Environmental Science Theme: Land and Water Use

1
Environmental Science Theme Land and Water Use

• Unit 4 Other Land Use
• Lesson Name Land Conservation Options

2
Objective

• Westlake AP Environmental Science Students will
  work in teams to evaluate mitigation banking for
  wetlands and habitat conservation planning for
  threatened and endangered species habitats.

3
The Big Understanding

• Wetland ecosystems in Texas (and throughout the
  U.S.) have been disappearing at an alarming rate
  for decades. Habitats that support TE species
  are threatened by development and fragmentation.
  Conservation strategies that go beyond site
  approaches are efficient approaches to these
  large scale societal problems.

4
Opening Hook

• Galveston Island wetland conservation planning
  (condensed version of PowerPoint presented at
  last CF staff meeting by Jamie Oliver)

5
Instructional/Student Activities

• Teams of four students will review definitions of
  mitigation banking and HCP planning from the
  Federal Register (web URLs will be provided)
• Each team will evaluate an example of the
  conservation process in Texas and create a
  PowerPoint to present to the rest of the class
  about the status and effectiveness of the
  project. Upload files to class wiki.

6
Materials - Pg 1

• What is Mitigation Banking, National Mitigation
  Banking Association, http//www.mitigationbanking.
  org/about/whatismitigationbanking.html
• Habitat Conservation Plan in Wikipedia
  _at_http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_Conservation
  _Plan

7
Grouping Patterns
8
Extensions
9
Ending/Summary/Reflections

• Take five minutes at the end of class to
  summarize the benefits of mitigation banking and
  the HCP process. Add a paragraph to todays page
  on the class wiki.