Conservation and Sustainability in a Changing World
Conservation and sustainability are two words that are often used to describe a multitude of actions and regulations. Conservation describes actions and efforts meant to retain valued environmental systems and components, while sustainability describes the actions and processes that make human populations and our use of environmental resources continuously possible for the long-term. Often times, these actions overlap.
Conservation and sustainability happen through small actions at the local level to large actions at national and global levels. In Idaho, we can identify many conservation and sustainability actions. Examples can be found throughout the state.
Example 1: Idaho Fish and Game sets limits on the number of fish and animals that may be harvested by anglers and hunters so that these species maintain sustainable populations. 50 years ago, the population of deer, elk, salmon, turkey, and other species commonly harvested for food were at critical low levels due to overhunting and habitat loss. IDFG instituted catch and bag limits to allow those species to recover their numbers, in concert with habitat restoration efforts undertaken by Idaho Department of Lands and federal agencies. Today, IDFG continues to set limits each year to ensure these populations don't drop to unsustainable levels again. They also provide the public with information about where populations are still below the desired numbers, to help educate on why there are limits and why poaching is illegal.
Conservation and sustainability happen through small actions at the local level to large actions at national and global levels. In Idaho, we can identify many conservation and sustainability actions. Examples can be found throughout the state.
Example 1: Idaho Fish and Game sets limits on the number of fish and animals that may be harvested by anglers and hunters so that these species maintain sustainable populations. 50 years ago, the population of deer, elk, salmon, turkey, and other species commonly harvested for food were at critical low levels due to overhunting and habitat loss. IDFG instituted catch and bag limits to allow those species to recover their numbers, in concert with habitat restoration efforts undertaken by Idaho Department of Lands and federal agencies. Today, IDFG continues to set limits each year to ensure these populations don't drop to unsustainable levels again. They also provide the public with information about where populations are still below the desired numbers, to help educate on why there are limits and why poaching is illegal.
Example 2: In the forests to the north and east of Moscow, the privately-owned Bennett Lumber Products, Inc. (based in Princeton) has been sustainably logging since 1939. While some timber companies log all the trees and then sell the land and move on, Bennett wants to keep logging on the same land generation after generation. So they selectively harvest, meaning that they only take some of the trees, usually leaving behind the healthiest and strongest trees to keep seeding new ones. This practice also reduces the amount of sediment that runs off into streams, and reduces wildfire hazard, helping to conserve forest health across a much larger area than the pieces that Bennett owns.
Example 3: At the University of Idaho, a closer look reveals numerous actions geared towards conservation of natural resources and sustainability.
The UI Soil Stewards grow organic produce out at Parker Farm on the east side of Moscow. They sell this produce as part of a share program called Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, which allows participants to buy local, organic fruits and vegetable, thereby reducing the use of chemicals and fertilizers, as well as the petroleum that goes into packaging and transporting food from other parts of the country.
Another conservation effort at UI revolves around water. Think about the many expansive lawns found across campus, between the buildings, around the golf course, surrounding the Admin Building, and throughout the Arboretum. To keep those lawns green through the hot, dry Idaho summer requires an enormous amount of water. Instead of using clean drinking water from the Grande Ronde aquifer, which is limited in supply, UI uses reclaimed water from its own irrigation system. In essence, UI uses mostly recycled water to keep the grass green.
Despite the increase in conservation efforts since the major environmental laws were passed, most scientists who conduct research on sustainability and conservation indicate that current efforts are not enough. The looming conservation catastrophe of the 21st century is climate change, and our current conservation policies are not enough to mitigate its negative effects.
The UI Soil Stewards grow organic produce out at Parker Farm on the east side of Moscow. They sell this produce as part of a share program called Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, which allows participants to buy local, organic fruits and vegetable, thereby reducing the use of chemicals and fertilizers, as well as the petroleum that goes into packaging and transporting food from other parts of the country.
Another conservation effort at UI revolves around water. Think about the many expansive lawns found across campus, between the buildings, around the golf course, surrounding the Admin Building, and throughout the Arboretum. To keep those lawns green through the hot, dry Idaho summer requires an enormous amount of water. Instead of using clean drinking water from the Grande Ronde aquifer, which is limited in supply, UI uses reclaimed water from its own irrigation system. In essence, UI uses mostly recycled water to keep the grass green.
Despite the increase in conservation efforts since the major environmental laws were passed, most scientists who conduct research on sustainability and conservation indicate that current efforts are not enough. The looming conservation catastrophe of the 21st century is climate change, and our current conservation policies are not enough to mitigate its negative effects.
Log in to your textbook resource website or into BBLearn and go to the Study Area for the textbook. Under Videos, for Chapter 11, select the "Climate, Crops, and Bees: Feeling the Sting of Climate Change" video. Watch the video and answer the following questions.
1) What type of data are providing information to scientists about earlier spring green-up?
2) How much earlier is spring green-up beginning each year in the northern US, according to this data?
3) What data is collected to determine the health and productivity of the honey bee hives?
4) How is are NASA scientists determining if honey bee patterns and timing are changing throughout North America?
5) What is the danger to humans if bees and flowers get out of sync with their pollination timing?
Log into BBLearn and complete "Assignment 6.4: Sustainability of Humans."
1) What type of data are providing information to scientists about earlier spring green-up?
2) How much earlier is spring green-up beginning each year in the northern US, according to this data?
3) What data is collected to determine the health and productivity of the honey bee hives?
4) How is are NASA scientists determining if honey bee patterns and timing are changing throughout North America?
5) What is the danger to humans if bees and flowers get out of sync with their pollination timing?
Log into BBLearn and complete "Assignment 6.4: Sustainability of Humans."