Land Use in the World Land Use in

Land Use in the World

Land Use in the United States Rangeland pasture 29%

U. S. Public Lands

Managing U. S. Public Lands Ø Management ethics Ø Economic Ø Balanced multiple use Ø Ecological Ø Preservationist

Changing Management Ø Through late-1800 s: economic Ø Developed to maximize use and profit Ø Sold to homesteaders, railroads, timber and mining companies

Changing Management Ø Late-1800 s: balanced multiple use Ø Use in several ways, but manage properly so resource is not damaged Ø Maximum sustained yield Ø Set aside forest reserves to ensure adequate timber supply, protect river watersheds

Changing Management Ø Also late-1800 s: ecological Ø Use it, but emphasize maintaining natural aspects (plants, animals) Ø 1872: lands set aside for eventual 1 st national park - Yellowstone Ø Ethic supported greatly by U. S. President Theodore Roosevelt

Changing Management Ø Throughout 1900 s: preservationist Ø No development, leave as is for future Ø Aldo Leopold, WI conservationist Ø 1964: National Wilderness Act (4%) - lands set aside, retained in natural state, no development unless for the “national good”

Today’s Management Ø Most lands managed according to balanced multiple use or ecological ethics - e. g. U. S. Forest Service Bureau of Land Management Ø Public lands still facing many problems

Conflicting Demands Mineral Resources

Wilderness Problems Ø Suffering from overuse Ø Limited entry in many areas Ø Timber, mining companies want access to resources Ø For the “national good”

Park Problems Ø Severe overuse Ø Billions of visitors each year Ø Cars, noise, pollution, litter, crime Ø Conflicts between providing for visitor enjoyment and still conserving resources

Managing and Sustaining National Parks Ø Most parks are too small to maintain biodiversity Ø Invasion by exotic species Ø Popularity a major problem Ø Traffic jams and air pollution Ø Visitor impact (noise) Ø Natural regulation Ø Better pay for park staff

Forest Problems Ø Conflicting demands Ø Timber, grazing, recreation, mining, ecology Ø Ecological benefits: air cleaning, erosion control, oxygen, soil fertility, water recycling, wildlife shelter Ø Exceeding maximum sustained yield in many areas

Types of Forests Ø Old-growth (frontier) forests Ø Second-growth forests Ø Tree farms/plantations

Rangeland Problems Ø Overgrazing Ø Too many on too little for too long Ø Kills grass root systems Ø When combined with drought, overgrazing can cause desertification - conversion to desert

The Fuelwood Crisis Ø Planting fast-growing fuelwood plants Ø Burning wood more efficiently Ø Switching to other fuels

Degradation of Tropical Forests

Logging Roads Ø Increased erosion and runoff Ø Habitat fragmentation Ø Pathways for exotic species Ø Accessibility to humans

Tropical Deforestation Ø Rapid and increasing Ø Loss of biodiversity Ø Cultural extinction Ø Unsustainable agriculture and ranching Ø Clearing for cash crop plantations Ø Commercial logging Ø Fuelwood

Reducing Tropical Deforestation Ø Identification of critical ecosystems Ø Reducing poverty and population growth Ø Sustainable tropical agriculture Ø Encourage protection of large tracts Ø Debt-for-nature swaps Ø Less destructive harvesting methods