Destroying the Environment: Government Mismanagement of Our Natural Resources

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Destroying the EnvironmentGovernment
Mismanagement of Our Natural Resources

• . . .Our People should see to it they are
  preserved for their children and their childrens
  children forever, with their majestic beauty all
  unmarred
• President Theodore Roosevelt, 1903

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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
  Americas First National Park by Alston Chase
  details such atrocities at Yellowstone National
  Park by the Federal Agency The National Park
  Service.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Politics of the Park Service

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

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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.

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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

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U.S. Forest Service

• Two biggest vices
• Road building
• Subsidized timber

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U.S. Forest Service

• Harm from Road building

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U.S. Forest Service

• Subsidized timber harvesting politics of the
  USFS
• Knutson-Vanderberg (K_V) Act of 1930

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Knutson-Vanderberg (K-V) Act of 1930
Table 1 Table 1 Table 1
An Illustration of Tie-In Timber Sales An Illustration of Tie-In Timber Sales An Illustration of Tie-In Timber Sales
(One Million Board Feet) (One Million Board Feet) (One Million Board Feet)

Separate Sales 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