Conservation: Yellowstone is extraordinarily large, with 290 waterfalls, 17 rivers and acreage spanning across portions of three states. According to Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk, his park “is at the heart of the largest intact ecosystem in the temperate zone in the United States, if not the world” (interview). It’s called
In conclusion, this paper has examined and evaluated the concepts and benefits, along with the plausible downfalls of rewilding. Undoubtedly the concerns brought forward by opponents are conclusive- the reintroduction of alien species to restore ecosystems to the state it was a hundred years ago, sounds unattainable and may possibly destroy the current ecosystems of the Earth. Besides that, it is irrefutable that calamity may surface due to the integration of wildlife into civilization. However, the Earth’s sixth mass extinction is afoot. Thus, the need to rewild is increasingly urgent, if humans continue with their selfish ways the world will see to mass extinction as its fate (“The Sixth Extinction”, 2013). Despite the risks involved in rewilding,
Wondrous Wetlands Ecology Summary SUMMARY Wondrous Wetlands is an article about the conservation department of Missouri finding ways to save wetlands for future generations. Those who are directly impacted by wetlands are those who enjoy things such as hunting and wildlife watching, but can affect everyone, because wetlands contribute to the clean water that we drink and even cycling nutrients in our environment. When wetlands began to diminish in the 1980’s, conservationists realized there was a problem when they saw waterfowl populations’ diminishing. The department then developed a plan to develop more wetlands to try and save the populations, which was known as the 1989 Wetland Plan. The wetland plan developed an additional 12,500 acres
Yosemite National Park, founded in 1890, thanks largely to the efforts of John Muir, is 748,000 acres situated in the Sierra Nevada mountain range within the state of California. The park, home to over 400 species of animals, five separate forests and zones, eight types of rocks and cliffs, and nine waterfalls, attracts many visitors. The park’s landscape changes with the seasons; there is also a variety of activities that visitors can participate in depending on the season and weather. The National Park Service strives to preserve Yosemite; it is home to many threatened and endangered species, wildflowers that only exist in Yosemite, and all the park’s geological features and natural beauty should not be harm by man.
The boundaries between maintenance and the expansion of humanity should be known clearly by everyone, because nature is so unpredictable yet fragile that we should not be continuing to develop and expand blindly. One individual who shares such sentiment is Michael Pollan, in his book “The Idea of a Garden” he talked about a massive tornado which devastated a familiar forest of pines in New England. In the aftermath of this natural disaster, there was a debate about how they were going to clean up such a mess. Two solutions were provided, the first was to let nature as it is and not bother to replace anything that was lost. The second solution was make a huge overhaul, and cut down everything in the forest in order to plant new trees, as a result their descendants can enjoy the radiance that once was. The common theme was that
16. Can ecosystems be restored? What has to happen for that to work? Ecosystems can be restored by retaining and restoring the ecological sustainability of watersheds, forests, and rangelands for present and future generations.
8. Restoration ecologists study the ecological communities before humans had any interaction with it. The importance of this study is that if the ecosystem can’t function we are able to do something about it.
The restoration of grasslands and forests is extremely important when it comes to breeding grounds for ducks. Dabbling Ducks use the tall grass found around ponds or in marshes to build nest and raise their young. Diving Ducks will flock to flooded forest areas and build a nest inside the holes of a tree and they will raise their young from above the ground. In recent years these habitats have been reduced significantly for farming and other purposes. In order to restore these habitats Ducks Unlimited must first purchase the land from the landowner. After they have the rights to the property they will begin to make changes to the area so it can be a more suitable ecosystem for waterfowl. When restoring grasslands Ducks Unlimited will replant the local grasses and dig ponds in the area, these actions will help hatchlings survive to adulthood. After these properties have been restored Ducks Unlimited will donate the land to government agencies that
The sad injustice to nature is that man has forgotten the biotic connection between the natural world and humanity. Whether protecting nature is a spiritual experience or simply a means for survival, nature is as much a part of human life as the human themselves. The separation created by modern environmentalism between human and non-human entities can only be reunited if people learn to view life as a part of nature. The scary part about that thought, however, is will that be enough now? Only time can
Alaskan men have a long history of struggling to survive in the wilderness. Today, some, like the Gwich 'in, a native Alaskan tribe, still choose to live off nature. Recently, though a new argument has come to Alaska, one that could destroy the traditions of the Gwich’in forever. Politicians, environmentalists,
He mentions that the Montana Yaak Valley has not been included in the “already in effect” Wilderness Act of 1964 and so far “not a single acre” (5) has been designated. The Yaak is public land and falls under the government’s passed Act, but it is thought by a good majority of the opposition as “private land.” He also explains that because his “home valley of the Yaak grows big timber and for this reason primarily was excluded from earlier Montana wilderness protection bills in the 1960’s, 70’s, and 80’s” (3). He states why the timber industry is against bills for the protection of wild lands, and that is because it needs the woods to produce labor opportunities. Bass also mentions a strategy formed, which pertained to assigning specific areas within the protected land to be used for recreational purposes, in order to please the opposition. Lastly, he insists that the Yaak, as one of the United States’ lungs, is worth protecting because “it nurtures the greatest biodiversity in the state” (2). The reality is that the Yaak Valley is a relative large area with minimum human involvement, which is perfect to maintain the existence of many fauna and
References Duerksen, C. & Snyder, C., (2005). Nature-friendly communities: habitat protection and land use. Case Study for Austin, TX; Washington, DC: Island Press Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.apus.edu/lib/apus/Doc?id=10149942
I boarded the Amtrak the early morning of November 5th, 2016 from Davis, California to the Peytonia Slough Ecological Reserve (Peytonia Reserve) in Suisun, California. The trip to this brackish and saltwater reserve was to help me analyze the relationship between humans and wildlife in urban settings. Urban environments depend on the rehabilitation and protection of small natural areas like the Peytonia Reserve. At the Peytonia Reserve, both humans and native/non-native species live in cohabitation, which paints an accurate representation of reconciliation ecology. Humans use these natural areas, the Peytonia Reserve in this case, for recreational activities like hunting and fishing. This, in turn, benefits the wildlife that lives in the area because hunters and fishers want the environment to be well maintained in order to support their activities. I came up with the conclusion that even though humans have more to benefit from wildlife, wildlife also depends on humans to help protect and conserve their habitats.
The Yaak Valley of northern Montana is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the continental United States. It has cores of roadless wilderness that have been untouched by human activity and I believe that they should remain as such. The biodiverse ecosystem of the Yaak Valley benefits its human and non-human inhabitants and we should protect it from the detrimental effects of human activities, especially the violent changes caused by large timber companies and their practice of clear-cut logging. There are sustainable and pragmatic solutions that would address both human needs and protecting the biodiverse ecosystem.
I agree with Anderson’s idea of making use of restoration techniques used by California natives because it focuses on conservation through action rather than a “hands off” approach. The California native techniques may be useful because it can help caretakers actively participate in restoration of flora and fauna while learning about their habitat and what makes them flourish. The natives were also concerned with “a sense of respect which consequently promoted habitat heterogeneity, increased biodiversity, and a well maintained vegetation system” (Anderson 2005). If caretakers can take native management techniques and combine it with their background of sciences concerning the natural world they can come up with a whole new technique of restoration