Beyond the countryside lie the lands largely uninhabited or undisturbed by man. These remote mountains, forests, and deserts include the remnants of primeval America. Here, the…park lands offer opportunities for memorable outdoor experiences in surroundings of superlative natural beauty. But here, too, population growth and technological change are combining to destroy these opportunities.

President’s Council on Recreation and Natural Beauty

Public Lands

• What are types of public lands

• Who administers the different public lands?

• How does wildlife management differ in various types of public land?

• What are unique problems and opportunities for managing wildlife in various public land types?

• Who cares?

Public Lands

• Park– An area that is designated primarily for the

purpose of human recreation• Usually people come before wildlife

(U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Public Lands• Value (Brown et al. 1980)

Perceived contributions to recreational experiences of hikers in the Weminuche Area of Colorado

Valuea

Psychological Attributes

Relationship with nature

Escape physical pressure

Exercise

Freedom

Achievement

Reflection on personal values

3.2

2.9

2.6

1.9

1.6

1.3

Wildlife Values

Large wildlife (bighorn sheep)

Small wildlife (beaver)

Good fishing

Naturally reproducing fish

2.7

2.7

2.4

2.4a Scale: highest positive value = 4.0; strongest negative value = -4.0; no value = 0

Public Lands• Managing people-wildlife interactions

– E.g., Guidelines for developing wildlife viewing opportunities in parks (Shaw and Cooper 1980)

What are tolerance levelsof wildlife for humans?

Which animal species have highestAesthetic values for people?

Species adaptable tomanagement for viewing

Management options

People management

Design facilities to:1. Bring people to wildlife2. Minimize impact of people

and viewing arrangement onanimals and their habitat

Wildlife management

1. Provide proper habitat2. Attract wildlife for viewing

Public Lands

• Park types– National Park

• USDI National Park Service

– State Park• Florida Department of Environmental Protection

– Division of Recreation & Parks» Parks Service

– County Park• Alachua County Department of Parks & Recreation

– City/town Park• Gainesville Recreation & Parks Department

– Private

Public Lands

• National Parks– Mandates

• The parks must be maintained in an absolutely unimpaired form for the use of future generations

• They are set apart for the use, observation, health, and pleasure of the people

• The national interest must dictate all decisions affecting public or private enterprise in the parks

Public Lands

• National Parks– Various Mandates

• Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site• Cape Cod National Seashore• Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor• Boston National Historic Park• Gettysburg National Military Park• Fort Necessity National Battlefield• Yellowstone National Park• Big Cypress National Preserve

Public Lands

• Florida State Parks– “The mission of the Florida Parks Service to provide

resource-based recreation while preserving, interpreting, and restoring natural and cultural resources. Our goal is to help create a sense of place by showing park visitors the best of Florida's diverse natural and cultural heritage sites. Florida's state parks are managed and preserved for enjoyment by this and future generations through providing appropriate resource-based recreational opportunities, interpretation and education that help visitors connect to ...the Real Florida.”

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/

Public Lands

• Alachua County Parks– Mission: “To improve the quality of life for citizens of Alachua County by providing for their recreational needs in a cost-effective manner.”

http://www.alachuacounty.us/Depts/PW/parksAndRecreation/Pages/ParksandRecreation.aspx

Public Lands

• Gainesville Parks– Mission: “to meet the communities need for

diverse active and passive recreational opportunities by providing professionally managed recreation and environmental education programs, stewardship of natural resources and maintenance of public landscape.”

http://recparks.cityofgainesville.org/docs/actbroch04.pdf

Public Lands

• Transfrontier Parks– E.g., Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park

• South Africa: Kruger National Park• Zimbabwe: Gonarezhou National Park• Mozambique: Limpopo National Park

– Elephant conservation

• The meaning of “Parks”

Public Lands

• Common theme of Parks?

• Park problems– Conflicting mandates– Overabundant wildlife & people (ecotourism)– Dangerous wildlife– Wildlife leaving parks– Succession & natural events– Hunting & fishing– ORV’s

(U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Public Lands• Refuges

– National Wildlife Refuges• USDI Fish & Wildlife Service

– Refuge System (http://refuges.fws.gov/policyMakers/mandates/HR1420/missionGoals.html)» The mission of the System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for

the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

» Goals of the National Wildlife Refuge System:» a. To fulfill our statutory duty to achieve refuge purpose(s) and further the System

mission.» b. Conserve, restore where appropriate, and enhance all species of fish, wildlife, and

plants that are endangered or threatened with becoming endangered.» c. Perpetuate migratory bird, interjurisdictional fish, and marine mammal populations.» d. Conserve a diversity of fish, wildlife, and plants.» e. Conserve and restore, where appropriate, representative ecosystems of the United

States, including the ecological processes characteristic of those ecosystems.» f. To foster understanding and instill appreciation of fish, wildlife, and plants, and their

conservation, by providing the public with safe, high-quality, and compatible wildlife-dependent public use. Such use includes hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and interpretation.

Public Lands

• Refuges– National Wildlife Refuges

• 1966 National Wildlife Refuge System Act• 1997 National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act

– Organic Act» Wildlife first!

Public Lands

• Refuges– State Refuges & Wildlife Management Areas

• Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission– “Florida's Wildlife Management Area (WMA) system is

managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to sustain the widest possible range of native wildlife in their natural habitats. This system includes more than five million acres of land established as WMAs and Wildlife and Environmental Areas (WEAs).”

http://www.myfwc.com/RECREATION/WMASites_WhatAreWMAs.htm

Public Lands

• Common theme of Refuges & WMA’s?

• Refuge problems– Funding– Hunting & fishing– People (ecotourism)– Wildlife leaving refuge– Conflicting mandates

(U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Public Lands

• Forests– National Forests

• USDA Forest Service (USFS)

– USDI Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands

– Multiple use, including production» Timber, non-timber, minerals, grazing, etc…

Public Lands

• Forests– State Forests

• FLDACS Forest Service (Division of Forestry)– Multiple use, including production

Public Lands

• Common theme of Forests?

• Forest problems– What is multiple use– Production vs. conservation– People (ecotourism)– Hunting & fishing

Public Lands

• Rangelands– Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands– National Grasslands

• USDA Forest Service

– Multiple use, including production» Water, minerals, grazing, etc…

– Other

Public Lands

• Common theme of Rangelands?

• Rangeland problems– What is multiple use– Production vs. conservation– People– Hunting & fishing

Public Lands

• Wilderness Areas– 1964 Wilderness Act

– Any federal lands• NP, NWR, NF, etc…

– Leopold & A Sand County Almanac

– Issues• Conflicting mandate with surrounding lands

Public Lands

• Protected Areas– Are they enough?

• Leopold: ASCA• Frumhoff: Tropical forests• Hartup: CBS

Public Lands

• So what?