Term
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Definition
***2 approaches
*utilitarians--focus on using resources sustainably
*preservationists--focus on preserving wilderness areas as they are; nature has inherent value |
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Term
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Definition
***large source of biodiversity
***regulate climate, reduce air pollution, absorb carbon dioxide, provide wildlife habitats, prevent erosion, and filter over 2/3 of water supply
***source of recreation, timber, minerals, food, and raw materials for pharmaceuticals
***cover about 33% of US
***old-growth forests are particularly valuable to preservationists; trees are hundreds or thousands of years old
***clear-cutting is used by the timber industry more than selective cutting of trees--2/3 of harvesting is done by clear-cutting
***managed by the Forest Service |
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Term
| Regulation of public lands |
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Definition
***agencies responsible are Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Park Service
***Early homestead acts gave land to those who were willing to develop
***Forest Reserve Act of 1981--president was authorized to set aside land for national forests
***in 1964, Congress passed the Wilderness Act, which created the National Wilderness Preservation System--once land is designated a wilderness, its use is restricted
***as of 2006, 106,619 million acres had been designated
***the Forest and Rangelands Renewable Resource Planning Act of 1974 and the Public Rangelands Act of 1978 govern the use of rangelands
***only forests owned by federal government are covered by forest regulations |
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Term
| Federal Land Policy and Management Act |
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Definition
***passed in 1976
***requires Secretary of Interior to take any action necessary to prevent unnecessary degradation of the lands
***requires Bureau of Land Management to prepare plans for the 450 million acres of land it administers--similar plans are required for USDA under the National Forest Management Act |
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Term
| Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 |
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Definition
***signed by Bush in the name of fire prevention
***reduces some of the requirements that must be met before logging in certain forests |
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Term
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Definition
***area covered with water all or part of the year
***can be bogs, bottomland hardwoods, fens, mangrove swamps, marshes, swamps, prairie potholes, playa lakes, pocosins, vernal pools, wet meadows, or wet tundra (Alaska)
***wetland acreage is being lost, over 1/2 of US wetlands have been lost since 18th century
*coastal wetlands loss due primarily to development
*inland wetland loss due to filling in for agricultural use |
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Term
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Definition
***coastal wetlands and estuaries prevent erosion of coastlines
***provide food and habitat for many species, migratory birds
***home to 31% of plant species
***75% of fish caught commercially, 80-90% of fish caught recreationally
***improve quality of drinking water and prevent flooding
***provide natural products for human use |
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Term
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Definition
***main tool for preserving wetlands is Section 404 of Clean Water Act
*requires landowner seeking to add dredged or filled material to a wetland to obtain permit from Army Corps of Engineers
***many states also require additional compliance with state regulations |
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Term
| Regulation of wetlands and coastal areas |
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Definition
***Migratory Bird Rule prevents Corps of Engineers from issuing a permit to develop a wetland if it would disrupt migratory bird habitat
***Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 allows NOAA to designate areas as marine sanctuaries
***Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 authorizes Congress to provide matching funds to coastal states to assist in developing management plans for coastal lands
***1975--Ramsar Convention--international treaty with 152 parties--wetlands are designated as having international importance, and country must take steps to conserve and protect the wetlands
***Swampbuster Bill--any persons who produce crops on wetlands that were converted after 1985 will be ineligible for federal farm benefits
***National Estuary Program--under 1987 CWA Amendments--EPA issues grants after conservation and management plan for estuaries are developed--28 estuaries in program
***Bush announced "no net loss" policy for wetlands in 1989--no loss unless unavoidable; revised plan in 2003--focus on quality of restored wetlands, not quantity |
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Term
| Coastal Zone Management Act |
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Definition
***plans must include 9 elements,including
*definition of permissible land uses in the zone that will impact coastal waters
*definition of beach and plan for protection and access to public beaches
*planning process for studying and controlling erosion
***In 1990, CZMA was amended to require each state to develop a nonpoint source pollution control program--Coastal Zone Reauthorization Amendment Act |
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Term
| Estuary Restoration Act of 2000 |
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Definition
***passed as part of Estuaries and Clean Waters Act
***Goal--restore 1 million acres of estuary habitat by 2010
***established Estuary Habitat Restoration Council |
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