Yosemite National Park

Managing Public Lands

National Parks• Outstanding examples of natural resource-great

value• Unspoiled; protects natural features• Wildlife is managed and studied but RARELY

harvested.• Recreation Permitted• Managed by:National Park Service, Dept. of Interior• Examples: Yellowstone—1st National Park; Yosemite,

Denali, Rocky Mountain, Big Bend…

National Forests• Also protected… but differently• (Land of Many Uses)• Allow for hunting, mining, logging or commercial

enterprise• Managed by: US Forest Service (Fmr. Dept. of

Agriculture) • Pike National Forest, Routt National Forest

Wilderness Areas• Established by the Wilderness Act -1964• Most protected!! • No Commercial Ventures, no roads, no hunting, no

mining, no logging • Managed by US Forest Service• La Garita Wilderness Area, Indian Peaks Wilderness

Area

National Wildlife Refuge• Established by Teddy Roosevelt-1903• Some hunting, grazing, oil drilling and vehicles are

permitted. Highly managed for sustainability.• Monitored by US Fish and Wildlife Service-Part of

Department of Interior.• 1966, 1997-National Wildlife Refuge System Administrative

Act

Rocky Flats, Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Artic National Wildlife Refuge

Land Trust• Preserves an area in its natural condition. Nature

Conservancy is the largest in the US.• Local or Federal NPO’s and NGO’s • (Non Profit Organization or Non Governmental

Agency)•

Ballona Wetlands Land Trust: Los Angeles, California.

World Heritage Site• Preserves areas known for natural

or cultural importance.• Often transboundary– more than

one county• Promote peace or act as a buffer• Managed by UNESCO (United

Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Biosphere Reserves• Combines Protection of Biodiversity with sustainable

practices• Core of preserved lands• Buffer zone, where locals can work for sustainability,

very limited development• Transition zone where there is Agriculture settlementManaged by UNESCO• --part or United

Nations (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Check in

1. What are the main uses of public lands?2. When looking at both private and public lands in the US

the most common use is… 3. Explain the major difference between the National Park

Service (NPS) and the United States Forest Service (USFS)4. Public lands in the US are categorized for use based on

the managing agency. In general National Park Service (NPS) lands are used for

5. The vast majority of wilderness areas in the US exist in