Misplaced Pages

#276723

61-582: Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States in Nevada . It is located in the Lahontan Valley , near the community of Fallon , sixty miles east of Reno . It was established in 1949 and encompasses 79,570 acres (322.0 km). The Stillwater wetlands are well known to birders , as this area has been designated a site of international importance by

122-460: A better functioning ecosystem with more biomass. Pearce and Moran outlined the following method for classifying environmental uses: Habitat loss and destruction can occur both naturally and through anthropogenic causes. Events leading to natural habitat loss include climate change, catastrophic events such as volcanic explosions and through the interactions of invasive and non-invasive species. Natural climate change, events have previously been

183-672: A broad spectrum of service programs by enforcing conservation laws established to protect the fish, wildlife, cultural, and archaeological resources the service manages in trust for the American people. They also educate the public about the FWS's mission, contribute to environmental education and outreach, provide safety and security for the visiting public, assist local communities with law enforcement and natural disaster response and recovery through emergency management programs, and help protect native subsistence rights. They are routinely involved with

244-457: A global scale. The commitments and actions of small volunteer associations in villages and towns, that endeavour to emulate the work of well known conservation organisations , are paramount in ensuring generations that follow understand the importance of natural resource conservation. Natural habitats can provide Ecosystem services to humans, which are "any positive benefit that wildlife or ecosystems provide to people." The natural environment

305-550: A habitat for endangered species , migratory birds , plants, and numerous other valuable animals, implemented the NWRS Improvement Act, acquired and protected key critical inholdings, and established leadership in habitat restoration and management. Under the act, the NWRS has created Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCPs) for each refuge, developed through consultation with private and public stakeholders. These began

366-796: A plan and embedding goals within that plan, and monitoring and evaluating species. Considerations such as the species type, environment, and context are aspects of planning a habitat restoration project. Efforts to restore habitats that have been altered by anthropogenic activities has become a global endeavor, and is used to counteract the effects of habitat destruction by humans. Miller and Hobbs state three constraints on restoration: "ecological, economic, and social" constraints. Habitat restoration projects include Marine Debris Mitigation for Navassa Island National Wildlife Refuge in Haiti and Lemon Bay Preserve Habitat Restoration in Florida. Habitat conservation

427-525: A quarter million waterfowl, as well as over 20,000 other water birds, including American white pelicans , double-crested cormorants , white-faced ibis , and several species of egrets , herons , gulls , and terns . [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service . National Wildlife Refuge The National Wildlife Refuge System ( NWRS )

488-449: A regional, integrated level adds to the effective conservation achievements of the FWS and allows individual refuges to respond more effectively to challenges. Wildlife and habitat management activities include: During fiscal year 2015, the refuge system manipulated 3.1 million acres of habitat (technique #10 from the preceding list) and managed 147 million acres of the system without habitat manipulation (using techniques #1 through 9 from

549-578: A result of conserving their habitat, other species in that community are protected thus serving as an element of gap analysis. In the United States of America, a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is often developed to conserve the environment in which a specific species inhabits. Under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) the habitat that requires protection in an HCP is referred to as the ‘critical habitat’. Multiple-species HCPs are becoming more favourable than single-species HCPs as they can potentially protect an array of species before they warrant listing under

610-424: A review process by stakeholders beginning in 2013. The CCPs must be consistent with the FWS goals for conservation and wildlife management. The CCPs outline conservation goals for each refuge for 15 years into the future, with the intent that they will be revised every 15 years thereafter. The comprehensive conservation planning process requires a scoping phase, in which each refuge holds public meetings to identify

671-413: A single species, and as a result habitat corridors are maintained, edge effects are reduced and a broader suite of species are protected. A range of methods and models currently exist that can be used to determine how much habitat is to be conserved in order to sustain a viable population , including Resource Selection Function and Step Selection models. Modelling tools often rely on the spatial scale of

SECTION 10

#1732776689277

732-742: A time, eventually altered and changed Australia's vegetation so much that many herbivorous megafauna species were left with no habitat and were driven into extinction. Once herbivorous megafauna species became extinct, carnivorous megafauna species soon followed. In the recent past, humans have been responsible for causing more extinctions within a given period of time than ever before. Deforestation , pollution , anthropogenic climate change and human settlements have all been driving forces in altering or destroying habitats. The destruction of ecosystems such as rainforests has resulted in countless habitats being destroyed. These biodiversity hotspots are home to millions of habitat specialists, which do not exist beyond

793-439: A tiny area. Once their habitat is destroyed, they cease to exist. This destruction has a follow-on effect, as species which coexist or depend upon the existence of other species also become extinct, eventually resulting in the collapse of an entire ecosystem. These time-delayed extinctions are referred to as the extinction debt, which is the result of destroying and fragmenting habitats. As a result of anthropogenic modification of

854-657: A trend of accelerating erosion of the genetic resources of agricultural plants and animals. An increase in genetic similarity of agricultural plants and animals means an increased risk of food loss from major epidemics. Wild species of agricultural plants have been found to be more resistant to disease, for example the wild corn species Teosinte is resistant to 4 corn diseases that affect human grown crops. A combination of seed banking and habitat conservation has been proposed to maintain plant diversity for food security purposes. It has been shown that focusing conversation efforts on ecosystems "within multiple trophic levels" can lead to

915-659: A variety of different administrative and funding mechanisms. Setting aside the sections of Marine National Monuments outside refuge boundaries (685.7 million of the 759 million total acres in Marine National Monuments), leaves 151 million acres of the more traditional Refuges and Wetland Management Districts. These 151 million acres were acquired as follows: In addition to refuge status, the "special" status of lands within individual refuges may be recognized by additional designations, either legislatively or administratively. Special designation may also occur through

976-467: Is a complex process of controlling or eradicating invasive species, using fire in a prescribed manner, assuring adequate water resources, and assessing external threats such as development or contamination. Hundreds of national refuges are home to some 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species, and more than 1000 species of fish. Endangered species are a priority of National Wildlife Refuges, with nearly 60 refuges having

1037-463: Is a source for a wide range of resources that can be exploited for economic profit, for example timber is harvested from forests and clean water is obtained from natural streams. However, land development from anthropogenic economic growth often causes a decline in the ecological integrity of nearby natural habitat. For instance, this was an issue in the northern Rocky Mountains of the US. However, there

1098-524: Is a system of protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), an agency within the Department of the Interior . The National Wildlife Refuge System is the system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants. Since President Theodore Roosevelt designated Florida's Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge as

1159-418: Is also essential to proper management of refuge lands. As of September 30, 2019, the refuges had 15,257 roads, bridges, and trails; 5,204 buildings; 8,407 water management structures; and 8,414 other structures such as visitor facility enhancements (hunting blinds, fishing piers, boat docks, observation decks, and information kiosks). The overall facility infrastructure is valued at over $ 36 billion. The area of

1220-410: Is also the economic value in conserving natural habitats. Financial profit can be made from tourist revenue, for example in the tropics where species diversity is high, or in recreational sports which take place in natural environments such as hiking and mountain biking . The cost of repairing damaged ecosystems is considered to be much higher than the cost of conserving natural ecosystems. Measuring

1281-412: Is better", this does not imply that "small is bad". Shwartz argues that human induced habitat loss leaves no alternative to conserving small areas. Furthermore, he suggests many endangered species which are of high conservation value, may only be restricted to small isolated patches of habitat, and thus would be overlooked if larger areas were given a higher priority. The shift to conserving larger areas

SECTION 20

#1732776689277

1342-579: Is in every state. National Wildlife Refuge System employees are responsible for planning, biological monitoring and habitat conservation , contaminants management, visitor services, outreach and environmental education, heavy equipment operation, law enforcement, and fire management. The National Wildlife Refuge System deals with urban intrusion/development, habitat fragmentation , degradation of water quantity and quality, climate change , invasive species , increasing demands for recreation, and increasing demands for energy development. The system has provided

1403-495: Is somewhat justified in society by placing more value on larger vertebrate species, which naturally have larger habitat requirements. Since its formation in 1951 The Nature Conservancy has slowly developed into one of the world's largest conservation organizations. Currently operating in over 30 countries, across five continents worldwide, The Nature Conservancy aims to protect nature and its assets for future generations. The organization purchases land or accepts land donations with

1464-759: Is their "Pride Campaigns". For example, in the Andes in South America, Rare has incentives to develop watershed protection practices. In the Southeast Asia's "coral triangle" Rare is training fishers in local communities to better manage the areas around the coral reefs in order to lessen human impact. Such programs last for three years with the aim of changing community attitudes so as to conserve fragile habitats and provide ecological protection for years to come. WWF Netherlands, along with ARK Nature, Wild Wonders of Europe, and Conservation Capital have started

1525-425: Is vital for protecting species and ecological processes. It is important to conserve and protect the space/ area in which that species occupies. Therefore, areas classified as ‘biodiversity hotspots’, or those in which a flagship, umbrella, or endangered species inhabits are often the habitats that are given precedence over others. Species that possess an elevated risk of extinction are given the highest priority and as

1586-636: The Philippines and Zambia . Rare has been in operation since 1973 with current global partners in over 50 countries and offices in the United States of America, Mexico, the Philippines, China and Indonesia. Rare focuses on the human activity that threatens biodiversity and habitats such as overfishing and unsustainable agriculture. By engaging local communities and changing behaviour Rare has been able to launch campaigns to protect areas in most need of conservation. The key aspect of Rare's methodology

1647-425: The environment , 2) there was a civic duty to maintain the environment for future generations, and 3) scientific, empirically-based methods should be applied to ensure this duty was carried out. Sir James Ranald Martin was prominent in promoting this ideology, publishing numerous medico-topographical reports that demonstrated the damage from large-scale deforestation and desiccation , and lobbying extensively for

1708-655: The ESA, as well as being able to conserve broad ecosystem components and processes . As of January 2007, 484 HCPs were permitted across the United States, 40 of which covered 10 or more species. The San Diego Multiple Species Conservation Plan (MSCP) encompasses 85 species in a total area of 26,000-km2. Its aim is to protect the habitats of multiple species and overall biodiversity by minimizing development in sensitive areas. HCPs require clearly defined goals and objectives, efficient monitoring programs, as well as successful communication and collaboration with stakeholders and land owners in

1769-496: The Earth either received less sunlight or grew colder, causing certain fauna and flora to flourish whilst others perished. Previously known warm areas in the tropics, the most sensitive habitats on Earth, grew colder, and areas such as Australia developed radically different flora and fauna to those seen today. The big five mass extinction events have also been linked to sea level changes, indicating that large scale marine species loss

1830-789: The Galápagos’ Islands, Ecuador. It was also a WWF grant that helped with the formation of the College of African Wildlife Management in Tanzania which today focuses on teaching a wide range of protected area management skills in areas such as ecology, range management and law enforcement. The WWF has since gone on to aid in the protection of land in Spain, creating the Coto Doñana National Park in order to conserve migratory birds and The Democratic Republic of Congo , home to

1891-658: The National Wildlife Refuge Association and referenced below. Comprehensive wildlife and habitat management demands the integration of scientific information from several disciplines, including understanding ecological processes and monitoring status of fish, wildlife and plants. Equally important is an intimate understanding of the social and economic drivers that impact and are affected by management decisions and can facilitate or impede implementation success. Service strategic habitat conservation planning, design, and delivery efforts are affected by

Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge - Misplaced Pages Continue

1952-548: The United States for the benefit of the present and future generations of Americans" (National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997). The system maintains the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of these natural resources and enables for associated public enjoyment of these areas where compatible with conservation efforts. National Wildlife Refuges manage a range of habitat types, including wetlands, prairies, coastal and marine areas, and temperate, tundra, and boreal forests. The management of each habitat

2013-599: The Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network because of the hundreds of thousands of shorebirds , such as long-billed dowitcher , black-necked stilt , and American avocet passing through during migration. Also listed as a 'Globally Important Bird Area' by the American Bird Conservancy , more than 280 species have been sighted in the area. These tremendously rich and diverse wetlands attract more than

2074-452: The actions of other legitimate agencies or organizations. The influence that special designations may have on the management of refuge lands and waters may vary considerably. Special designation areas within the refuge system as of September 30, 2014, included: Habitat conservation For much of human history, nature was seen as a resource that could be controlled by the government and used for personal and economic gain . The idea

2135-412: The area as an indicator of conservation value. There has been an increase in emphasis on conserving few large areas of habitat as opposed to many small areas. This idea is often referred to as the "single large or several small", SLOSS debate , and is a highly controversial area among conservation biologists and ecologists . The reasons behind the argument that "larger is better" include the reduction in

2196-465: The area. Reserve design is also important and requires a high level of planning and management in order to achieve the goals of the HCP. Successful reserve design often takes the form of a hierarchical system with the most valued habitats requiring high protection being surrounded by buffer habitats that have a lower protection status. Like HCPs, hierarchical reserve design is a method most often used to protect

2257-508: The benefit in taking a scientific approach towards habitat conservation. For the last decade the organization has been using a collaborative, scientific method known as "Conservation by Design." By collecting and analyzing scientific data The Conservancy is able to holistically approach the protection of various ecosystems. This process determines the habitats that need protection, specific elements that should be conserved as well as monitoring progress so more efficient practices can be developed for

2318-479: The cause of many widespread and large scale losses in habitat. For example, some of the mass extinction events generally referred to as the "Big Five" have coincided with large scale such as the Earth entering an ice age, or alternate warming events. Other events in the big five also have their roots in natural causes, such as volcanic explosions and meteor collisions. The Chicxulub impact is one such example, which has previously caused widespread losses in habitat as

2379-607: The demographic, societal, and cultural changes of population growth and urbanization, as well as people's attitudes and values toward wildlife. Consideration of these factors contributes to the success of the service's mission to protect wildlife and their habitats. The refuge system works collaboratively internally and externally to leverage resources and achieve effective conservation. It works with other federal agencies, state fish and wildlife agencies, tribes, nongovernmental organizations, local landowners, community volunteers, and other partners. Meaningful engagement with stakeholders at

2440-629: The environment, the extinction rate has climbed to the point where the Earth is now within a sixth mass extinction event, as commonly agreed by biologists. This has been particularly evident, for example, in the rapid decline in the number of amphibian species worldwide. Adaptive management addresses the challenge of scientific uncertainty in habitat conservation plans by systematically gathering and applying reliable information to enhance conservation strategies over time. This approach allows for adjustments in management practices based on new insights, making conservation efforts more effective. Determining

2501-414: The first wildlife refuge in 1903, the system has grown to over 568 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts encompassing about 859,000,000 acres (3,476,200 km ). The mission of the refuge system is "To administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within

Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge - Misplaced Pages Continue

2562-410: The future. The Nature Conservancy currently has a large number of diverse projects in operation. They work with countries around the world to protect forests, river systems, oceans, deserts and grasslands. In all cases the aim is to provide a sustainable environment for both the plant and animal life forms that depend on them as well as all future generations to come. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

2623-472: The greater law enforcement community in cooperative efforts to combat the nation's drug problems, address border security issues, and aid in other security challenges. Prevention and control of wildland fires is also a part of refuge management. Completion of controlled burns to reduce fuel loading, and participation in the interagency wildland fire suppression efforts, are vital for management of refuge lands. A considerable infrastructure of physical structures

2684-461: The habitat and resources ranging from one species to several species The Society for Ecological Restoration's International Science and Policy Working Group define restoration as "the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed." The scale of habitat restoration efforts can range from small to large areas of land depending on the goal of the project. Elements of habitat restoration include developing

2745-484: The institutionalization of forest conservation activities in British India through the establishment of Forest Departments . The Madras Board of Revenue started local conservation efforts in 1842, headed by Alexander Gibson , a professional botanist who systematically adopted a forest conservation program based on scientific principles. This was the first case of state conservation management of forests in

2806-557: The intention of conserving its natural resources. In 1955 The Nature Conservancy purchased its first 60-acre plot near the New York/Connecticut border in the United States of America. Today the Conservancy has expanded to protect over 119 million acres of land, 5,000 river miles as well as participating in over 1,000 marine protection programs across the globe . Since its beginnings The Nature Conservancy has understood

2867-435: The negative impacts of patch edge effects, the general idea that species richness increases with habitat area and the ability of larger habitats to support greater populations with lower extinction probabilities. Noss & Cooperrider support the "larger is better" claim and developed a model that implies areas of habitat less than 1000ha are "tiny" and of low conservation value. However, Shwartz suggests that although "larger

2928-454: The preceding list). Refuges attract about 65 million visitors each year who come to hunt, fish, observe, and photograph wildlife, and are a significant boon to local economies. According to the FWS's 2013 Banking on Nature Report , visitors to refuges positively impact the local economies. The report details that 47 million people who visited refuges that year: The refuge system has a professional cadre of law enforcement officers that supports

2989-803: The primary purpose of conserving in aggregate 280 threatened or endangered species. The National Wildlife Refuge System welcomes about 65 million visitors each year to participate in outdoor recreational activities. The system manages six wildlife-dependent recreational uses in accordance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, including hunting , fishing , birding , photography , environmental education , and environmental interpretation. Hunters visit more than 350 hunting programs on refuges and on about 36,000 waterfowl production areas. Opportunities for fresh or saltwater fishing are available at more than 340 refuges. At least one wildlife refuge

3050-608: The public's main concerns; plan formulation, when refuge staff and FWS planners identify the key issues and refuge goals; writing the draft plan, in which wildlife and habitat alternatives are developed, and the plan is submitted for public review; revision of the draft plan, which takes into consideration the public's input; and plan implementation. Each CCP is required to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and must consider potential alternatives for habitat and wildlife management on

3111-494: The refuge system is heavily influenced by large areas devoted to protecting wild Alaska and to protecting marine habitats in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans; however, the number of units and public visitation overwhelmingly occurs in the lower 48 states, though these refuges and wetland management districts constitute only about 2% of the area of the system. Today's Refuge System (September 30, 2022 data) has been assembled through

SECTION 50

#1732776689277

3172-550: The refuge, and identify their possible effects on the refuge. The NEPA requires FWS planners and refuge staff to engage the public in this planning process to assist them with identifying the most appropriate alternative. Completed CCPs are available to the public and can be found on the FWS website. A partial history of the Refuge System is at . For a much more thorough and complete history, see "The History and Future of our National Wildlife Refuge System" compiled by

3233-425: The size, type and location of habitat to conserve is a complex area of conservation biology. Although difficult to measure and predict, the conservation value of a habitat is often a reflection of the quality (e.g. species abundance and diversity), endangerment of encompassing ecosystems, and spatial distribution of that habitat. Habitat restoration is a subset of habitat conservation and its goals include improving

3294-490: The species' habitat and decreasing their dispersal range. This increases species isolation which then causes their population to decline. Even before the modern industrial era, humans were having widespread, and major effects on the environment. A good example of this is found in Aboriginal Australians and Australian megafauna . Aboriginal hunting practices, which included burning large sections of forest at

3355-436: The value of nature itself and the need to protect it. By the mid-20th century, countries such as the United States, Canada, and Britain instigated laws and legislation in order to ensure that the most fragile and beautiful environments would be protected for posterity. Today, with the help of NGO's and governments worldwide, a strong movement is mobilizing with the goal of protecting habitats and preserving biodiversity on

3416-444: The world's largest protected wetlands. The WWF also initiated a debt-for-nature concept which allows the country to put funds normally allocated to paying off national debt, into conservation programs that protect its natural landscapes. Countries currently participating include Madagascar , the first country to participate which since 1989 has generated over $ US50 million towards preservation, Bolivia , Costa Rica , Ecuador , Gabon ,

3477-464: The world. Governor-General Lord Dalhousie introduced the first permanent and large-scale forest conservation program in 1855, a model that soon spread to other colonies , as well to the United States , where Yellowstone National Park was opened in 1872 as the world's first national park. Rather than focusing on the economic or material benefits from nature, humans began to appreciate

3538-401: The worth of conserving different habitat areas is often criticized as being too utilitarian from a philosophical point of view. Habitat conservation is important in maintaining biodiversity , which refers to the variability in populations, organisms, and gene pools, as well as habitats and ecosystems. Biodiversity is also an essential part of global food security. There is evidence to support

3599-584: Was first formed in after a group of passionate conservationists signed what is now referred to as the Morges Manifesto. WWF is currently operating in over 100 countries across 5 continents with a current listing of over 5 million supporters. One of the first projects of WWF was assisting in the creation of the Charles Darwin Research Foundation which aided in the protection of diverse range of unique species existing on

3660-460: Was strongly influenced by loss in marine habitats, particularly shelf habitats. Methane-driven oceanic eruptions have also been shown to have caused smaller mass extinction events. Humans have been the cause of many species’ extinction. Due to humans’ changing and modifying their environment, the habitat of other species often become altered or destroyed as a result of human actions. The altering of habitats will cause habitat fragmentation, reducing

3721-473: Was that plants only existed to feed animals and animals only existed to feed humans. The value of land was limited only to the resources it provided such as fertile soil , timber , and minerals . Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, social views started to change and conservation principles were first practically applied to the forests of British India . The conservation ethic that began to evolve included three core principles: 1) human activities damage

SECTION 60

#1732776689277
#276723