There is a way that we can make environmental decisions based on our values. How would you vote on environmental issues? Would you just guess? We will be reading a hypothetical situation on the following slides about a small bird, and its possible addition to the endangered species list. What may be the impact of that addition? The town of Pleasanton, in Valley County (fictitious place) could be in for trouble, if they don’t make the right decision. Help them make the right decision, by following along and completing the decision-making model on the last slide.

In the town of Pleasanton, in Valley County, biologists from the local college have been studying the spotted warbler (a bird). The warblers have already disappeared from several areas around the state, and their numbers are declining in Valley County. The biologists warn government officials in the county that if something is not done, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may list the bird as an endangered species. Pleasanton is growing rapidly, and much of the new development is occurring outside the city limits. Valley County already has strict environmental controls on building, but these controls seem to be inadequate to protect the birds. Several environmental groups band together and propose that the county buy several hundred acres of land known to be critical habitat for the spotted warbler and make them into a Preserve, where no people are allowed to build, and the land is to remain in its natural state. Then, they propose that strict controls be placed on development on several hundred acres immediately around the preserve. To encourage growth in less sensitive areas, they propose that environmental restrictions on building be made less stringent than they are currently in those areas.

The environmental groups obtain enough signatures to put the issue to a vote. Not surprisingly, many property owners in the area of the proposed preserve are opposed to the plan. They say that they will suffer serious financial losses if they have to sell their land to the county rather than develop it. On the other hand, local leaders warn that if the warbler population falls so low that it must be listed as an endangered species, the recovery plan required by law may impose even stricter controls on development, threatening the economic health of the county. Many citizens of Pleasanton look forward to hiking and camping in the proposed nature preserve. Other residents are bothered by the idea of any government regulation restricting the use of private property. In this hypothetical situation, Pleasanton can be used to illustrate how to use the decision-making model. If there was a person in this county, concerned enough to vote on this issue, and they needed help in deciding how to vote, they might use the model on the next slide.

Should Valley County Set Aside a Nature Preserve? ConsequencesEnvironmentalEconomicRecreational Positive short-term consequences Negative short-term consequences Positive long-term consequences Negative long-term consequences. In your lab groups, create a chart that looks like this one on the large paper. Then, amongst those in your lab group, pick three values that you agree are most important (doesn’t have to be the values from the sample grid). Fill out the grid, and answer the question. Be prepared to discuss your answer with the class. Possible Values Include: Aesthetics, Economics, Environmental, Educational, Ethical/Moral, Health, Recreational, Scientific, Social/Cultural