National Parks final exam

Effects if the Era of Enviromental Exploitation in the 18th,19th and early 20th centuries on wildlife in the U.S

Habitat loss: conservation of forests and grasslands for agriculture; forests logged for cities; draining of wetlands

Commercial Hunting: Species hunted as a commodity with economic value-the three f’s (furs, food, fashion)

Predator and Pest Control: Active removal of species perceived as a threat to human safety or economic interests

Examples of the 3 causes of wildlife declines

Habitat loss: Extinction of freshwater Mussels

Commercial Hunting: birds, beavers, American alligators

Predator and Pest Control: wolf eradication

(American Bison is an example of commercial hunting and habitat loss)

1894 Yellowstone Park Protection Act

Made it illegal to kill or remove wildlife in park

Role of parks in preserving and managing wildlife that laid the groundwork for the creation of Everglades NP(The Lacy Act)

Act: prohibits trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that have been illegally taken, possessed, transported, or sold

The Plume trade: millions of birds for fashion

John Lacey created this act

George Bird Grinnell

Founder of Audubon Society, magazine author, and had a role in the yellowstone park protection act

George Melendez Wright

Conducted the first scientific survey of fauna for the NPS and laid groundwork for science as a basis for wildlife conservation in NPs

Adolph Murie

Studied the Denali Wolves-led to the discontinued wolf eradication

Led to the NPS policey on Predator and Pest Eradication

What are the 5 basic values of wildlife

Commercial Value (economic values), Game value (food, enjoyment), Ecological Value (wildlife in food webs and other interactions), Aesthetic value (relational value), Scientific Value (medications, pest management, ect)

What are Four components of wildlife conservation

1) Wildlife managament: manipulation of wildlife to achieve a positive goal

2) Research: using science to better understand the needs and requirements of wildlife and its habitat

3) Law enforcement: Ensures that all laws related to wildlife are followed

4) Education: imparting the value of wildlife and educate the public on how to conserve wildlife and its resources

What are the five types of natural resources, processes, and values that the NPS manages for?

1)Biological resources: native plants, animals, communities, and ecosystems

2)Biological processes: photosynthesis, succession, dispersal, reproduction, and evolution

3)Physical resources: water, air, geologic features, paleontological resources, and natural soundscapes and clear skies

4)Physical processes: weather, erosion, cave formation, flooding, and wildland fire

5)Highly-valued characteristics such as scenic views

What are the three actions that the NPS abides by to successfully maintain native plants and animals

1)Preserving and restoring the natural abundances, diversities, dynamics, disturbances, habitats and behaviors of native plants and animal populations and the communities and ecosystems in which they occur

2)Restoring native plants and animal populations in parks when they have been extirpated by past human-caused actions

3) Minimizing human impacts on native plants, animals, populations, communities, and ecosystems, and the processes that sustain them

What are the definitions for endangered and threatened species?

Endangered: any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or significant portion of its range

Threatened: any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range

what are some of the actions that the NPS undertakes for endangered species? (3)

1) Habitat management: restrict access to sensitive areas; restore habitats (posting signs)

2) Direct species management: Develop species recovery plans; monitor populations

3)Scientific and collaborative effects: map habitat areas to guide management decisions, cooperate with other agencies and partners to develop and implement conservation plans

Examples of what the NPS protects/manages with specific interest to the parks

The Wolves at Yellowstone and the wild houses at Assateague Island National Seashore

What is species reintroduction?

Releasing individuals bred in captivity or captured elsewhere into a park

what is ecosystem restoration?

recuperating damaged, degraded or destroyed ecosystems

what were some benefits and arguments in favor of the Yellowstone wolf reintroduction?

• huge tourism benefit, huge ecosystems benefit, most people in the East were in favor of this (because they werent dealing with it)

What are some arguments against the Yellowstone Wolves?

• Some people view wolves as dangerous, Every elk a wolf gets a hunter does not, cattle ranchers did not like the reintroduction of the wolves because they were killing their cattle

In what ways was the Yellowstone reintroduction successful?

Major conservation success (wolf and elk numbers stable), increase in wolf education

What are some of the impacts of introduced species?

Effects on ecosystems and environment and humans

Explain the Wooly Adelgids in the Appalachians

Invasive, aphid-like insects that attack and kill North American fir and hemlocks-took over metabolic processes within a tree and they die

Explain the Lionfish

Native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, lionfish pose a significant threat to national parks and marine sanctuaries, particularly along the Southeast coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean

What is the invasion Curve

-Shows how cost, difficulty, and effectiveness changes over time.

-Curve shows that prevention is the cheapest and most effective strategy

What are the four stages of dealing with non-native species?

Prevention of entry, eradication, Containment, Long-term management

What are invasive plant (species) management teams?

Go in and try to eradicate species, people in Congaree try to eradicate plants that get in

What was the Central Florida project

A massive multipurpose water management system using a network of canals, levees, and water control structures to manage water for flood control, water supply, and prevention of saltwater intrusion in Central and South Florida

The Tamiami Trail

284 mile highway cutting across southern Florida to connect Tamp to Miami. It blocked the natural southward flow of water into the everglades

Two main goals of the Forest service (after the Big Burn)

1) Preventing fires: opposed “light burning”, promoted fire prevention

2) Suppressing fires: built networks of roads, lookout towers, communications systems, and ranger stations; added personnel and emerging equipment

Consequences of Fire suppression

1)Changes in forest structure, composition and function: huge fuel loads and ecosystems choked with an understory of shade tolerant, late successional plant species

2) loss and decline of species and systems: some species and ecosystems are dependent on conditions created by fire

What was the Big Burn of 1910

More than three million acres in northern Rockies burned on Aug. 20-21 due to drought and strong winds, the fire killed 87 people, destroyed entire towns, and caused an estimated billion dollar’s worth of timber loss

Recreating habitats and ecosystems (and example)

Actively rebuilding a habitat: ecological process, species, and physical ecosystem structure. Example: Mangrove restoration in Biscayne

Sequoia-kings canyon NP and the Need for Fire

Studies showed that the sequoia trees weren’t regenerating in the absence of periodic fire, leading to creation of a long-term program of fire research and prescribed burning

What is prescribed burning in the national parks

A controlled, intentionally lit fire that is conducted under specific, pre-planned conditions-including weather, air quality, and fuel moisture to achieve land management objectives

what are 3 things that prescribed fire do

1) Forest and ecosystem Health: created habitat for fire dependent plant species, nutrient cycling and pest and disease control

2) Catastrophic wildfire risk: by removing fuels, it reduces the risk of hard to control wildfires

3) wildlife habitat enhances forage, cover for game and non-game species, invertebrate habitat

(From videos) What is the effect / concern for climate change and disappearing ice?

The loss of ice made new rivers and other geological differences, mountain glaciers are retreating, this all leads to habitat change for wildlife

(From videos) what is the NPS doing about disappearing ice?

track the ice with photographs, monitoring, and mapping; they are trying to solve issue by using nature center, electric cars, using good energy for environment

(From videos) what is the effect/ concern of rising seas

Seeing sawgrass marshes-usually freshwater species (change of habitat) and erosion of Fort. Jackson

(From videos) what is the NPS doing about rising sea levels

Monitoring, tracking, and using science (Flex tower research)

(from Videos) what is the effect/concern of altered ecosystems?

Forests are thinning (more death than birth), Habitat fragmentation, air pollution, invasive species, and altered fire regimes

(From videos) what is the NPS doing about the altered ecosystems

Using weather station to measure and track weather, tagging and mapping the tress to see death rate and birth rate, have prescribed fires to reduce competition for other species

(From videos) what is the effect/ concern of species loss (Joshua Tree)

Duration and intensity of droughts are increasing which is causing the older trees to die and they are not being replaced

(From videos) What is the NPS doing about species loss (Joshua Tree)

They are measuring the trees (rewatch this video)

(from videos) what is the effect/ concern of cultural resources?

(All issues tie in) If sea levels rise, cultural sites/resources may be washed away, increase in storms cause increase in ecosystem changed which can take out culture/history

(From videos) what is the NPS doing about the risk of losing cultural resources?

Archeologists are studying how people in the past have delt with all of these changes and problems to see how we can adapt to them

what is RAD approach to climate change?

-Resist: working to maintain or restore based on historical or acceptable current ecosystem conditions

-Accept: allowing and ecosystem to change without intervening

-Direct: activity shaping ecosystem change toward preferred new conditions

Understand pollution threats both internal and external

Internal threats are visitor impacts (increase vehicle pollution) and external threats are regional air and water pollution (gateway communities)

Understand habitat loss and fragmentation especially from encroachment from outside park development

Development in nearby communities pose an environmental threat to Parks and forests, brings up the discussion between economic development and environmental preservation

Understand political calls to weaken environmental protections

NEPA changes and weakening the Endangered species act

What are some of the ways that overcrowding affects park resource conditions and visitor experiences?

Leads to traffic jams, overflowing parking lots, trail erosion, sanitation issues, human-wildlife conflicts, and poorer visitor experience

The staffing crisis in National Parks (Impacts)

1) Reduced visitor services: more closures/shorter hours, program cuts, longer wait times, loss of revenue

2) impacts on safety and maintenance: slower emergency response times, delayed inspections and maintenance, strained resources

3) Threats to long-term resource protection: deferred resource management, reduced ability to monitor and manage park resources

What is deferred maintenance and what are three of the impacted resources/systems/features in parks

Deferred maintenance is repairs and upkeep that parks need but have been delayed.

1) roads and bridges

2) water, waste and electrical systems

3) trails or buildings

Understand how pressure to increase economic development or commercial recreation can conflict with the NPS preservation mission

NPS must consistently defend its mission of preservation against pressure to prioritize economic development or commercial recreation within or adjacent to park boundaries (organic act)

Understand the tensions around how the NPS interprets history, including integrating Indigenous histories and co-stewardship as well as debates over how slavery, LGBTQ+ history, and other sensitive topics are represented in exhibits and websites

There are ongoing debates related to acknowledging and integrating the history and co-stewardship roles of indigenous peoples, whose land the parks were built upon, as well as ‘scrubbing’ references to slavery and lGBTQ+ history from its webpages and exhibits

Improving access and inclusion: know some of the barriers preventing under-represented communities from visiting parks

Barriers: Financial constraints, distance and transportation, lack of connection and feeling, safety concerns stemming from historical ad present day discrimination

Why were the first national parks created

Provide public enjoyment and national pride, protect the spectacular scenery

What was the first NP and what year was it created?

Yellowstone National Park, it was created in 1872

In what region was the majority of the early national park system located?

In the West because there was less development and harder for people to reach

what are the two ‘entities’ that can authorize national park service units?

Congress and the President

What are the 4 different types of NPS units and an example of each

National Park: Yellowstone

National Seashore: Cape Hatteras National Seashore

National Historic Site/parks: Fort Sumter National Historical Park

National Recreation Areas: Glen Canyon

What does the Organic Act charge the NPS to do and how does that present a challenge to current park management?

What is one example of Geological resource in the NP’s?

Grand Canyons rock layers

What is one example of Hydrological resource in the NP’s

Lake yellowstone

What is one example of ecological resource in the NP’s

The Saguaro Catus in Saguaro National Park

What is one example of Cultural resource in the NP’s

Cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park

What is one way that social, cultural, and personal values can influence decisions concerning resource protection and management?

All of these things can shape what people believe that should be protecting in National Parks and this can affect the NPS’s decisions

what are 3 various threats and management issues facing the NPS units (3 threats and examples of each)

External Development: Grand Canyon NP and development in nearby town

Dark skies/light pollution: light pollution from surrounding cities

Soundscapes: construction, cars, airplanes disturbs the calm nature experience

What is the Antiquities Act, and what unit type does it relate to?

Gave the president the authority to proclaim and reserve Historic landmarks

What are 5 different cultural resources?

1)Archeological Resources: remains of past human life and activities (pottery, rock carving)

2) Historic and Prehistoric Buildings and structures: shelter for human activity (Lincoln Boyhood NMem, Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality NM)

3) Ethnographic Resources: resources of cultural and historical significance to the peoples associated with them (Boat from Hawaii, Eagle costumes Chaco Culture)

4) Cultural Landscapes: places that show evidence of human interaction with physical environment (Baker Island Arcadia NP)

5) Museum Objects: material things that have symbolic, function, or scientific value

Can natural resources such as fish and plant material also be cultural resources

Yes

what are the Basics of cultural resources in the NPS (4)

1. The NPS manages cultural resources in every unit of the NPS.

2. The majority of NPS units were designated to commemorate and preserve nationally significant events, people, and places

3. The NPS tells stories and manages resources that span thousands of years from early sites of human habitation to modern poeple

4. NPS manages a lot of archaeology, and archival documents

What are the 4 criterial that the NP uses to evaluate the significance of cultural resources?

1) Associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history

2) associated with lives of significant persons in our past

3)Embody the distinctive characters of a type, period, or method of construction, or represent that work of a master, or possess high artistic values, or represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction

4) Have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in history or prehistory

What is the mission of Cultural Resource Managment in NPS?

“the National Park Service will protect, preserve, and foster appreciation of the cultural resources in its custody and demonstrate its respect for the peoples traditionally associated with those resources through appropriate programs of research, planning and stewardship”

What are some guidelines for how the NPS manages these cultural resources?

1) Antiquities Act

2) Organic Act

3) Historic Sites act

4) national historic preservation Act

5) Native american graves protection and repatriation act

NPS Management Policies: What are the three key steps involved in the planning and management process and what do these steps involve?

1) Research: The NPS conducts interdisciplinary research into the cultural resources of each park (Goals include: current and correct info on culture, ensuring appropriate protection, and developing appropriate technologies and methods for monitoring/protecting)

2) Planning: Parks identify options for protecting and preserving resources (significance and integrity of resource, potential threats: Fire, pests, humans, ect,)

3) Stewardship: implementation the cultural resource management process (Conditions monitored, proposed treatments are implemented and documented, adverse affects are avoided or mitigated)

NPS Director’s Orders and Handbooks: what are the four standards and guidelines for archeology and historic preservation

1) Preservation: Maintain the resource in good condition and retain as much original material as possible

2) Rehabilitation: Bringing resources up to good condition while maintaining character defining features

3) Restoration: Major work to restore buildings/structures to its original period of significance after damage

4)Reconstruction: Permitted if directed by congress or critical to understanding the site. Very strict

What are some of the challenges to effective cultural resource mangement?

1) Funding and staffing shortages

2) management must balance the need to protect historical and cultural resources with the needs of visitors, local communities, and economic development

3) Difficulty in representing culture and history and the need for respectful and informed policies that honor people’s heritage

What are 3 main elements of the NPS Cultural Landscapes Program? (with example of each)

1) Places: parks, regions, landscapes

2) People: partners, community

3) Process: research, planning, stewardship

What is restoring ecological functioning?

Assisting the recovery of a damaged ecosystem by initiating or accelerating the return of its natural processes