Conservation

Jonathan A. McKnightMaryland Department of Natural ResourcesWildlife and Heritage Service

It’s a BIG CONCEPT

“Take a full semester course and make it fit in 1.5 hours.”

Inspirational quote #1

Mandatory homage to dead guys

Part I

Gifford Pinchot

John Muir

Teddy Roosevelt

Aldo Leopold

Lacey Act 1900

Migratory Bird Treaty Act1918

Roosevelt Administration Policies

Part II: Conservation Law

Pittman Robertson Act 1937

Dingell Johnson Act 1950

Wilderness Act 1964

Endangered Species Act 1966

Clean Air Act 1970

Clean Water Act 1977

Conservation is Forever

TerrestrialVS

Aquatic

Natural Resource Conservation

Part III: Aquatic Systems:

Owned by nations or states or not

Managed by laws, treaties, coalitions

Conservation unit is usually the species or population (stock)

“Tragedy of the Commons”

Fishing down the food chain

1957

Ca. 1970

Mid 1970’s

Ca. 1980

2000’s

The holy grail of fishery management is

Maximum Sustained Yield

Fisheries Management

Plan

Fisheries Management Strategies

Catch Shares

Limited Entry

Marine Sanctuaries

Gear Restrictions

Effort Limits

Gamefish Status

Patagonian

Toothfish

Slimer

Sustainability

Terrestrial SystemsPart IV:

• Owned by individuals or corporations (including govt.)

• Protected in constitutional law

• Regulated by government

• Tangible

Real Estate

Real Property:• Development Rights

• Water Rights

• Timber Rights

• Grazing Rights

• Rights-of-way

• Mineral Rights

• Derivative Rights (land rents)

• Right of exclusion

Other rights that may or may not convey with property:

Air Rights

Polluting Rights

Wildlife

Development Rights???

ZONINGZoning and valuation

Grandfathering

Home Rule

Conservation is forever

Tax CodeAgricultural status

Easement valuation

“Acquisition is the purest form of conservation”

Inspirational quote #2

Inspirational quote #3

Acquisition is:

• Complicated

• Difficult

• Expensive

• Insufficient

Conservation Scale

Devil’s Hole

Pupfish

Conservation Easements

ProscriptiveVs.

Prescriptive

Land Trusts

Species Listing:

Rare

In need of conservation

Threatened

Endangered

Part V: Randomness

What is the appropriate unit for measuring natural resource conservation?

• Species?

• Landings?

• Plants/animals?

• Biomass?

• Acres?

• Pounds?

Who pays for Natural Resources conservation?

60% Federal Government: Pittman-Robertson, Wallop-Breaux, Dingell-Johnson, Agency budgets, Farm Bill, state wildlife grants, duck stamps

29% State and Local Government: General funds, special taxes, hunting licenses, tax donations, cooperative efforts

11% Non-Profits and Industry

Conservation Status (Maryland)

Park, Forest, Wildlife Management Area

Wildland

State Natural Area

Population