Unit 7 Land Management Thursday, February 11 th, 2016

Resources are vital to us We need to carefully manage the limited resources we take from the natural world Resource management = the practice of harvesting potentially renewable resources in ways that do not deplete them –Resource managers are influenced by political, economic, and social factors –A key question is whether to focus on the resource of interest or to look more broadly at the entire environmental system

Natural resources are vital to us We need resources –Soils: agriculture, natural communities –Water: drinking, agriculture, wildlife –Wildlife and fisheries: game, nongame, and marine species –Rangeland: livestock –Minerals: mined nonrenewable resources

Maximum sustainable yield Maximum sustainable yield = aims to achieve the maximum amount of resource extraction –Without depleting the resource from one harvest to the next Populations grow most rapidly at an intermediate size –Population size is about half its carrying capacity –Managed populations are well below what they would naturally be Reducing populations so drastically affects other species and can change the entire ecosystem

Ecosystem-based management Ecosystem-based management = managing the harvesting of resources to minimize impact on the ecosystems and ecological processes –Carefully managing ecologically important areas –Considering patterns at the landscape level –Protecting some forested areas It is challenging for managers to determine how to implement this type of management –Ecosystems are complex, and our understanding of how they operate is limited

Adaptive management evolves and improves Adaptive management = systematically testing different management approaches and aiming to improve methods –Monitoring results and adjusting methods as needed –A fusion of science and management –Time-consuming and complicated The 1994 Northwest Forest Plan resolved disputes between loggers and preservationists over the remaining old-growth temperate rainforests in the continental U.S. –Allowed limited logging –Protected species and ecosystems –Science-guided management in Oregon, Washington, and California

Forest Management Forests cover over 30% of Earth’s land surface –Provide habitat, maintain soil, air, and water quality, and play key roles in biogeochemical cycles –Provide wood for fuel, construction, paper production Foresters, professionals who manage forests through the practice of forestry, must balance ecosystem services with demand for wood products

Ecological value of forests One of the richest ecosystems for biodiversity –Structural complexity houses great biodiversity A forest provides many ecosystem services –Stabilizes soil and prevents erosion –Slows runoff, lessens flooding, purifies water –Stores carbon, releases oxygen, moderates climate

Logging Sustainability With your group, discuss the “sustainability” of each method of logging presented last class. Sustainability = ability to continue a defined behavior indefinitely (will not deplete the natural capital)

Residential Land Suburban- areas surrounding metropolitan centers with low population densities. Exurban- similar to suburban areas, but are not connected to any central city or densely populated area.

Urban Sprawl Urban sprawl- the creation of urbanized areas that spread into rural areas. The four main concerns of urban sprawl in the U.S. are: automobiles and highway construction living costs (people can get more land and a larger house in the suburbs for the same amount of money) urban blight (city revenue shrinks as people move to the suburbs) government policies

Government Policies Highway Trust Fund- a federal gasoline tax to pay for construction and maintenance of roads and highways. Zoning- a planning tool to create quieter and safer communities. For example, prohibiting the development of a factory or strip mall in a residential area. Multi-use zoning- allows retail and high-density residential development to coexist in the same area. Subsidized mortgages- low interest rates offered to people to purchase a home that would otherwise not be able to do so.

Smart Growth Mixed land uses create a range of housing opportunities and choices create walkable neighborhoods encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions take advantage of compact building design Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty and critical environmental areas Provide a variety of transportation choices Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost-effective

Sustainable Cities: Urban Land Use and Management Introduction to the Land Use Planning Project

Key Concepts  Distribution of urban and rural populations  Factors determining urban development  Resource and environmental problems in urban areas  Effects of transportation systems on urban growth  Planning and controlling urban growth  Making cities more sustainable and desirable

Urbanization and Urban Growth  Urban (metropolitan) area -more than 2,500 (10-50K)  Rural area -less than 2,500  Village- group of rural households, cultural or familial ties  City -large, variety of peoples  Degrees of urbanization -% of pop. Living in urban area  Urban growth: natural increase and immigration

Patterns of Urban Growth  Increasing proportion of population -90% urban Growth in developing  Increasing proportion of population -90% urban Growth in developing  Great increase in large cities (>1,000,000) Megacities-Tokyo, Mexico City (10 mil or more)  Great increase in large cities (>1,000,000) Megacities-Tokyo, Mexico City (10 mil or more)  Increasing rapidly in developing counties  Urban growth slower in developed countries  Poverty in urban areas increasing

Urbanization in the US  Migration to large central cities  Migration from cities to suburbs -American Dream –ideal family life. Lower cost of living, Increases urban sprawl.  Migration from cities to suburbs -American Dream –ideal family life. Lower cost of living, Increases urban sprawl.  Migration from north and east to south and west –undeveloped areas, green spaces (less water resources) lower cost of living in some locations*  Urban sprawl  Spatial patterns of development

Major Urban Regions in the US

Impacts of Urban Sprawl

Urban Resource and Environmental Problems  Air and water pollution; waste management  Reduction in vegetation  Importation of food, energy, and materials  Climate impacts: urban heat island  Noise pollution  Impacts on surrounding rural areas

Urban Areas: Inputs and Outputs

Transportation and Urban Development  Individual transit - Advantages and Disadvantages????  Mass transit  Buses  Trains  Automobiles

Urban Land-Use Planning and Control  Land-use planning  Ecological land-use planning  Property taxes  Zoning -land designated for specific uses –control growth or protect areas  Smart growth -less dependence on cars, discourage urban sprawl  Urban growth boundary  Cluster development  Greenways

Solutions: Making Urban Areas More Livable and Sustainable  New cities and towns  Ecocity (green city)  Trees and climate-specific landscaping  People-oriented  People-involved