NATIONAL PARKS AND NATURE RESERVES REANN McNEARY AND DONOVAN T. SMALLS NATIONAL PARKS OVER 1,100 NATIONAL PARKS THREATENED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES National Parks Developing (1% park protection) Less money/invaders Too small to sustain large species National Parks in U.S. National Park System (est.1912) BIGGEST ISSUE: Popularity Park rangers (better paying jobs) Nonnative species (gray wolf) Yellowstone Air pollution Solutions Increase funds for park repairs Limit number of visitors Increase number and pay of park rangers Encourage volunteers to give visitors lectures and tours Nature Reserves Protect more land (biodiversity) 88% land protect 12% protected in ice/desert Taking Sides for Conservation Most conserved areas contain valuable resources It sustains all life and economies and serves as a center of future evolution COSTA RICA Large proportion of land to conservation Pays landowners to restore tree coverage Reduced deforestation GOAL: to make sustaining forest profitable SUPERPOWER OF BIODIVERSITY The Nature Conservancy Land conservation through private action Private donations Maintain funds for buying pieces of land or wetland threatened by development or human act. Biosphere Reserves Three zones Core zone (ecosystem) Buffer zone (protects core) Transition zone (surrounds inner buffer) Too Little funding (a lot to manage) Wilderness Land legally set aside Prevent human activity Should contain (1,500) square miles Benefits Beauty of nature Away from noise and stress Enjoy nature Provides home for animals to be free THANK YOU!!!!!!