17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 11 Public LandsPublic Lands17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 22 Public LandsPublic Lands  What are public lands?What are public lands?  How do public lands fit into environmental How do public lands fit into environmentalpolicy?policy? –– Clash of public interestsClash of public interests  Environmental protectionEnvironmental protection  Natural Resource Commodity ProductionNatural Resource Commodity Production –– Clash of public interest vs. private interestClash of public interest vs. private interest  Natural Resource Commodity ProductionNatural Resource Commodity Production  Multiple UseMultiple Use  Why has it been so difficult to bring sound Why has it been so difficult to bring soundenvironmental management to public environmental management to publiclands?lands?17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 33 Federal LandFederal Land  Roughly 30% of U.S. land is owned Roughly 30% of U.S. land is owned by the federal governmentby the federal government17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 44 Federal Public LandsFederal Public Lands17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 55 US Federally Managed Public US Federally Managed Public LandsLands Dept. of InteriorDept. of Interior 1212DOD/USACEDOD/USACE 602602TOTALTOTAL 151151 Dept. of Agric.Dept. of Agric. USFSUSFS 8484NPSNPS 9393USFWSUSFWS 262262BLMBLM Surface Acres Surface Acres Managed Managed17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 66 National Park ServiceNational Park Service  BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND –– 1832 Began with George 1832 Began with George Catlin’sCatlin’s vision to vision to preserve the western wildernesspreserve the western wilderness –– 1864 Congress Donates Yosemite to California 1864 Congress Donates Yosemite to California for a state parkfor a state park –– 1872 Yellowstone is the first national park1872 Yellowstone is the first national park –– 1916 President Wilson signs legislation 1916 President Wilson signs legislation creating the NPScreating the NPS  “to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic “to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” enjoyment of future generations.”17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 77 National Park ServiceNational Park Service Environmental IssuesEnvironmental Issues  Too many visitorsToo many visitors –– TrashTrash –– Automobile congestionAutomobile congestion –– InfrastructureInfrastructure  Multiple UseMultiple Use –– Snow Mobiles & other Snow Mobiles & other ORVsORVs  Noise & air pollutionNoise & air pollution  Harassment of WildlifeHarassment of Wildlife  Porous boundaries & Disobedient WildlifePorous boundaries & Disobedient Wildlife  InholderInholder RightsRights17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 88 Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land Management  BackgroundBackground –– 1812 Congress establishes General Land1812 Congress establishes General Land Office (Dept. of Treasury)Office (Dept. of Treasury) To dispose of lands acquired from Spain, To dispose of lands acquired from Spain, France, othersFrance, others –– 1934 Taylor Grazing Act established 1934 Taylor Grazing Act established Grazing ServiceGrazing Service –– 1946 Grazing Service and General Land1946 Grazing Service and General Land Office merged to create BLMOffice merged to create BLM17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 99 BLM LandsBLM Lands17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 1010 Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land Management Environmental IssuesEnvironmental Issues  Grazing ImpactsGrazing Impacts –– 170 million acres (+100 million acres USFS)170 million acres (+100 million acres USFS) –– Rangeland vegetationRangeland vegetation  OvergrazingOvergrazing  Invasive speciesInvasive species –– Riparian destructionRiparian destruction –– WildlifeWildlife  Predator & Pest “control”Predator & Pest “control”  MiningMining –– Toxic waste pollutionToxic waste pollution  Energy ExtractionEnergy Extraction  Multiple UseMultiple Use –– ORVsORVs17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 1111 National ForestsNational Forests  US Forest Service (Dept. of Agric.)US Forest Service (Dept. of Agric.) –– 93 million acres93 million acres  BLM (Dept. of Interior)BLM (Dept. of Interior) –– 100 million acres100 million acres  Sustained Yield, Multiple Use, & Sustained Yield, Multiple Use, & EcologyEcology17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics1212National ForestsNational Forests17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 1313 National ForestsNational Forests Environmental IssuesEnvironmental Issues  Timber vs. WildernessTimber vs. Wilderness –– 1976 1976 RoadlessRoadless Area Review & Area Review & EvalEval II  12 million acres (of 54 million) to remain wilderness12 million acres (of 54 million) to remain wilderness –– i.e., i.e., roadlessroadless –– 1978 RARE II1978 RARE II  16 million acres to remain wilderness16 million acres to remain wilderness  Increased multiple useIncreased multiple use –– 1990s (Clinton)1990s (Clinton)  58 million acres to remain wilderness58 million acres to remain wilderness –– 30% 30% –– A week before leaving officeA week before leaving office  Endangered Species & Watershed ProtectionEndangered Species & Watershed Protection  Multiple UseMultiple Use –– ORVsORVs of national forestsof national forests17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 1414 National Forest Timber YieldNational Forest Timber Yield 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 Million Board Feet Sold Timber17.32 Environmental Politics17.32 Environmental Politics 1515 National Forest Road ConstructionNational Forest Road Construction 0