Destroying the Environment:Government Mismanagement

of Our Natural Resources

“. . .Our People should see to it they are preserved for their children and their children’s children forever, with their majestic beauty all

unmarred” –President Theodore Roosevelt, 1903

Introduction

• 42% of all U.S. land is owned by the government. 33% is owned by the Federal Government specifically.

• Mounting evidence suggests that the Federal Government has been a poor manager.

• Playing God in Yellowstone: The Destruction of America’s First National Park by Alston Chase details such atrocities at Yellowstone National Park by the Federal Agency: The National Park Service.

National Park Agency

• In absence of predators, deer population grow uncontrolled.

• Wolves, Coyotes, Cougars were slaughtered under order of the agency to preserve deer.

• This occurred for instance in 1906 at Kaibab North Plateau.

The Beaver• The beaver helps to create Yellowstone.• Their dams retard the spring runoff that could

clog other parts of the park. • These beaver created ponds provide many

benefits including a raised water level.• Naturally, the beaver moves into streams lined

with willow and aspen.• Problem, the now larger population of Elk eats

too much willow and aspen. Thus the elk prevents the growth of the beaver population.

Grizzly Bears

• None has captured our imagination like the grizzly bear.

• However, it is vanishing.• This is due to – Overgrazing on berries and shrubs by elk.– Major Construction projects.– And bear attacks from hungry bears looking for

food from touristsw with “picnic baskets.”

Politics of the Park Service

• With a mission of preserving nature, other forces confuse it. – Expanding its budget– Protect its public image

Budget Expansion

• Yellowstone was partially financed by railroads who brought tourists to the park. Railroads also built park hotels.

• When railroads dried up, the NPS changed its strategy. It attempted to attract tourists by promoting viewing of specific animals, and killed anything that harmed it.

• Visitors had no idea that was even occurring.

Public Image

• To make sure that the agency survives, they must look like they are competent.

• The Park Services accomplished this goal in two ways:– Severely limiting research of any kind in the parks– Controlling the research as well

U.S. Forest Service

• Two biggest vices:– Road building– Subsidized timber

U.S. Forest Service

• Harm from Road building

U.S. Forest Service

• Subsidized timber harvesting: politics of the USFS

• Knutson-Vanderberg (K_V) Act of 1930

Knutson-Vanderberg (K-V) Act of 1930

Table 1

An Illustration of Tie-In Timber Sales

(One Million Board Feet)

Separate Sales Combined Sales

"Good" Timber "Bad" Timber "Tie-In" Sales

Commercial Value $100,000 -$80,000 $20,000

Sale Price of Timber $100,000 0 $20,000

Forest Service Income $9,000 0 $18,000

Income to U.S. Treasury $91,000 0 $2,000