Final: Gateway Source and Argument Outline.

 

                                                                                                                         Jake Swantko

                                                                                                                         J410 Gateway

                                                                                                                   P. Marquis Blaine

 

Argument Outline:

 

Thesis question:

 

Should the Federal government lend efforts to acquire and conserve new parks and public lands?

 

Introduction:

 

Teddy Roosevelt was once quoted saying “The Nation behaves well when it treats its natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value” (“The Status of Roadless Area Conservation Rule.”). Roosevelt implemented the National Forest System over 100 years ago, since then land protection and industrial usage have been the focal point of countless environmental organizations, resource extraction industries, and politicians alike. Policies regarding the use of public and private lands have been met with swirling controversy and heated debate. Environmental politicians and organizations argue that conservation and forest restrictions allot greater benefits than does resource extraction industries such as logging, mining, and drilling. Conversely, extraction industries argue “jobs vs. environment”. C. Flora (1990), author of Rural Peoples in a Global Economy Resource, states that western counties have historically “risen and fallen with the entry and exit of different raw materials into world markets” (“Environmental Protection, Population Change, and Economic Development in the Rural Western United States.” ) Pro-extraction politicians, on the other hand argue against policies that restrict land use for natural resources purposes, policies such as the Roadless Area Conservation Rule of 2001, the Multiple Use and Sustained Yield Act of 1960, and the Land and Water Conservation Act. Now, following the Clinton and Bush Administrations, the speculation and expectations surrounding energy resources and environmental action center on the newly elected president, Barack Obama.

 

History, background, and context of the issue:

 

As noted above, the father of the National Forest System was Theodor Roosevelt. The idea to create a national conservation system, however, was first conceptualized by George Catlin, a late 18^thcentury artist. In 1864, several California leaders, including Senator John Conness, sponsored an act to protect the Mariposa Big Tree Grove in California. President Lincoln went on to sign this act, making it the first protected forest land in the United States. Nine years later, Yosemite became the first protected national park. Theodor Roosevelt continued Lincoln’s environmental action by signing the Antiquities Act of 1906, and protecting a multitude of sites around the country. In June of 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt consolidated all National Parks and Monuments into a single National Park System. The plan made the National Park Service the sole Federal agency responsible for all federally owned public parks, and monuments (“History of the National Park Service (United States).”).

At the center of land use debate is several important policies that will guide the discussion of history and context. In 2001, the Clinton Administration enacted the Roadless Area Conservation Act, which limited development on “58.8 million acres of Forest Service land. (“Environmental Protection, Population Change, and Economic Development in the Rural Western United States.” )” The amount of land protected as a result of the “Roadless Rule” is approximately “2% of the total land base of the United States.” The Forest Service received over “1.5 million public comments regarding the rule.” During the Bush administration these safeguards had been considerably lessened. “The debate is centered on this assertion: The presence of federally protected lands is thought to be a barrier to economic growth that harms nearby communities by limiting access to valuable natural resources that might otherwise create jobs when extracted and generate income when exported”( Forestry, Public Pressures, and Economic Development.). Secondly, the Land and Water Conservation Act, an act which designates funds for acquisition of land, is criticized by environmental organizations for its lack of full implementation and use.

 

Competing ideas for solving the issue:

 

Conserve land rather than extracting its resources.

 

Assertions:  1.) Extractive activities are a small and declining source of employment and income. 2.) Protected lands are an economic asset, as the amenities associated, national parks, wildernesses, national monuments attract tourists and new residents (“Environmental Protection, Population Change, and Economic Development in the Rural Western United States.” ).

 

Example of assertion: A new study conducted by NPCA entitled: Working Assets: Reinvesting in National Parks to Create Jobs and Protect America’s Heritage, details the potential for job-creating projects in National Parks, claiming that such projects would create $2.5 billion in new jobs. The report highlights that road repairs, accessibility improvements, historic building preservation, and construction of employee housing as examples of ready-to-go national park projects (“Report Highlights $2.5 Billion Worth of Job-Creating Projects in National Parks.”)

 

Human and wildflife dependency.

 

Assertions: Other than revenue, national forest conservation provides environmental benefits such as clean water supplies, reduction of green house gases, recreational opportunities, and habitat for wildlife.

 

Example of assertion: Willamette National Forest provides drinking water (water that needs very little purification) for a majority of Eugene residents (“Interview with Andy Stahl, Executive Director of the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE).”

Example of assertion: The outdoor recreation industry continues to have steady financial progress despite harsh economic times—the recreation industry contributes $700 billion to the nation’s economy, supports nearly 6.5 million jobs, and generates $88 million in annual state and national tax revenue. Roadless wildlands in national forests, in particular, provide destinations for 149 million Americans who participate in outdoor activities (“Ninety Outdoor Businesses Call for Renewed Roadless Protection.”).

 

 

Answer to thesis question:

 

Yes, the Federal government should lend effort to acquire and conserve new parks and public lands.

 

Empirical evidence indicates that national forest and park conservation stimulates the economy by: 1.) stimulating population growth near and around designated wilderness areas—inducing local and federal economic growth 2.) providing millions of jobs in the recreational industry, and in conservation and service projects 3.) Generating more revenue than allocated by federal funds—the National Park System generates at least four dollars to the public for every tax dollar appropriated for its budget (“The U.S. National Park System: An Asset at Risk.”) According to public finance theory, government should raise funds necessary to invest in projects that generate value in excess of their cost.

 

 

Counter Arguments:

 

Opponents of protected wilderness:

Assertions: 1.) Protected land limit local economies by restricting access to valuable resources. 2.) Wilderness promotes nearby growth rather than limiting it. 3.) Wilderness’s provide free recreational opportunities to a relatively small number of primitive backcountry users. Thus, the gain to this tiny minority, given all of the backcountry already available, is tiny, while the economic losses to the majority are substantial.”4.) Jobs vs. Environment.

 

Problematic timing.

Assertions: The current state of the economy is very poor. According to “Unemployment and Environmental Protection”, when unemployment goes up, people become less concerned about the environment and more concerned about strengthening the economy.” The American people will not support environmental issues if they perceive that the government and public can only focus on the economy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source List

Journalistic:

1. Journalistic/ Multimedia: “Salazar Wants To Bring Back A Teddy Roosevelt-Style Youth Conservation Corps.”
2. Journalistic/ Multimedia: “George W. Bush Speech Re: Forestry Bill.”
3. Journalistic/ Multimedia: “Environment/ Development.”
4. Journalistic: “The Truth About Tongass.”
5. Journalistic: “Will Saving a Forest Save us Money?”

 

Institutional:

1. Institutional/ Blog: “New research suggests road decommissioning important for grizzly bears.”
2. Multimedia/ Institutional: “Voices of the Tongass- Real Voices, Real Impacts.”
3. Multimedia/ Institutional: “Roadless is More: Taking Care of Our National Forests.”
4. Institutional: “Report Highlights $2.5 Billion Worth of Job-Creating Projects in National Parks.”
5. Institutional: “Ninety Outdoor Businesses Call for Renewed Roadless Protection.”

 

Academic:

1. Academic: “Forestry, Public Pressures, and Economic Development.”
2. Academic: “Environmental Protection, Population Change, and Economic Development in the Rural Western United States.” 
3. Academic: “Restoring the Forests.”
4. Academic: “U.S. National Forest Policies Regarding Logging.”
5. Academic: “Tools for recreation management in parks: the case of the greater Yellowstone blue-ribbon fishery.”

 

Citizen:

1.      Citizen/ Interview: “Interview with Andy Stahl, Executive Director of the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE).”

2.      Citizen/ Interview: Interview with Douglass Hunnington, the Director of Public Affairs for the Eugene, Oregon Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with the United States Department of the Interior.

3.      Citizen/ Interview: Interview with Josh Laughlin, the Conservation director of the Cascadia Wildlands Project.

4.      Citizen/ Blog: “Conservation groups sue over Idaho roadless lands.”

5.      Citizen/ Blog: “Unemployment and Environmental Protection.”

 

Images:

1.      Photograph: “Roadless area distribution.”

2.      Photograph: “Roadless area auctioned for logging.”

3.      Photograph: “Tongass National Forest.”

4.      Photograph: “Biscuit Salvage Logging.”

5.      Photograph: “Hookless Fly Fishing.”

 

Miscellaneous:

1. Institutional: “The U.S. National Park System: An Asset at Risk.”
2. Institutional: “History of the National Park Service (United States).”
3. Institutional: “Nature Tourism.”
4. Institutional: “National Parks in Peril: Less Funding, More Pollution.”
5. Institutional: “The Status of Roadless Area Conservation Rule.”

                                                                                                                       

 

37.) “Interview with Andy Stahl, Executive Director of the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE).”

Source Notes

Title: Interview with Andy Stahl, Executive Director of the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE).

 

 

Summary:

In a March 12^th, 2009 interview, Andy Stahl, who is the Executive Director of the Forest Service for Environmental Ethics, discusses the mission and values of the FSEEE, and the prospect of the Obama administration acquiring new lands and protecting existing national forests.

Topic:
Andy Stahl on national forest conservation.

 

 

Category:

Institutional/ Citizen.

 

 

What is it.

Interview.

 

 

Publication Information:

N/A

 

 

Author:

Jake Swantko

 

 

Location:

Via phone.

 

 

Accessed:

Interview administered March 12, 2009.

 

 

 

Support:

 

Andy Stahl, the Executive Director of the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE).

 

 

Question and answer format.

Interviewer: Jake Swantko (JS).

Interviewee: Andy Stahl (AS).

 

JS: Please state your name and position at the FSEEE.

 

AS: Executive Director of the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE).

 

JS: What does the FSEEE do?

 

AS: We watch the Forest Service and advocate for more environmental protection of national forest lands. Our mission is to forge a more socially responsible value system for the Forest Service based on a land ethic that ensures ecologically and economically sustainable resource management.

 

JS: Should the federal government lend efforts to acquire and conserve new parks and public lands?

 

AS: Judicially, yes. It should also be noted that the Federal government should provide more protective measures for existing land. I support increased protective measures and the purchase of private land. The purpose of the Land and Water Conservation Fund was to provide funding to such issues. However, past administrations have not used the fund for its true purpose. We encourage the Obama administration to follow the Land and Water Conservation Fund. To conclude, existing land needs to be protected, new wilderness area needs to be aquired and protected also.

 

JS: What are you thoughts on the Clinton administration Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2001?

 

AS: We are very supportive of the rule. We believe that the Obama administration will reinstate the roadless rule.

 

JS: What economic benefit(s) do national forests have other than resource extraction?

 

AS: Economists come in many different flavors in terms of this subject. Some believe that national forests only provide traded value (mining, logging, and drilling). None the less, some believe in the factor of quality of life. There is a great value in national forests other than resource extraction. Healthy forests sequester carbon emissions, they provide free water—Willamette National Forest provides drinking water (water that needs very little purification) for a majority of Eugene residents. Forests also provide wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.

 

 

Audience and Agenda:
N/A

 

Usefulness:

My interview with Andy Stahl provided insight into current and past policies that have affected or will affect national forests. One bill he mentioned was the Omnivous Public Lands Act (S22) which would protect millions of acres of forest land, specifically land in Mt. Hood region of Central Oregon. The bill has popular support—it was short by two votes of being passed (of a two-thirds vote). Mr. Stahl’s commentary on the variety of resources that designated forest areas provide was also very useful.

 

 

 

Works cited:

Andy Stahl, Executive Director of the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE).

http://www.fseee.org/

36.) Citizen: “Interview with Douglass Hunnington, the Director of Public Affairs for the Eugene, Oregon Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with the United States Department of the Interior.”

Source Notes

Title: Interview with Douglass Hunnington, the Director of Public Affairs for the Eugene, Oregon Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with the United States Department of the Interior.

 

 

Summary:

In a March 11^th, 2009 interview, Douglass Hunnington, who is the Director of Public Affairs for the Eugene, Oregon Bureau of Land Management, comments on the purpose of the BLM, how land is negotiated and appropriated, and what rules and restrictions guide the BLM’s land use.

Topic: The BLM and the timber industry.

Category:

 

Institutional/ Citizen.

 

 

What is it:

Interview.

 

 

Publication Information:

N/A

 

 

Author:

Jake Swantko

 

 

Location:

Via phone.

 

 

Accessed:

Interview administered on March 11, 2009.

 

Support:

 

Douglass Hunnington, the Director of Public Affairs for the Eugene, Oregon Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with the United States Department of the Interior.

 

Question and answer format.

Interviewer: Jake Swantko (JS).

Interviewee: Douglass Hunnington (DH).

 

JS.) Please state your full name and your position at the BLM.

 

DH.) Douglass Hunnington, the Director of Public Affairs for the Eugene, Oregon Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with the United States Department of the Interior.

 

JS.) What exactly does the BLM do?

DH.) The Bureau of Land Management is the largest land manager in the United States, over 277 million acres of land. In Oregon, the BLM is responsible for managing the timber lands in western Oregon. Around the nation, the BLM is responsible for allocating land use for live stock, recreation, and energy development. The Oregon BLM operates under the O and C (Oregon and California) Act of 1937. Under this law, the BLM is required to overlook a majority of environmental regulations so it can provide timber for harvest. The O and C superceedes all acts and environmental policies.  

 

JS.) What negotiations must take place in order for land to be harvested for timber?

 

DH.) Land management plans act under the NEPA. Impact statements and alternate development plans are also required. All planning is under Federal review.

 

JS.) How does the process of timber sale work?

 

DH.) We have seven on staff appraisers that value the timber. Then that timber and development plan is auctioned off to different timber companies–big and small companies such as Swanson and Warehouse.

 

JS.) How did the Roadless Rule of 2001 impact your business?

 

DH.) Policy goes back and forth. The roadless rule did not impact land management. That act mostly affected the Forest Service.

 

Audience and Agenda:

N/A

 

 

 

Usefulness:

Doug Hunnington from the BLM gave me a good idea of the commercial use for forest lands in the Northwest and parts of California. He outlined the history of a policy (O and C Act of 1937) that allows the BLM to override environmental protection so they can meet timber quota for the Federal government. He also provided me with information regarding the process of land use and the negations that must take place before land can be harvested for timber. He also mentioned that the Forest Service was most affected by the roadless conservation rule. I’m considering interviewing someone from the Eugene Forest Service.

 

 

 

Works cited:

Douglass Hunnington, the Director of Public Affairs for the Eugene, Oregon Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with the United States Department of the Interior.

 

 

35.) Citizen: “Interview with Josh Laughlin, the Conservation director of the Cascadia Wildlands Project.”

Source Notes

Title: Interview with Josh Laughlin, the Conservation director of the Cascadia Wildlands Project.

 

 

 

 

Summary:

In a March 10th, 2009 interview, Josh Laughlin comments on the roadless rule, the economic value of conservation, and the Cascadia Wildlands Project environmental expectations for the Obama administration.

Topic:

Josh Laughlin of the Cascadia Wildlands Project.

Category:

 

 

Institutional/ Citizen.

What is it.
Interview.

 

Publication Information:
N/A

 

Author:

Jake Swantko

 

 

 

Location:

Cascadia Wildlands Project Headquarters in Eugene, Oregon.

 

 

 

Accessed:

Interview conducted on March 10^th, 2009.

 

 

 

 

Support:

 

Josh Laughlin, Conservation director of the Cascadia Wildlands Project.

 

 

 

Question and Answer format (answers from Laughlin are not exact quotes)

Interviewer: Jake Swantko (JS).

Interviewee: Josh Laughlin (JL).

 

JS.) What is your name and occupation in the Cascadia Wildlands Project?

 

JL.) Josh Laughlin- Conservation Director.

 

JS.) Tell me a little about the Cascadia Wildlands Project?

 

JL.) The Cascadia Wildlands Project has been a non-profit organization for ten years. The organization took root in 1997 at the University of Oregon. Several students, all of which were volunteers, wanted to protect old-growth forests. Thus, the organization was formed in 1998. We are centered in Eugene, Oregon but we also have an outfit in Cordova, Alaska. The mission and values of the organization is dedicated to the educating, organizing, and aggravating for environmental issues.

 

JS.) Is your office involved with the Tongass National Forest?

 

JL.) Yes, we monitor timber sales and are involved in environmental litigation.

 

JS.) What are your thoughts on the Roadless Rule Conservation Act of 2001?

 

JL.) The act has received millions of comments. Many foes of the Roadless Rule claim that it was an environmental policy that was rushed through and administered at the end of the Clinton administration. This is not true. It was a well devised plan that has overwhelming public support. Any roadless area should be set aside for conservation, not only for human benefit, but also for animal habitat, clean water, and clean air. Roadless areas are the future of sanity in our nation.

 

JS.) What do you think about the Bush administrations environmental policies?

 

JL.) If anything good came out of the Bush administrations environmental policies, it was that the public had a greater awareness of how important and fragile environmental policies can be. People now have a greater awareness of natural resource issues. The Bush administration was scratching the back of big industries by weakening existing environmental safeguards, politics as usual.

 

JS.) What economic benefit(s) do national forests have other than resource extraction?

 

JL.) If we focus on restoring degraded forests we can really stimulate the economy. There are real opportunities in restoration activities such restorative forest thinning, road rehabilitation, and restoration of deforestation. The Forest Service no longer promotes the clear-cutting of old-growth forests. There is a real industry at our finger tips for the decommissioning of old forest roads.

 

JS.) What are your expectations for the Obama administration in terms of environmental protection?

 

JL.) We need a return to scientific integrity- bottom line. In the Bush administration, politics trumped science. That must change first before anything else can change.

 

Audience and Agenda:

N/A

 

 

 

Usefulness:
Josh Laughlin gave me an in-depth interview on real issues regarding the roadless rule, the economic value of conservation, and the Cascadia Wildlands Project environmental expectations for the Obama administration. He also commented on the past administrations (Bush administration) lack of science based logic when policy was under review. The interview was very useful and reassuring. Reassuring in the fact that I knew all of the places and issues he was talking about and was able to provide educated responses. The interview was also useful because Laughlin provided me with a number of sources that would argue his claims—the BLM (Bureau of Land Management), and American Forest Resource Council.  

 

 

Works cited:

Josh Laughlin, Conservation director of the Cascadia Wildlands Project.

 

 

 

 

 

34.) Citizen: “New research suggests road decommissioning important for grizzly bears.”

Source Notes

Title: New research suggests road decommissioning important for grizzly bears.

 

Summary: On November 3^rd, 2008, Adam Swaitalski, a blogger for Wildlands CPR, claims that grizzly bears in Alberta, Canada are on the decline due to human-caused mortalities on forest roads.

Topic: Endangered species in Alberta, Canada.

Category:

 Institutional/ Citizen.

 

 

 

What is it.
Blog.

 

Publication Information:

Published by Adam Swaitalski on November 3^rd, 2008.

 

 

 

Author:
Adam Swaitalski.

 

Location:

http://www.wildlandscpr.org/blog/new-research-suggests-road-decommissioning-important-grizzly-bears

 

 

 

Accessed:

March 11, 2009

 

 

 

 

Support:

 

Nielsen et. al. (2008), author of a new study from Biological Conservation.

 

In this blog, Adam Swaitalski examines a study conducted by Biological Conservation which shows a positive correlation between the dramatically reduced grizzly bear population in Alberta, Canada and the creation of roads in the bear’s ecosystem. The study “modeled the different timber harvest scenarios impact on grizzly bear long-term survival.  While logging and the creation of early-successional forests could benefit habitat quality and lead to increased carrying capacity, the associated road building and human-caused mortality would offset any habitat gains.” Human-caused mortalities include over-hunting, poaching, and vehicle collisions.

 

 

 

Audience and Agenda:
Wildlands CPR is a non-profit organization that is funded by donation and private interest groups. The organization revives and protects wild places by promoting watershed restoration through road removal, preventing new wildland road construction and stopping off-road vehicle abuse. Quantcast.com reports that www.wildlandscpr.org is not quantifiable at the current time.  

 

Usefulness:
The analysis and commentary by Swaitalski informs the reader of the impacts that forest roads have on ecosystem where they are constructed. Timber lobbyist may argue that “early-successional forests could benefit habitat quality and lead to increased carrying capacity.” This blog and the corresponding study supports the claim that early-successional forests and the roads they create cause more damage to wildlife and the corresponding ecosystem than good.

 

Works cited:

www.quantcast.com

http://www.wildlandscpr.org/about-us

http://www.wildlandscpr.org/blog/unemployment-and-environmental-protection

 

 

 

 

33.) Citizen: “Unemployment and Environmental Protection.”

Source Notes

 

Title: Unemployment and Environmental Protection.

 

 

 

Summary: On February, 12^th, 2009, Josh Hurd, a blogger on wildlandscrp.com, shows evidence of a correlation between economic recessions and consequently lack of support for environmental issues.   

 

 

 

Topic: Unemployment goes up; public concern for environmental issues goes down.

 

 

Category:
Institutional.

 

What is it.

Blog.

 

 

Publication Information:

Published by Josh Hurd on February, 12^th, 2009.

 

 

Author:
Josh Hurd.

 

Location:

http://www.wildlandscpr.org/blog/unemployment-and-environmental-protection

 

Accessed:

March 10, 2009

 

 

Support:

 

A January study conducted by Pew.

 

 

March 2008 Gallup Poll.

 

Rasmussen Poll.

 

The blog asserts that “When unemployment goes up, people become less concerned about the environment and more concerned about strengthening the economy.” Hurd cites three polls to support his claim. First, the January 2009 study conducted by Pew shows that “the number of people supporting environmental protection as their top policy concern greatly decreased over the past few years.” Second, a less current poll—the March 2008 Gallup Poll—shows that U.S citizens believe that “economic growth should be given priority, even if the environment suffers to some extent.” Finally, the Rasmussen Poll found that the “public perceives that economic growth and environmental protection cannot be pursued at the same time.”

 

Audience and Agenda:
Wildlands CPR is a non-profit organization that is funded by donation and private interest groups. The organization revives and protects wild places by promoting watershed restoration through road removal, preventing new wildland road construction and stopping off-road vehicle abuse. Quantcast.com reports that www.wildlandscpr.org is not quantifiable at the current time.  

 

Usefulness:
These studies, polls (Pew, Gallup Poll, Rasmussen Poll) and commentary by Hurd provide a supported assertion that says “When unemployment goes up, people become less concerned about the environment and more concerned about strengthening the economy.” The American people will not support environmental issues if they perceive that the government and public can only focus on the economy. This is problematic for my argument. Without public support, environmental issues will no longer be at the forefront of policy discussions. However, my focus is aimed at persuading my audience that both protecting the environment and supporting our local and federal economy can be accomplished at the same time.

                                    

Works cited:

www.quantcast.com

http://www.wildlandscpr.org/about-us

http://www.wildlandscpr.org/blog/unemployment-and-environmental-protection

 

32.) Citizen: “Conservation groups sue over Idaho roadless lands.”

Source Notes

 

Title: Conservation groups sue over Idaho roadless lands.

 

 

 

Summary:

On January 17th, 2009, Ralph Maughan, a blogger on wordpress.com, publishes information and expresses his opinion on current state of roadless rule litigation in the state of Idaho. The blog is called “Ralph Maughan’s Wildlife News.”

Topic: The climate of Idaho’s roadless rule.

Category:
Citizen.

 

 

What is it:

Blog.

 

 

Publication Information:
Published by Ralph Maughan on January 17^th, 2009.

 

Author:

Ralph Maughan.

 

 

Location:

http://wolves.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/conservation-groups-sue-over-idaho-roadless-lands/

 

 

Accessed:

March 9, 2009.

 

 

Support:

 

Jesse L. Bonner, Associated Press Writer and author of “Conservation groups sue over Idaho roadless plan.”

 

Rocky Barker, Idaho statesman and blogger who wrote “Wilderness Society sues to stop Risch roadless rule for Idaho.”

 

Sources comment on the current status of litigation in the state of Idaho regarding the roadless rule. According to these sources and Maughan, “Idaho has more roadless, undeveloped national forest than any other state but Alaska.” A small portion of this land has been protected as designated wilderness. Jim Risch, former governor of Idaho, allocated the rest of the land into various categories. “This was done under the Bush version of the roadless rule.” The rule is now final and part of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). After passing CFR, Maughan states that “I doubted a lawsuit would happen.” Several conservation groups have filed a major lawsuit against the Idaho roadless rule.

 

 

Audience and Agenda:

WordPress.com is one of the largest free blogging sites available on the internet. Including all hosted and custom domain blogs on the site, wordpress.com reaches 182 million monthly global people and 58.3 million U.S monthly people. The site attracts a middle aged, middle income, slightly more male than female Asian audience.

 

 

Usefulness:

“Ralph Maughan’s Wildlife News” blog provides me with some insight on the roadless rule in Idaho. I did not fully understand the shear magnitude of national forest in Idaho—according to Maughan and his sources there is more national forest Idaho than any state other than Alaska. This broadens my understanding of the national forests in Idaho and the issues they are facing.

Works cited:

http://wolves.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/conservation-groups-sue-over-idaho-roadless-lands/

www.quantcast.com

31.) Multimedia: “Salazar Wants To Bring Back A Teddy Roosevelt-Style Youth Conservation Corps.”

Source Notes

Title: Salazar Wants To Bring Back A Teddy Roosevelt-Style Youth Conservation Corps.

 

 

 

Summary:

During a March 3^rd, 2009 speech at the Power Shift 2009 convention, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar discusses the prospect of a greener economy by employing “thousands of young people” to resurrect national forests and parks around the country.

Topic:

Prospects for green jobs.

Category:

 

Multimedia/ Journalistic.

 

 

What is it.
Online video.

 

Publication Information:

Published by The Energy Collective/ Huffington Post on March 2^nd, 2009.

 

 

Author:

Jesse Jenkins.

 

 

Location:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/02/salazar-wants-to-bring-ba_n_171003.html

 

Accessed:

March 9, 2009.

 

 

Support:

Ken Salazar, the Secretary of the Interior.

 

 

At Power Shift 2009, a convention with 12,000 people from the age of 18 to 30 attending, Ken Salazar discussed the new energy economy and the prospect of “harnessing the wind and sun to power our nation.” Salazar also “promised to implement a national youth conservation corps.” Conservation corps would concentrate efforts on national park and forest conservation much like President Teddy Roosevelt did during the Great Depression. To conclude, Salazar promises to create “the best 21^st century youth conservation corps that the world has ever seen.”

 

Audience and Agenda:

The Huffington Post online web site (where this video was retrieved) features news and opinion sections devoted to business, entertainment, green issues, politics, style, living, comedy, video, and more. Huffingtonpost.com reaches 13.1 monthly global people and 10.3 million U.S monthly people. The site attracts a middle aged, affluent, white male audience.

 

 

 

Usefulness:

This speech by Interior of the Secretary Ken Salazar provides some relative and pertinent information regarding my argument. A key point in the research that I have gathered thus far is that backlogged national park and forest projects have the ability to employ a considerable number of people. These green jobs would provide employment and income to individuals while helping local and federal economies and environmental agencies. This speech illustrates that the administration understands the two-tiered effect of such green job creation and is in the process of creating these opportunities.

 

 

 

Works cited:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/02/salazar-wants-to-bring-ba_n_171003.html

www.quantcast.com

30.) Multimedia: “Voices of the Tongass- Real Voices, Real Impacts.”

Source Notes

Title: Voices of the Tongass- Real Voices, Real Impacts.

 

 

 

 

Summary:

In “Voices of the Tongass- Real Voices, Real Impacts,” a video created by the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), two citizens of Ketchikan, which is near the Tongass National Forest, comment on logging, conservation, the future of the Tongass, and the impact the forest has had on their lives.

 

 

 

 

Topic:

Citizens comment on Tongass development.

 

 

 

Category:

Multimedia/ Institutional.

 

 

 

What is it?

Online video.

 

 

 

Publication Information:
Published by the Natural Resource Defense Council on January 18^th, 2009.

 

Author(s):

NRDC.

Greenpeace.

Sierra Club.

Photography by John Hyde.

 

 

 

Location:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUcEkMO5w5U

 

Accessed:

March 6^th, 2009.

 

 

 

 

Support:

 

Larry O’ Loane, resident of Ketchikan—near the Tongass National Forest.

 

Victoria McDonald, resident of Ketchikan—near the Tongass National Forest.

 

In two candid interviews, locals of Ketchikan (near the Tongass National Forest) comment on the impact of recent changes to conservation policy and the economic and sentimental value of preserving the Tongass. Larry O’ Loane, an advocate for increasing protection of the Tongass, states that the Tongass is “an irreplaceable resource. If you cut down a thousand year old tree, than your kids are never going to see one, you’re grand kids are never going to see one. Once it’s gone, it’s never coming back.” Victoria McDonald, a resident of Ketchikan, comments on logging in the Tongass National Forest: “It’s not something we can ever capture or control, it’s out there. There’s something about a wild area that I think captivates a lot of people and they come up here to see that wild. I hope the Tongass is still available for them to visit (her grand children).”

 

 

 

Audience and Agenda:

The National Resource Defense Council web site (NRDC.org) reaches over 129 thousands U.S monthly people. The site is popular a slightly female, more educated group. The typical visitor reads the Nation, attends Stanford, and subscribes to National Geographic.

 

 

 

 

Usefulness:

The information I have gathered on the Tongass has been centered on the facets of its unique ecosystem old-growth, primary litigation, and the economics of timber in the region. However, these two candid citizen interviews provide real voices and concerns to the cause. They put a face to the ideas, concerns, and hopes of conservation for the Tongass National Forest.

 

Works cited:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUcEkMO5w5U

 

www.quantcast.com

 

 

29.) Multimedia: “Roadless is More: Taking Care of Our National Forests.”

Source Notes

 

Title: Roadless is More: Taking Care of Our National Forests.

 

 

 

 

 

Summary:

In an online video entitled “Roadless is More: Taking Care of Our National Forests”, the Outdoor Alliance, an organization dedicated to the “conservation and stewardship of our nation’s public lands,” provides interesting commentary on the facts, stipulations, and the future progression of the Roadless Rule Conservation Act of 2001.

 

 

 

 

 

Topic:

Roadless area facts.

Category:

 

 

 

Institutional.

 

 

 

 

What is it.

Online video.  

 

 

 

 

Publication Information:

Published by the Outdoor Alliance on

 

 

 

 

Author:

Adam Cramer and Thomas O’Keefe.  

 

 

 

 

Location:

http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=roadless%20rule%20multimedia&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#hl=en&emb=0&q=outdoor+alliance

 

 

 

 

Accessed:

March 6^th, 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

Support:

To support their argument, the Outdoor Alliance uses multimedia in juxtaposition with a narration that informs the viewer on the roadless rule. The various forms of multimedia (ambient and natural audio, video, and images) provide the viewer with a sense of the roadless area history, magnitude (amount of roads), and those in peril. The multimedia presentation begins with action video of several outdoor recreations (kayaking and skiing). To provide context, the presentation shows old photos of logging and national forest roads being created. The film attends to an overall theme of roadless area conservation and the rejuvenation to roads already in place.

 

 

 

 

Audience and Agenda:

The Outdoor Alliance is comprised of the American Canoe Association (ACA), Access Fund, American Hiking Society (AHS), American Whitewater (AW), International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA), and the Winter Wildlands Alliance. Outdoor Alliance is a non-profit organization that relies on donation and private interest funding for support. The organization shapes environmental policy, invokes proactive citizen support of these issues, and also provides information and news regarding policy. According to quantcast.com, the amount of individuals the site reaches is non-quantifiable at the moment.

 

 

 

 

 

Usefulness:

The Outdoor Alliance provides information on the development, uses, and economic benefits of roads in national forests over the last hundred years. “We have built more than 380 thousand miles of road in our national forests.” However, there are a few remote forests that do not have any roads at all. Roadless areas, as they are known, “provide millions of people with clean air and drinking water and include some of the largest intact ecosystems in the United States.” In these places, everything remains the same untamed wilderness as when we originally thought the “world was flat.” Contrary to popular belief, “the most precious roadless areas can be found just outside major cities.” “There is almost nine miles of forest roads to every one mile of highway in our national highway system.”

 

 

 

 

 

Works cited:

http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=roadless%20rule%20multimedia&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#hl=en&emb=0&q=outdoor+alliance

 

 

 

 

www.quantcast.com