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Bureaucracy and Wildlife: a Historical Overview WellBeing International WBI Studies Repository 1982 Bureaucracy and Wildlife: A Historical Overview Edward E. Langenau Michigan Department of Natural Resources Follow this and additional works at: https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/acwp_all Part of the Animal Studies Commons, Nature and Society Relations Commons, and the Population Biology Commons Recommended Citation Langenau, E.E. (1982). Bureaucracy and wildlife: A historical overview. International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems, 3(2), 140-157. This material is brought to you for free and open access by WellBeing International. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of the WBI Studies Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ll" I:! ' S.R. Kellert- Wildlife Management Review Article E.E. Langenau-Bureaucracy and Wildlife Review Article References Books, New York, NY. Introduction county, township, and city programs for Leopold, A. (1968) Sand County Alma­ wildlife conservation, allow us to esti­ Cart, T.W. (1971) The Struggle for Wild­ In order to engage in any meaning­ nac. Oxford University Press, New mate that nearly $1 billion is spent each life Protection in the United States, ful discussion about wildlife issues in York, NY. year by Government on wildlife programs 1870-1900: Attitudes and Events Lead­ the United States, it is helpful to have Peterson, R.T. (1981) New wildlife unit in the United States. ing to the Lacey Act. University Mi­ some understanding of the history of Gov­ faces many obstacles, New York The purpose of this paper is to trace crofilms, Ann Arbor, MI. ernment's role in wildlife matters. This is Times, September 27, 1981. the historical development of this size­ Krutch, J.W. (1970) The Best Nature Writ­ because wildlife conservation in this able bureaucracy, to examine the relation­ ing of joseph Wood Krutch. Pocket country has been strongly affected by ship between public behavior and Govern­ governmental policy and action. Wild­ ment response, and to analyze the essen­ life in the United States is considered as tial nature of wildlife-related bureaucracy a public matter (or "good"), like national in relation to theories of public adminis­ defense and public education. Wildlife tration. This analysis should provide us benefits and conservation programs are Bureaucracy and Wildlife: with a better appreciation of the tension distributed throughout the political sys­ between the biological and political di­ tem by legislative mandate in accor­ A Historical Overview mensions of current wildlife conservation dance with the demands of voters and decisions. It will also be helpful in under­ interest groups. As a result, a bald eagle standing the inherent dilemma of Govern­ nesting in a Michigan white pine belongs ment in trying to, on the one hand, re­ Edward E. Langenau, Jr. equally as well to a textile worker in spond to the will of the people while at South Carolina, a Senator in Oregon, the same time ensuring sufficient con­ and an automaker in Detroit. This paper provides a framework for understanding the Government's position tinuity of policy regarding the enhance­ However, wildlife is considered a on many wildlife topics, including humane ethics. The historical role of Government ment of wildlife resources. This perspec­ private good in many nations; govern­ in wildlife conservation is traced in relation to pertinent theories of bureaucracy. It is ive should also be useful in identifying ment in these countries assumes quite shown that Government involvement in wildlife conservation increased through suc­ the channels that have been used success­ different roles in this regard. Discussion cessive stages of change because of interest group activity. fully throughout history to create social These periods of increased Government involvement in wildlife matters are of wildlife issues in these nations there­ change. fore requires less knowledge of govern­ shown to have followed periods of resource exploitation. Recurrent cycles of exploita­ Colonial Customs tion, accompanied by economic prosperity, have then been followed by attitudes fav­ ment and history. Wildlife benefits are orable to conservation and political activism. This, in turn, has produced periods of distributed throughout their economic The early explorers and colonists backlash when the public rejected Government regulation, which has then caused an­ systems according to the laws of supply who arrived in this country found wild­ other period of exploitation. and demand, and wildlife, like timber life to be abundant. Their initial period However, the process of Government regulation works such that the losses dur­ and livestock, is assumed to belong to of hardship and starvation here has been ing the periods of backlash have been of far lesser magnitude than the amount of per­ private landowners. attributed to a lack of knowledge rather manent change introduced during major increments in growth of regulation. This paper The public nature of policy toward than to a shortage of available game shows that most of the permanent change in Government has been institutionalized wildlife in the United States has created (Graham, 1947). Many of the English and through the creation of new staff within agencies who represent the position of in­ the need for a sizeable bureaucracy. The Dutch commoners had no experience in terest groups on various issues. Direct communication between these internal staffs Wildlife Management Institute reported hunting and fishing, since these were and their associated interest groups, special-purpose legislative appropriation, and that in 1979, wildlife budgets were $40 privileges of the ruling classes in Europe. advisory commissions, have given these organizations the appearance of indepen­ million for the U.S. Forest Service, $17 With experience, and with assistance of dent regulatory agencies. This system has tended to produce a tension between the million for the Bureau of Land Manage­ the Indians, the colonists soon developed old and new roles of Government in wildlife conservation and has increased agency ment, and $289.5 million for the U.S. Fish a number of customs regarding the prop­ reliance on regulatory rules for making decisions. and Wildlife Service. Hunting license er relationship of humans to wildlife. revenues totaled $199 million for the 50 Not all of these customs reflected States, and $94 million was available to Dr. Langenau is a wildlife research biologist at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Rose Lake much sophistication about biological Wildlife Research Center, 8562 East Stoll Road, East Lansing, Ml 48823. Portions of this paper were pre­ the States from Federal excise taxes on facts. For example, Trefethen (1964) dis­ sented at a symposium entitled "Wildlife Management in the United States: Scientific and Humane Issues ammunition and firearms. These dollar cussed colonial attitudes toward preda­ in Conservation Programs." This symposium was held in St. Louis, MO at the Annual Meeting of The Hu­ amounts, in addition to those that are tors. He argued that the English settlers, mane Society of the United States on October 14, 1981. not reported for other Federal, State, unlike the French in Canada who adapted 140 /NT STUD ANIM PROB 3(2) 1982 1 /NT 1 STUD ANIM PROB 3(2) 1982 141 ll" I:! ' S.R. Kellert- Wildlife Management Review Article E.E. Langenau-Bureaucracy and Wildlife Review Article References Books, New York, NY. Introduction county, township, and city programs for Leopold, A. (1968) Sand County Alma­ wildlife conservation, allow us to esti­ Cart, T.W. (1971) The Struggle for Wild­ In order to engage in any meaning­ nac. Oxford University Press, New mate that nearly $1 billion is spent each life Protection in the United States, ful discussion about wildlife issues in York, NY. year by Government on wildlife programs 1870-1900: Attitudes and Events Lead­ the United States, it is helpful to have Peterson, R.T. (1981) New wildlife unit in the United States. ing to the Lacey Act. University Mi­ some understanding of the history of Gov­ faces many obstacles, New York The purpose of this paper is to trace crofilms, Ann Arbor, MI. ernment's role in wildlife matters. This is Times, September 27, 1981. the historical development of this size­ Krutch, J.W. (1970) The Best Nature Writ­ because wildlife conservation in this able bureaucracy, to examine the relation­ ing of joseph Wood Krutch. Pocket country has been strongly affected by ship between public behavior and Govern­ governmental policy and action. Wild­ ment response, and to analyze the essen­ life in the United States is considered as tial nature of wildlife-related bureaucracy a public matter (or "good"), like national in relation to theories of public adminis­ defense and public education. Wildlife tration. This analysis should provide us benefits and conservation programs are Bureaucracy and Wildlife: with a better appreciation of the tension distributed throughout the political sys­ between the biological and political di­ tem by legislative mandate in accor­ A Historical Overview mensions of current wildlife conservation dance with the demands of voters and decisions. It will also be helpful in under­ interest groups. As a result, a bald eagle standing the inherent dilemma of Govern­ nesting in a Michigan white pine belongs ment in trying to, on the one hand, re­ Edward E. Langenau, Jr. equally as well to a textile worker in spond to the will of the people while at South Carolina,
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