APES Chapter 10 (Unit 2)

Tragedy of the Commons

Tragedy of the Commons

situation in which people acting individually and in their own interest use up commonly available but limited resources, creating disaster for the entire community

Externality

the cost or benefit of a good or service that is not included in the purchase price of that good or service

maximum sustainable yield (MSY)

the maximum amount of a renewable resource that can be harvested without compromising the future availability of that resource

resource conservation ethic

People should maximize resource use based on the greatest good for everyone.

multiple-use lands

A U.S. classification used to designate lands that may be used for recreation, grazing, timber harvesting, and mineral extraction.

BLM Lands (Bureau of Land Management)

grazing, mining, timber harvesting, and recreation (multiple-use land)

USFS Lands (United States Forest Service)

timber harvesting, grazing, and recreation (multiple-use land)

NPS Lands (National Parks Service)

recreation and conservation (multiple-use land)

FWS Lands (Fish & Wildlife Services)

wildlife conservation, hunting, and recreation

rangelands

dry, open grasslands (primarily used for cattle grazing)

forests

land dominated by trees and other woody vegetation and sometimes used for commercial logging

clear-cutting

involves removing all, or almost all, the trees within an area

selective cutting

Removes single trees or relatively small number of trees from among many in a forest

ecologically sustainable forestry

logging with an approach of maintaining all species-both plants and animals-in as close to their natural state as possible

tree plantation

a large area typically planted with a single rapidly growing tree species

perscribed burn

A fire deliberately set under controlled conditions in order to reduce the accumulation of dead biomass on a forest floor

National Environmental Policy Act

(1969) Environmental Impact Statements must be done before any project affecting federal lands can be started

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

outlines the scope and purpose of the project, describes the environmental context, suggests alternative approaches to the project, and analyzes the environmental impact of each alternative.

Environmental mitigation statement

how it will address the project's environmental impact.

Endangered Species Act

(1973) identifies threatened and endangered species and their habitats in the U.S., and puts their protection ahead of economic considerations

Taylor Grazing Act

A United States federal law that regulates and permits grazing on federal public land.

national wildlife refuge

a federal public land managed for the primary purpose of protecting wildlife

national wilderness area

An area set aside with the intent of preserving a large tract of intact ecosystem or a landscape.

suburban

An area surrounding a metropolitan center, with a comparatively low population density.

exuburan

areas similar to suburban areas but are not connected to any central city or densely populated area.

urban sprawl

the creation of unurbanized areas that spread into rural areas and remove clear boundaries between the two.

urban blight

The degradation of the built and social environments of the city that often accompanies and accelerates migration to the suburbs

Highway Trust Fund

A U.S. federal fund that pays for the construction and maintenance of roads and highways (allows people to live farther from where they work).

induced demand

an increase in the supply of a good causes demand to grow

zoning

separating business and industry from residential neighborhoods to create quieter, safer communities.

smart growth

Focuses on strategies that encourage the Development of sustainable, healthy communities

multi-use zoning

allows retail and high-density residential development to coexist in the same area

infill

Development that fills in vacant lots within existing communities

urban growth boundaries

place restrictions on development outside a designated area

stakeholders

people with an interest in a particular place or issue

transit-oriented development

Development that attempts to focus dense residential and retail development around stops for public transportation, a component of smart growth.

old growth

uncut forest; undisturbed for several hundred-thousands of years. -25%

second growth

stands of trees resulting from secondary succession - (clear-cutting, farming, fires, volcanic eruptions) - 70%

logging exposes forest to…

soil erosion, invasive species, habitat fragmentation, sediment pollution, and disease

Healthy Forest Initiative Act

Reduce destructive wildfires by allowing the harvesting of timber in National forests by logging companies. Concern; can lead to habitat loss.

Purpose of fires

reduce dead biomass, introduce more soil nutrients, invasive species control, blackened soil; more solar energy absorption, etc.