions.
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Meyer, C. Kenneth, Richard B. Strong, Jeffrey A. Geerts, and Doug Bennett. ""Grass" By Any Other Name - Xeriscaping And Sustainability." Journal of Sustainability Management (JSM) 2, no. 1 (July 16, 2014): 9–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.19030/jsm.v2i1.8752.
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With water conservation and use policy considered to be among the greatest challenges facing contemporary society, this case takes on the enduring issues associated with water and how it impacts urban planning, land use, water conservation, economic development, and sustainability. Conflicted on the uses of natural and artificial turf, Jerard Leon, director of Blue Havens Planning Commission recommends that Joseph Teaberry, landscape architect, contact a premier program on xeriscape in the United States the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA). Teaberry prepares for an in-depth, structured interview with Doug Bennett, conservation manager of SNWA. He reviews the relevant academic and professional literature on the hydrologic cycle, and the economics and geological concerns that affect water use policy, including the meaning of Water quality, Watershed, and the sundry metrics used to assess water quality under the Clean Water Act, 1972. As the structured interview reveals, Teaberry learns about the history of water policy in the Colorado Basin, the multiple uses and costs associated with water consumption in the SNWA, and the conservation practices and water policy pricing policies and how they impact water utilization. In the final analysis, Teaberry discusses the various strategic management practices employed by SNWA and their attendant efficacies, successes/failures pertaining to water policy education, pricing, inducement, enforcement, and the future water policy concerns. The case has several take-away points associated with xeriscape policy, followed by six poignant questions that stimulate broad discussion on the general areas of water resource policy.
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Vitar, Juan, Karen X. Sandoval Parra, and Martha L. Ortiz Moreno. "Land-cover change in the department of Vichada, Colombia, from 1985 to 2017." Revista de Investigación Agraria y Ambiental 13, no. 1 (December 21, 2021): 149–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.22490/21456453.4630.
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Contextualization: Colombia has experienced multiple land-cover changes derived from socio-economic policies that have reduced the high biodiversity of the country. Knowledge gap: In the Orinoquía region, the pressure to expand the agricultural frontier is increasing, without considering the importance of its natural resources. Purpose: This paper aimed to analyze the land-cover variations associated with agricultural practices, in the department of Vichada, with a special interest in vulnerable ecosystems, such as the Bita’s river basin, using Geographic Information System [GIS] analysis of historical images taken by a remote sensor from the United States Geological Service [USGS] Earth Explorer portal. Methodology: Documental review and an analysis of satellite images from 1985 to 2017. Results and conclusions: The results showed that in Vichada, during a 32-year period, there was a transition from forest to cropland and pastures, in which 60% of the forest cover got lost. Moreover, areas of natural savannas were also replaced with pastures for livestock production. These land-cover changes were associated with government policies that fomented illegal occupation of land, monocultures, and non-native plantation forests. Bita’s river basin also lost a significant part of forest cover because of agribusiness development in the municipality of Puerto Carreño (Vichada). These land-cover changes have an impact on the ecological integrity of significant ecosystems and in their functionality in the region, that is why, conservation measures must be implemented.
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Blakey, Rachel V., Elisabeth B. Webb, Dylan C. Kesler, Rodney B. Siegel, Derek Corcoran, Jerry S. Cole, and Matthew Johnson. "Extent, configuration and diversity of burned and forested areas predict bat richness in a fire-maintained forest." Landscape Ecology 36, no. 4 (March 3, 2021): 1101–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01204-y.
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Abstract Context Fire transforms, fragments and sometimes maintains forests, creating mosaics of burned and unburned patches. Highly mobile animals respond to resources in the landscape at a variety of spatial scales, yet we know little about their landscape-scale relationships with fire. Objectives We aimed to identify drivers of bat richness in a landscape mosaic of forested and burned areas while identifying spatial scales at which bat richness was most strongly related to extent, configuration, and diversity measures of landscape-level habitat. Methods We used multi-species hierarchical occupancy modelling to relate bat richness to landscape variables at 10 spatial scales, based on acoustic data collected in the Sierra Nevada, United States. We also assessed redundancy among landscape variable type (extent, configuration, and diversity) and between focal patch types (forested and burned). Results Bat richness was positively associated with heterogenous landscapes, shown by positive associations with pyrodiversity, extent and mean area of burned patches, burned and forested edge density and patch density and relationships were generally consistent across scales. Extent of forest cover and burned areas were highly correlated, but configuration and diversity of these patch types diverged. Conclusions Bat communities of our study area appear to be largely resilient to wildfire and adapted to more heterogenous forests and shorter-interval fire regimes that likely predominated before the fire suppression era.
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Shamsutdinov, Zebri. "Ecological restoration of biodiversity and forage productivity of degraded pasture ecosystems in the Central Asian Desert." BIO Web of Conferences 43 (2022): 01025. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20224301025.
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The low productivity of pastures and its sharp fluctuations in the desert regions of Central Asia are due to the natural-historical factors of this natural zone. However, in recent years, these shortcomings of pastures have been further aggravated as a result of the rapid growth of the population, the continuous development of industry and transport in desert areas, and the pressure of anthropogenic and man-made factors on vegetation and soil is increasing from year to year. This caused disruption of the structure and normal functioning of pasture ecosystems, and their degradation. Mass degradation of pasture ecosystems in arid regions of Central Asia occurs in a short time, which dictates the need for environmental restoration of these destroyed pasture lands. The United Nations General Assembly, by resolution 73/284, adopted at the 69th plenary meeting on March 1, 2019, decided to proclaim 2021-2030 as the "United Nations Decade for the Restoration of Degraded Ecosystems" and called on UN member states to help strengthen political will, mobilize available resources, strengthening scientific studies on ecosystem restoration at the global, regional, national and local levels. To restore the lost biodiversity of the forage productivity of degraded pasture ecosystems in the Central Asian Karnabchul Desert, dominant species of forage plants were sown in the following ratio: Haloxylon aphyllum (15 %), Halothamnus subaphyllus (20 %), Artemisia diffusa (50 %) and Poa bulbosa (15 %). The conducted studies allow to conclude that use of zonal-typical life forms of dominant species of forage plants and sowing of their mixtures (combinations) ensures formation of multi-species multi-level pasture ecosystems with high and stable forage productivity over the years in the Central Asian desert. The restored multi-level and multi-species pasture ecosystems are endowed with the property of self-renewal and self-maintenance of the structural and functional organization. The restored multi-species shrub-semi-shrub-herbaceous pasture ecosystems with a characteristic set of species inherent in natural pasture communities are characterized by high stable forage productivity and perform a conservation function in the Central Asian desert.
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Duffin, Andrew P. "Vanishing Earth: Soil Erosion in the Palouse, 1930-1945." Agricultural History 79, no. 2 (April 1, 2005): 173–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1215/00021482-79.2.173.
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Abstract This article examines the environment and agricultural activity in the Palouse, a fertile, hilly prairie in the inland Northwest, during the Great Depression and World War II. This area is home to some of the most productive wheatland in the nation, but because of constant farming activity on its steep slopes, soil erosion has been a problem since the turn of the twentieth century. Erosion threatened the long-term viability of farming in the Palouse and the economic health of greater eastern Washington. Local efforts at stemming the problem were nonexistent in the 1910s and 1920s, but after the depression began, New Deal erosion control programs attempted to improve the erosion situation in the Palouse and countless other areas in the United States. A great deal of time and money were devoted to the problem, including the construction of a USDA erosion experiment station in Pullman, Washington. However, federal erosion control efforts were only minimally successful, in part because programs to stop erosion were voluntary, not compulsory. Not enough farmers initiated or maintained soil conservation techniques, and Palouse farmers continued to endanger their most crucial natural resource.
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Soder, Adrienne B., Julie M. Mueller, Abraham E. Springer, and Katelyn E. LaPine. "Geospatial Analysis of Nonmarket Values to Prioritize Forest Restoration." Land 11, no. 9 (August 24, 2022): 1387. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land11091387.
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Forest restoration is necessary for maintaining healthy watersheds and the ecological spatial networks that provide environmental goods and services. Consideration of the dollar value of these provided benefits in restoration planning is essential to the efficient use of limited resources available to project implementation. Nonmarket valuation is a methodology of economics commonly used to estimate monetary values for environmental goods and services that are not typically bought or sold in a traditional market. Valuation studies are prolific within the restoration literature; however, the use of nonmarket values as decision support is not well represented. We introduce a method using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to spatially analyze the results from a nonmarket valuation study that estimated dollar values for the attributes of forest restoration characteristic of a semi-arid watershed in the Southwest United States. Map layers were created for the five attributes valued by the study and represent areas in the watershed that are designated as critical habitats, determined to influence surface water quality, prone to high-severity wildfire, representative of culturally significant areas, and contribute to aquifer recharge. A series of overlay analyses were performed to create a composite benefit map that spatially displays nonmarket values throughout the watershed. The per acre benefit values range from USD 0 to USD 104 where all five attributes are present.
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Page, Lawrence M., and Michael R. Jeffords. "Our Living Heritage: the Biological Resources of Illinois." Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 34, no. 1-6 (April 30, 1991): 357–477. http://dx.doi.org/10.21900/j.inhs.v34.134.
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We live in a world of near continuous monitoring. In our automobiles we monitor the status of fuel, oil pressure, temperature, and seat belts through gauges, lights, and electronic voices. The consumption of electricity and fuel in our homes is monitored as is the chlorine in our drinking water and the alcohol in our beer. Manufacturers retain quality assurance inspectors and issue warrantees and guarantees to convince us that all is well. We monitor our schools and measure our own progress through grades and proficiency scores. It seemed appropriate, therefore, that the Illinois Natural History Survey should take a measure of the living natural resources of Illinois by bringing together a knowledgeable group of persons to summarize the state of the State. In order to share this information and to provide an opportunity for discussion, a symposium, "Our Living Heritage: The Biological Resources of Illinois," was sponsored by the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources and organized by the Survey. The event, timed to coincide with Earth Day 1990 celebrations, was held on April 2.^ and 24 on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was attended by nearly 250 professional scientists from some 50 agencies and institutions along with a number of interested and dedicated citizens. To share the results of that symposium with an even larger audience, we have issued this publication of its proceedings.
To address the salient features of the living resources of Illinois in an ordered fashion, the symposium was presented in five sessions: forests, prairies and barrens, wetlands, streams and caves, and agro-urban ecology. When we consider that only (.).59t of Illinois remains in undisturbed natural areas, that Illinois ranks 46th among states in publicly owned open space per person, that forest acreage has decreased by 73% in the past century and tallgrass prairie by over 99%, that 85% of our wetlands have been lost, that soil erosion proceeds at the rate of 200 million tons per year, and that approximately 30,000 tons of herbicide and 3,500 tons of insecticides are used annually on agricultural crops in Illinois, we can scarcely imagine the tone of the symposium to have been anything but pessimistic. In part, there was discouragement, but it was tempered by positive developments, including the designation of the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River as a National Wild and Scenic River, the acquisition of the Cache River Basin, the initiation of a study to identify high-quality Illinois streams based on biodiversity, and the ever quickening actions of the Nature Preserves Commission.
Preservation/conservation has been in conflict with consumption/development since the days of Theodore Roosevelt. At times one side seems to prevail over the other, but the balance has been clearly on the side of consumption. Special interest groups have to a considerable extent managed to give the word environmentalist a pejorative cast and the word development a positive ring. During the past decade, the executive branch of the federal government has determinedly downplayed environmental concerns, and that stance has been translated into inertia in a number of federal agencies with responsibility for natural resources. The focus of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, for example, has until very recently ignored the living components of the environment. At the same time, public sensitivity to environmental concerns has dramatically increased, primarily through public service television and other media-generated presentations on tropical deforestation, extinction of species, depletion of the ozone layer, agro-chemical contamination of groundwater, and the effects of acid rain. Some of this concern is now being transformed into political action. Polls suggest that the public understanding of environmental matters is quite high, and some beheve that it exceeds the perceptions of elected officials. A Green Party has emerged in this country only very recently, but Greens are a part of both major political parties and the trend in federal legislation may soon begin to sway in favor of conservation/preservation and away from consumption/development. The National Institutes for the Environment may well become a reality within the next several years. Within this tentatively encouraging national picture, the symposium was timely indeed.
One symposium event of special interest cannot be documented in these proceedings — the "citizens respond" program of Monday evening, April 23—and I would like to note it here. Michael Jeffords and Susan Post of the Survey opened that session with a mulitmedia presentation on the biodiversity of Illinois. Their slides of representative plants and animals and habitats of the natural divisions of Illinois brought home to us the beauty and fragility that can yet be discovered in the landscape of our state. A panel presentation by five environmental activists followed: Clark Bullard, Office of Energy Research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Max Hutchison, Natural Land Institute of The Nature Conservancy; Lawrence Page of the Illinois Natural History Survey; Donna Prevedell, farmwife and contributing editor to the Progressive Farmer, and Michael Reuter, Volunteer Stewardship Network of The Nature Conservancy. They spoke briefly but openly on preservation activities in which they had been closely involved. The discussion was then turned over to the audience, who asked questions and shared their experiences—successes and failures—with preservation efforts.
I urge you to read on in order to understand the status of the biological resources of Illinois and to appreciate how much remains to be accomplished to secure their future—and ours. I would be remiss, however, if I did not conclude by acknowledging the committee of Survey staff who planned and conducted the symposium: Lawrence Page, Michael Jeffords, Joyce Hofmann, Susan Post, Louis Iverson, and Audrey Hodgins. Their efforts included developing the program, arranging for speakers and facilities, producing and mailing promotional materials, and welcomine the audience. Without their enthusiasm and hard work, the symposium v^ould not have materialized and our understanding of the biological resources of Illinois would be much diminished.
Lorin I. Nevling. ChiefIllinois Natural History Suney
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Urbaniec, Maria, Justyna Tomala, and Sergio Martinez. "Measurements and Trends in Technological Eco-Innovation: Evidence from Environment-Related Patents." Resources 10, no. 7 (June 28, 2021): 68. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/resources10070068.
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The concept of eco-innovation addresses a reduction in negative environmental impacts and the more efficient use of resources. As an integral part of eco-innovation, green technologies are receiving increasing attention due to growing environmental concerns. Patent data are one of the measures of the output of technological eco-innovation. However, understanding the patenting of eco-innovation comes with challenges. The aim of this study is to measure the output of eco-innovation and to analyse the trends in green technologies based on environment-related patents in the world’s leading countries from 2000 to 2017. For this research, a range of data collection techniques based on patent data from leading countries such as China, Korea, Japan, United States and Germany were employed. The study provides a comprehensive overview of changes and trends in the development of environmental technologies using different domains. In particular, significant progress has been made in the areas of environmental technologies and climate change mitigation technologies related to energy generation, transmission or distribution. These technologies are closely linked to international environmental policies such as climate change mitigation and green industry transformation. The study also contributes to the literature on measuring the output of eco-innovation.
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Fernandes, Carlos Henrique Dos Santos, Débora Perdigão Tejo, and Klever Márcio Antunes Arruda. "Desenvolvimento do Sistema de Plantio Direto no Brasil: Histórico, Implantação e Culturas Utilizadas." UNICIÊNCIAS 23, no. 2 (December 4, 2019): 83. http://dx.doi.org/10.17921/1415-5141.2019v23n2p83-88.
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O Sistema de Plantio Direto foi introduzido no Brasil no final da década de 1960, contudo, esse já vinha sendo empregado nos Estados Unidos desde 1950, demonstrando grandes benefícios. O objetivo do trabalho foi abordar o plantio direto no Brasil, expondo suas características e seus benefícios para a conservação do solo. É imprescindível o conhecimento técnico para obter sucesso na implantação deste sistema, e se destacam cuidados com o solo, como identificação do tipo de solo, eliminação de camadas compactadas, nivelamento, correção de acidez, entre outros. A utilização de plantas de cobertura merece atenção, pois proporciona proteção das camadas superiores do solo, evitando a erosão. Dessa forma, devem ser priorizadas as plantas de rápido desenvolvimento, visto que quanto mais rápido o desenvolvimento da espécie, mais rápido serão proporcionados os benefícios físicos ao solo. Além disso, trata-se de uma prática viável de se empregar em áreas de cultivo agrícola. Em conjunto com a adoção do método do plantio direto se pode empregar a prática de rotação de cultura, que também se mostra eficiente no processo de conservação dos recursos naturais, com destaque para o solo. Conclui-se que desde sua implantação, o sistema de plantio direto vem trazendo inúmeras vantagens para a conservação do solo, melhorando a qualidade, aumentando a rentabilidade das áreas de exploração agrícola. Palavras-chave: Agricultura Conservacionista. Conservação do Solo. Manejo do Solo. AbstractThe No-tillage Farming System was introduced in Brazil in the late 1960s, but it had been used in the United States since 1950, showing great benefits. The objective of this work was to address no - tillage in Brazil, exposing its characteristics and its benefits to soil conservation. It is essential the technical knowledge to be successful in the implementation of this system, among them stand out soil care, such as identification of soil type, elimination of compacted layers, leveling, acidity correction, among others. The use of cover plants deserves attention, as it provides protection of the soil upper layers, avoiding erosion. Therefore, fast-growing plants should be prioritized, since the faster the development of the species, the faster the physical benefits will be provided to the soil. In addition, it is a viable practice to employ in agricultural areas. In conjunction with the adoption of the no-tillage method, it is possible to use the crop rotation practice, which is also efficient in the conservation process of natural resources, especially soil. It is concluded that since its implementation, the no-tillage system has brought innumerable advantages to soil conservation, improving its quality, increasing the farm areas profitability. Keywords: Conservationist Agriculture. Soil Conservation. Management.
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Loesch, Charles R., Ronald E. Reynolds, and LeRoy T. Hansen. "An Assessment of Re-Directing Breeding Waterfowl Conservation Relative to Predictions of Climate Change." Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 3, no. 1 (June 1, 2012): 1–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/032011-jfwm-020.
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Abstract The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a long history of habitat conservation in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the United States that has focused on migratory birds, particularly waterfowl. The ongoing acquisition program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System has conserved approximately 1.1 million hectares of critical breeding waterfowl habitat. Results of recent predicted future climate scenarios are being used to suggest that waterfowl conservation be shifted away from currently important areas in the western and central portions of the U.S. PPR eastward, to locations where wetland and climate models suggest may become more conducive for providing wetland habitat for breeding ducks in the future. We used 24 years of breeding waterfowl and wetland monitoring data collected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System in the PPR of North and South Dakota and northeast Montana, along with land value and restoration cost data to conduct an economic assessment of the biological risk of refocusing waterfowl conservation efforts eastward due to recent projections of climate change. We considered the immediate risk of the loss of existing wetland and grassland resources in the western portion of the U.S. PPR, their current carrying capacity and production potential, the financial cost of protection vs. restoration relative to current conservation priorities, and the uncertainty of climate change effects on waterfowl habitat distribution. Because unprotected wetland and grassland habitats exist in the western and central portions of the PPR that are important for maintaining current waterfowl carrying capacity and productivity, and climate change effects are highly uncertain, maintaining the current focus of habitat protection appears to be the most cost effective approach for waterfowl habitat conservation efforts. Additionally, continued intensive monitoring activities designed to detect changing waterfowl populations and upland and wetland habitat as they relate to anthropogenic impacts (e.g., pattern tile drainage, grassland conversion) and climatic changes (e.g., wetland hydro-period), should provide more precise results to inform and adapt management and conservation activities accordingly should spatial and temporal changes in wet-dry cycles occur in the future.
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Torres-Pérez, Mirelys, María Rodríguez Gámez, Antonio Vázquez Pérez, Miguel Castro Fernández, Miriam Vilaragut Llanes, and Javier Domínguez Bravo. "The territorial ordering for the diversification of the electrical system. case study: Isla de la Juventud." Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Administratio Locorum 21, no. 2 (May 18, 2022): 241–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.31648/aspal.7005.
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In the year 1882 when the first power plant designed by Thomas Edison began operations in Wisconsin, United States, the price of fuels was little more than symbolic and there was no knowledge about the environmental damage caused by the energy exploitation of fossil fuels. Currently the situation is completely different, with an unstable and expensive oil price, as well as an environmental awareness forged in the consequences of the over-exploitation of natural resources, the structuring of a sustainable energy matrix constitutes a challenge that is sustained in the use of renewable energies available territorially. For this, it will be necessary to bring the techniques and tools of territorial planning closer to the tasks of energy development, on the basis of achieving adequate planning of the space for the use of the endogenous energy resources of the territories. The objective of the work consists of proposing the application of a methodology for the study of the application of renewable sources, starting from determining the viable physical areas for their introduction, applying techniques of land use planning through a GIS. The Isla de la Juventud is a special municipality of the island of Cuba with significant renewable potential, however, the limitations inherited from traditional development models restricts the sustainable development of the territory from being achieved. In the period from 2010 to 2014, two projects were carried out to contribute to the diversification of the energy matrix, through the application of a territorial energy development model. This article takes up the main results of these projects, considering that they are currently valid. In this sense, an analysis of the energy matrix on the Isla de la Juventud was carried out at present and the projections until 2030, from a perspective of land use planning; with the aim that can get constituted as a guide for organization and planning of the integrative process of the renewable energies, in the diversifying process of the energetic matrix of Cuba.
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Perga, Tetiana. "The value of wildlife in the US: from the idea to practice." American History & Politics Scientific edition, no. 6 (2018): 20–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.17721/2521-1706.2018.06.20-30.
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The development of the idea of wildlife conservation in the USA has investigated. The role of colonization of the North American continent in attracting interest to wildlife has identified. Two vectors of such influence are determined: negative impact (destruction of many species of flora and fauna) and positive (the discovery of unique natural landscapes). The contribution of American painters, writers, scholars, and statesmen of late 19th – 20th centuries in the disclosure of the non-economic value of wildlife and the creation of the first areas of its protection has defined. The US legislation on wildlife conservation in the twentieth century has analyzed. The role of US President Theodore Roosevelt in establishing the first US nature reserves has revealed. It has concluded that on the eve of World War II, American society has already spread an understanding of the importance of protecting wildlife and American presidents carried out fragmentary measures in this area. Despite the widespread perception of wildlife in American society in terms of assessing its economic value, which was associated with the needs of hunting and tourism development, an understanding of the importance of preserving the species of wild flora and fauna for the development of ecosystems has been already developed. On this basis, in the second half of the twentieth century, the first legislative acts on the protection of wildlife were adopted. It has proved that the first in the world the United States gave a legal definition of wildlife and enshrined it in 1964 the Wilderness Act. The term “wild river” introduced by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1968) has analyzed. The growth of the National System of Wildlife Refuges and the procedure for the creation of such sites in the USA have considered. The modern problems of wildlife conservation in the USA are clarified. It is found that they are closely connected with the considerable increase in resource requirements due to population growth and urbanization. A conclusion is made about the US influence on the development of wildlife conservation in European countries, which adopted the first laws in wildlife protection only in the 1990s.
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Brown, Madeline, Timothy Murtha, Whittaker Schroder, and Luwei Wang. "Defining Cultural Resources: A Case Study from the Mid-Atlantic United States." Human Organization 81, no. 1 (February 15, 2022): 47–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.17730/1938-3525-81.1.47.
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Integrating cultural and natural resources for large landscape conservation remains an applied challenge for landscape planners and resource managers across North America. When resources are considered at a regional scale, developing shared priorities, definitions, and metrics is an essential but complex process for successful conservation partnerships. Strategies exist for designing regional conservation models for natural resources, but methods for cultural resource conservation planning often remain focused on individual sites and buildings. Here, we build on our previous work with the Landscape Conservation Cooperatives to advance frameworks and spatial models for regionally integrated natural and cultural resource conservation design and planning. Specifically, we present the results of our survey of cultural resource specialists in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States to better understand how cultural resources are defined, classified, and valued by this group. Methods from applied cognitive anthropology are useful for uncovering cultural consensus and more marginalized perspectives around resource management priorities, offering a clear pathway for integrating cultural and natural resource conservation. We conclude by restating a call for a National GAP-like research program for cultural resources that integrates diverse cultural practices, perspectives, histories, and values of communities for designing future conservation priorities.
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Khoury, Colin K., Daniel Carver, Stephanie L. Greene, Karen A. Williams, Harold A. Achicanoy, Melanie Schori, Blanca León, John H. Wiersema, and Anne Frances. "Crop wild relatives of the United States require urgent conservation action." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, no. 52 (December 14, 2020): 33351–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2007029117.
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The contributions of crop wild relatives (CWR) to food security depend on their conservation and accessibility for use. The United States contains a diverse native flora of CWR, including those of important cereal, fruit, nut, oil, pulse, root and tuber, and vegetable crops, which may be threatened in their natural habitats and underrepresented in plant conservation repositories. To determine conservation priorities for these plants, we developed a national inventory, compiled occurrence information, modeled potential distributions, and conducted threat assessments and conservation gap analyses for 600 native taxa. We found that 7.1% of the taxa may be critically endangered in their natural habitats, 50% may be endangered, and 28% may be vulnerable. We categorized 58.8% of the taxa as of urgent priority for further action, 37% as high priority, and 4.2% as medium priority. Major ex situ conservation gaps were identified for 93.3% of the wild relatives (categorized as urgent or high priority), with 83 taxa absent from conservation repositories, while 93.1% of the plants were equivalently prioritized for further habitat protection. Various taxonomic richness hotspots across the US represent focal regions for further conservation action. Related needs include facilitating greater access to and characterization of these cultural-genetic-natural resources and raising public awareness of their existence, value, and plight.
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Schrijver, Nico J. "State Sovereignty in the Planetary Management of Natural Resources." Environmental Policy and Law 51, no. 1-2 (May 21, 2021): 13–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/epl-219002.
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Protagonists of global environmental governance often view the sovereign State as well as the principle of sovereignty as major stumbling blocks for effective environmental conservation and sustainable development. Some even herald the demise of the idea of the sovereign State. However, reality has it differently. Sovereignty is no longer an unqualified concept. Manifold new duties have been imposed upon the sovereign State as a result of the progressive development of international law. Much of the modern international law movement vests States with the responsibility to adopt regulations, to monitor and secure compliance and exercise justice in order to achieve its implementation, whereas supranational global environmental governance has remained notoriously weak. This article examines this proposition by reference to the environmental and developmental role of states in three landmark multilateral treaties: The United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (1982), the Convention on the Conservation of Biological Diversity (1992) and the Paris Agreement on climate change (2015). They demonstrate that sovereignty serves as a key organisational principle for the realization of global values, such as environmental conservation and sustainable development.
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R. Gunawardene, N. "Conservation for a New Generation: Redefining Natural Resources Management." Pacific Conservation Biology 16, no. 1 (2010): 66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc100066.
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Having studied environmental science and policy in the United States (US) during my undergraduate years, I was interested to read an overview of the legislative and administrative changes that have occurred in the US over the last 20 years. The first paragraph of the introduction thrust me into the position of the ?new generation? of natural resource practitioners that Professor Richard L. Knight?s generation has engendered. He put into perspective what my generation takes for granted- the cross-disciplinary nature of conservation biology and the effort that was required to get multi-disciplinary cooperation on environmental issues. The book is structured in three parts looking at current partners/stakeholders in land management, the tools that are available for conservation and land management and finally the middle ground, where the diverse parties involved in conservation of natural resources meet. Each part is supported by case studies, mainly from the US, written by people involved in each study.
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Licht, Daniel S., Brian C. Kenner, and Daniel E. Roddy. "A Comparison of the South African and United States Models of Natural Areas Management." ISRN Biodiversity 2014 (January 28, 2014): 1–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/737832.
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In May-June of 2013 we visited several South African parks and reserves to learn about wildlife and natural areas management in that country. We focused our visit on parks and reserves that are of moderate size (5,000–100,00 ha), comprised of grassland/savanna habitats, located within agrarian landscapes, and enclosed with boundary fences, characteristics similar to several parks and reserves in the Northern Great Plains region of the United States. In this paper we compare the South African model of natural areas management to the United States model. We observed that South African parks and reserves with the aforementioned characteristics are more likely to (1) reintroduce and conserve small, nonviable wildlife populations, (2) reintroduce and conserve top-level predators, (3) have more intensive management of wildlife, (4) manage in partnership across multiple landowners, (5) engage local communities, (6) be self-funding, and (7) restrict visitor movement. The South African model is arguably more effective in conserving biodiversity as measured by conservation of apex predators and natural processes. The differences between the countries appear to be driven in large part by socioeconomic factors. Knowledge of natural areas management in other countries may lead to more innovative and creative models that could benefit biodiversity conservation.
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Wildes, Fred T. "Recent Themes in Conservation Philosophy and Policy in the United States." Environmental Conservation 22, no. 2 (1995): 143–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0376892900010195.
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A key characteristic of conservation in the United States is the dichotomy between two main philosophies. One of these is anthropocentric and utilitarian, advocating the wise use of Nature and natural resources, while the other is basically ecocentric, as it espouses principles of nonuse and preservation. This dualism has existed since the early days of the conservation movement, when the formerly uncontrolled use of a supposedly limitless natural environment finally gave way to a policy of resource management which was designed to conserve Nature and resource availability within the framework of human utilization. Generally opposed to this historically dominant paradigm were those who believed in preserving Nature for its own sake, and who have laboured over the years to modify and ameliorate the prevalent, central pattern.After a period of relative unconcern, conservation underwent a resurgence as part of the environmental movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Environmental quality was the key concern, being highlighted by problems of pollution and degradation of the natural habitat. While providing the impetus for some broad environmental and conservation measures, this central focus directed primary attention to setting the problems. The traditional dominance of utilitarian resource management was maintained, relying on our managerial and scientific skills to address heightened environmental concerns. The era also spawned a number of other philosophies and themes. These have included a renewed sense of the ethics and spirituality of Nature, the emergence of ecology as a publicly-recognized-as-important field of science, ‘greener’ ecocentric movements, theories advocating more radical change, neo-Marxist theory on the relationship between Man and Nature, and various themes on limiting environmental growth and stress especially imposed by everincreasing human numbers.
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Blower, John. "Conservation priorities in Burma." Oryx 19, no. 2 (April 1985): 79–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0030605300019773.
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In 1981 the Government of Burma, conscious that it should be doing more to conserve its natural resources, invited the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Development Programme of the United Nations to assist in a project to identify areas suitable for national parks and reserves. The Minister of Agriculture and Forests has already decided to establish one of the proposed parks, Alaungdaw Kathapa, and it is hoped that the rest will follow. The author was in charge of the project for its three-year duration.
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Banzhaf, H. Spencer. "THE ENVIRONMENTAL TURN IN NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS: JOHN KRUTILLA AND “CONSERVATION RECONSIDERED”." Journal of the History of Economic Thought 41, no. 1 (March 2019): 27–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1053837218000305.
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Environmentalism in the United States historically has been divided into its utilitarian and preservationist impulses, represented by Gifford Pinchot and John Muir, respectively. Pinchot advocated conservation of natural resources to be used for human purposes; Muir advocated protection from humans, for nature’s own sake. In the first half of the twentieth century, natural resource economics was firmly in Pinchot’s side of that schism. That position began to change as the postwar environmental movement gained momentum. In particular, John Krutilla, an economist at Resources for the Future, pushed economics to the point that it could embrace Muir’s vision as well as Pinchot’s. Krutilla argued that if humans preferred a preserved state to a developed one, then such preferences were every bit as “economic.” Either way, there were opportunity costs and an economic choice to be made.
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Pellizzaro, Patrícia Costa, Letícia Peret Antunes Hardt, Carlos Hardt, Marlos Hardt, and Dyala Assef Sehli. "Stewardship and management of protected natural areas: the international context." Ambiente & Sociedade 18, no. 1 (March 2015): 19–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1809-4422asoc509v1812015en.
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The international system for the classification of protected natural areas developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is intended to provide a common language for the management of these areas. The main objective of this study is to examine the institutional compatibility between different countries and the guidelines proposed by the IUCN. The method used consisted of a comparative analysis of the institutional and legal frameworks in South Africa, Australia, Brazil, China, the United States and Italy. The findings indicate that few countries have adopted the IUCN proposals in their entirety. Some have adapted their laws to the international guidelines, although with various changes, such as differences in the nomenclature used for management categories, while in other countries the legislation diverges substantially from these guidelines. In conclusion, these divergences and incompatibilities make it difficult to exchange experiences at an international level and adopt common strategies for the conservation of natural heritage.
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Hochmair, Hartwig, and Adam Benjamin. "An Introduction to USGS Topo Maps." EDIS 2021, no. 1 (January 26, 2021): 7. http://dx.doi.org/10.32473/edis-fr432-2021.
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Topographic maps provide both a detailed and accurate representation of cultural and natural features on the ground and a quantitative representation of relief, usually using contour lines. They can be used to address spatial questions in disciplines related to natural resources, hydrology, forestry, agriculture, or ecology. In 1879, the United States Geological Survey began to map the topography of the United States, producing new map versions of each area at semi-regular time intervals. US Topo maps are the current generation of USGS topographic maps. Unlike traditional topographic maps, the US Topo product is automatically generated from national map databases with topographic maps and produced every three years for all 48 of the contiguous United States, Hawaii, and the United States territories. They are published as freely available geospatial PDF documents that facilitate coordinate readings and spatial measurements (e.g. distance, area) through built-in georeferencing technology. This 7-page fact sheet written by Hartwig H. Hochmair and Adam R. Benjamin and published by the UF/IFAS School of Forest Resources and Conservation focuses on US Topo quadrangle download procedures and layer structure. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr432
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Lemons, John. "United States' National Park Management: Values, Policy, and Possible Hints for Others." Environmental Conservation 14, no. 4 (1987): 329–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0376892900016842.
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National park managers have to make difficult and often controversial decisions regarding how best to protect parks' resources and provide for their continuing use and enjoyment. Strictly speaking, resolution of parks' problems must be based on whether the NPS is adhering to its legislative mandate to regulate development and use and to protect parks' resources. The most basic fiduciary duties of the NPS are to manage resources in natural conditions, provide for use and enjoyment, and provide benefits for present and future generations. However, neither the legislation, judicial interpretations, nor the NPS, has defined the terms natural, appropriate forms (values) of use and enjoyment, or how to resolve intergenerational conflicts between present and future generations. Because neither scientific standards nor criteria of appropriate use have been defined, the NPS traditionally has fashioned policy by compromise—to reflect different citizen constituencies with preferences for different and often conflicting values.
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Lee, John R. "A Primer on Conducting Oil and Gas Operations in the Northern Rocky Mountain States: A Strange New World." Alberta Law Review 38, no. 1 (June 1, 2000): 74. http://dx.doi.org/10.29173/alr516.
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This article surveys issues relevant to Canadian oil and gas developers working in the northern Rocky Mountain states in the United States. It begins by providing an historical overview of land ownership in those states and then reviews the methods used to search for title to lands and potential resources therein. The author goes on to address several discrete areas which affect oil and gas operations in the northern Rocky Mountain states with a particular emphasis on oil and gas conservation.
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Dmitriev, S. "Energy Strategy of the United States: Correction of Priorities." World Economy and International Relations, no. 3 (2014): 13–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.20542/0131-2227-2014-3-13-23.
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Сomprehensive energy strategy presumes focusing of U.S. government’s and private investors’ efforts in the following key areas: increasing energy efficiency of the national economy, search for effective alternative to traditional motor fuels, safe and responsible production of hydrocarbon resources, promotion of renewable energy investments, accent on the innovation component of the energy complex. Thanks to “shale revolution”, the US will fully cover domestic demand for natural gas by domestic production and may become an exporter of LNG. Cheap gas is a competitive advantage for the United States and can serve as a foundation for a new era of rapid economic development. Dependence on the supply of oil from abroad will gradually weaken, but doubts remain about the U.S. ability to achieve full self-sufficiency in oil.
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Hinkeldey, Heidi, Scott Zengel, Elaine Inouye, Christina Sames, and Samuel Hall. "Unusually Sensitive Areas (USAs) for Ecological Resources: Maps and GIS Data for the United States." International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings 2003, no. 1 (April 1, 2003): 687–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.7901/2169-3358-2003-1-687.
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ABSTRACT The U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is required to identify areas unusually sensitive to environmental damage in the event of a hazardous liquid pipeline accident. Pipeline segments where a release could impact an USA are subject to additional prevention, mitigation, and response measures than what has previously been implemented by pipeline operators. Ecological USAs have been identified and mapped for the entire United States using data and expertise from many different sources. The final mapping product was completed at Research Planning, Inc, Columbia, South Carolina and was sent to OPS for distribution to the pipeline operators. USAs are selected from a set of candidate resources that include federally threatened and endangered species, imperiled species (generally 20 or fewer known populations world-wide), depleted marine mammals, and high concentration areas for migratory waterbirds. Final USAs include all critically imperiled species (generally 5 or fewer known populations world-wide), multi-species assemblages (three or more overlapping candidate resource types), Ramsar sites (areas designated under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat), Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) sites, high quality candidate occurrences (condition or viability of a species occurrence as determined by the Natural Heritage Programs) and candidate species that are aquatic dependent or terrestrial with limited home range sizes. RSPA's Geographic Information System (GIS) model integrates state Natural Heritage Program data, Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) data, Ramsar and WHSRN data and maps, hydrography, and species habitat and range classifications assigned by project ecologists. A summary map of all ecological USAs is presented at a nation-wide scale. The map provides specific examples as given by OPS, of regions: Southern, Southwest, Central, Eastern, and Western. States with high concentrations of liquid pipelines are also presented. This project and its results are unique in that they represent one of the first nation-wide compilations of ecological data for the purposes of a standardized pipeline risk assessment.
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Adhikari, Ram K., Robert K. Grala, Daniel R. Petrolia, Stephen C. Grado, Donald L. Grebner, and Anusha Shrestha. "Landowner Willingness to Accept Monetary Compensation for Managing Forests for Ecosystem Services in the Southern United States." Forest Science 68, no. 2 (January 28, 2022): 128–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/forsci/fxab063.
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Abstract Distributional specifications of the willingness-to-accept function affect the accuracy of welfare estimates when the contingent valuation model includes unsure responses. By exponentiating the bid variable, we implemented an improved methodological approach to estimate four discrete choice models reflecting treatment of unsure responses. Landowners required an average compensation of $93 acre−1 year−1 to participate in a 10-year conservation program. The probability of participation was positively influenced by payment amount, concern about wildlife habitat loss, contact frequency with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and education level. Findings will help determine regional-level budgets for various conservation scenarios facilitating an increased production of ecosystem services. Study Implications Conservation agencies can decrease landowner uncertainty that arises from limited information about conservation programs and motivate landowners to enroll in a conservation program facilitating an increased production of ecosystem services by offering adequate monetary incentives. Conservation agencies can provide similar financial compensation for conservation of bottomland hardwoods and pine stands but will most likely need to offer greater compensation for the protection of forests prone from impacts by wildfires, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Available funding should be prioritized for conservation of critical habitats and freshwater sources vulnerable to land disturbances.
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Stratton, Cheyenne E., and Robert J. DiStefano. "Is Native Crayfish Conservation a Priority for United States and Canadian Fish and Wildlife Agencies?" Freshwater Crayfish 26, no. 1 (February 12, 2021): 25–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.5869/fc.2021.v26-1.25.
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Abstract Crayfish are key organisms in freshwater ecosystems across the United States (USA) and Canada, yet are among their most highly imperiled taxonomic groups. In 1996, a committee of prominent USA crayfish biologists warned of a crayfish imperilment plight and neglect of the fauna by natural resources agencies. It is unclear whether crayfish conservation has been prioritized by those agencies in the intervening decades. Our objective was to evaluate the status of crayfish conservation and management in 50 USA and 13 Canadian fish and wildlife agencies through a telephone survey. Fifty-one percent of agencies employed biologists to conduct crayfish work, mostly in the southern USA, and focused on threats (e.g., invasive species) or species’ distributions and conservation status. Of the 32 agencies working on crayfish, 59% considered them a priority, but 53% acknowledged insufficient funding. The most commonly cited information needs were threats, species compositions (native and introduced), distributions, conservation status assessments, and ecology. We report an encouraging but limited increase in agencies working on crayfish over the past two decades.
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Zwicke, Greg, and Allison Costa. "10 Conservation Planning for Greenhouse Gases in Animal Agriculture." Journal of Animal Science 100, Supplement_3 (September 21, 2022): 5–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skac247.008.
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Abstract The United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) works in a voluntary and collaborative manner with agricultural producers to solve natural resource issues on private lands. One of the key steps in formulating a solution to those natural resource issues is a conservation planning process that identifies the issues, highlights one or more conservation practice standards that can be used to address those issues, and allows the agricultural producer to select those conservation practices that make sense for their operation. In this conservation planning process, USDA-NRCS looks at natural resource issues related to soil, water, air, plants, animals, and energy (SWAPA+E). With the increasing focus on Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry, the air quality natural resource concern associated with greenhouse gases is of particular importance. This presentation will focus on the USDA-NRCS conservation planning process for determining whether greenhouse gases from confined animal production is a resource concern and the conservation practice standard options that can be used to address an identified resource concern for greenhouse gases from confined animal production.
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Litvaitis, John A., Jeffery L. Larkin, Darin J. McNeil, Don Keirstead, and Bridgett Costanzo. "Addressing the Early-Successional Habitat Needs of At-Risk Species on Privately Owned Lands in the Eastern United States." Land 10, no. 11 (October 21, 2021): 1116. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land10111116.
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Public lands alone are insufficient to address the needs of most at-risk wildlife species in the U.S. As a result, a variety of voluntary incentive programs have emerged to recruit private landowners into conservation efforts that restore and manage the habitats needed by specific species. We review the role of one such effort, Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW), initiated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Using two at-risk species in the eastern U.S. (where private lands dominate), we show the substantial potential that WLFW has for restoring and maintaining needed habitats. Monitoring how effective these efforts are on populations of the target species has been challenging, and both monitoring and implementation are being modified in response to new information. Identifying landowner motivations is essential for developing long-term relationships and conservation success. As WLFW projects develop, they are moving toward a more holistic ecosystem approach, within which the conservation goals of at-risk species are embedded.
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Scovazzi, Tullio. "NEGOTIATING CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF MARINE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN AREAS BEYOND NATIONAL JURISDICTION: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES." Italian Yearbook of International Law Online 24, no. 1 (October 22, 2015): 61–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/22116133-90000074a.
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Negotiations will start at the United Nations in order to draft an agreement on conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond national jurisdiction. It will address, together and as a whole, marine genetic resources, including questions on the sharing of benefits, area-based management tools, including marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments, capacity building and transfer of marine technology. The new agreement would fill certain gaps currently existing in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It could include provisions for strategic impact assessment of activities affecting the environment, the creation of a network of high seas marine protected areas of world importance and the establishment of a new regime for the exploitation of genetic resources. The question is open whether such a new regime should be based on the principle of the freedom of the seas, and in this case the very need of such a regime becomes questionable, or rather on the principle of common heritage of mankind. A third possibility involves a pragmatic approach, as proposed by the European Union and its Member States, an approach that however is still to be defined in its concrete elements.
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Cruse-Sanders, Jennifer. "Postcards from the Field." Sibbaldia: the International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture, no. 14 (January 17, 2017): 141–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.24823/sibbaldia.2016.205.
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Increasingly, botanic gardens and arboreta are highlighted as effective partners to conserve plant species diversity and restore natural communities at a time when the need for these activities has become more urgent. Capacity for restoration and conservation at botanic gardens comes directly from staff expertise for horticulture and research. Botanic gardens make good partners for connecting botanical science with conservation practice. They are in a position to communicate information about rare plant species to owners and managers of public and private lands, and they can be instrumental in creating networks for effective conservation action. Several examples from south-eastern United States of America illustrate how this has been put into practice. These examples provide evidence that efforts to expand collaboration between federal agencies, states and non-governmental organisations can lead to effective alliances to conserve plant biodiversity, especially when plants receive a disproportionately low share of resources for conservation.
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Hise, Chris, Brian Obermeyer, Marissa Ahlering, Jessica Wilkinson, and Joseph Fargione. "Site Wind Right: Identifying Low-Impact Wind Development Areas in the Central United States." Land 11, no. 4 (March 24, 2022): 462. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land11040462.
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To help avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change, society needs to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century. Wind energy provides a clean, renewable source of electricity; however, improperly sited wind facilities pose known threats to wildlife populations and contribute to degradation of natural habitats. To support a rapid transition to low-carbon energy while protecting imperiled species, we identified potential low-impact areas for wind development in a 19-state region of the central U.S. by excluding areas with known wildlife sensitivities. By combining maps of sensitive habitats and species with wind speed and land use information, we demonstrate that there is significant potential to develop wind energy in the region while avoiding significant negative impacts to wildlife. These low-impact areas have the potential to yield between 930 and 1550 GW of name-plate wind capacity. This is equivalent to 8–13 times current U.S. installed wind capacity. Our analysis demonstrates that ambitious low-carbon energy goals are achievable while minimizing risks to wildlife.
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McKerrow, Alexa, Anne Davidson, Matthew Rubino, Don Faber-Langendoen, and Daryn Dockter. "Quantifying the Representation of Plant Communities in the Protected Areas of the U.S.: An Analysis Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Groups." Forests 12, no. 7 (June 30, 2021): 864. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f12070864.
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Plant communities represent the integration of ecological and biological processes and they serve as an important component for the protection of biological diversity. To measure progress towards protection of ecosystems in the United States for various stated conservation targets we need datasets at the appropriate thematic, spatial, and temporal resolution. The recent release of the LANDFIRE Existing Vegetation Data Products (2016 Remap) with a legend based on U.S. National Vegetation Classification allowed us to assess the conservation status of plant communities of the U.S. The map legend is based on the Group level of the USNVC, which characterizes the regional differences in plant communities based on dominant and diagnostic plant species. By combining the Group level map with the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US Ver 2.1), we quantified the representation of each Group. If the mapped vegetation is assumed to be 100% accurate, using the Aichi Biodiversity target (17% land in protection by 2020) we found that 159 of the 265 natural Groups have less than 17% in GAP Status 1 & 2 lands and 216 of the 265 Groups fail to meet a 30% representation target. Only four of the twenty ecoregions have >17% of their extent in Status 1 & 2 lands. Sixteen ecoregions are dominated by Groups that are under-represented. Most ecoregions have many hectares of natural or ruderal vegetation that could contribute to future conservation efforts and this analysis helps identify specific targets and opportunities for conservation across the U.S.
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GARRETT, E. SPENCER, MICHAEL L. JAHNCKE, and JOHM M. TENNYSON. "Microbiological Hazards and Emerging Food-Safety Issues Associated with Seafoods†." Journal of Food Protection 60, no. 11 (November 1, 1997): 1409–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x-60.11.1409.
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The United States is entering into a new era in which dwindling natural fisheries resources are forcing regulatory agencies to develop a more holistic approach to seafood safety and natural marine resource issues. Public health issues associated with seafoods can be grouped as (i) environmentally induced (i.e., natural or anthropogenic), (ii) process-induced, (iii) distribution-induced, or (iv) consumer-induced hazards. Similarly, loss of habitat and ecosystem degradation threaten the future viability of fisheries and have important ramifications for seafood safety. In the United States, large-scale legistlative efforts are underway to reexamine regulatory food control systems. The driving forces behind these efforts are the discovery of new emerging pathogens for which little information is available and dramatic improvements in analytic technology that allow for detection of low levels of microbial and chemical contaminants in foods. The global nature of seafood trading issues and the worldwide implementation of new preventative food safety programs such as hazard analysis for critical control points are driving some of the efforts to build new scientific bridges that will reevaluate current risk analysis strategies. New scientific bridges are needed to close the gaps between the scientific community and society concerning the effects of anthropogenic impacts on seafood safety and the heatlh of coastal habitats and associated fishery resources. The driving force behind this latter issue is the realization that the United States has lost over half of its original coastal wetlands areas. Protecting, conserving, and restoring the health and safety of our fisheries resources will require an integrated approach of food science and fishery science.
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Lim, Michelle, and Nengye Liu. "Condominium Arrangements as a Legal Mechanism for the Conservation of the South China Sea Large Marine Ecosystem." Asia-Pacific Journal of Ocean Law and Policy 2, no. 1 (June 7, 2017): 52–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/24519391-00201005.
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The South China Sea Large Marine Ecosystem is one of the world’s richest marine biodiversity areas. The sea area is however the site of increasing tensions between its ten coastal States, six of which have competing claims in the South China Sea. The expanding populations and economies of the coastal States have also resulted in the growing depletion of the Sea’s rich marine resources. Coordinated approaches are needed to protect the unique biodiversity and natural resources of the South China Sea at the appropriate ecological scale. The continuation of sovereignty disputes are detrimental to all coastal states as well as international economic interests of non-claimant states which arise as a result of the Sea’s status as a globally important trade route. This paper urges coastal states to adopt a far-sighted outlook which ensures long-term sustainable ecosystems, livelihoods and economies of the region. To do this, a shift in approach which emphasises collaborative management of marine ecosystems is required instead of a scramble for sovereignty to exclusively exploit living and non-living resources. This paper therefore explores how the shared governance arrangement of a condominium could facilitate the exercise of sovereignty for the shared benefit of all coastal States. The paper argues that the condominium approach would enable State parties to put aside thorny sovereignty disputes in favour of collaboration to protect the area’s important and unique biodiversity.