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Grassroots Conservation of Biological Diversity in the United States

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Grassroots Conservation of Biological Diversity in the United States Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Representative Groups In the United States, there is a very large pies. This report is not intended to rank these number of groups and individuals preserving groups above others but to display the range biological diversity at the grassroots level, The of activities and contributions of such groups following showcase examples were selected and individuals to the maintenance of biologi- with the realization that numerous groups ex- cal diversity, ist which would provide equally suitable exam- Synopsis of Groups Highlighted in This Background Paper ——— Page Grassroots group: Major activities number Abundant Life Seed Foundation: Regional seed exchange in the Pacific Northwest . ., . ,.. 38 American Cream Draft Horse Association: Registering, [certifying, and promoting a single breed of livestock . ., , . ., . 44 American Minor Breeds Conservancy: Coordinating conservation activities for rare domestic breeds of livestock . ... , . ,., 44 Center for Plant Conservation: Coordinating preservation activities of 18 U.S. botanical gardens and arboreta . , . , . , . 27 Desert Botanical Gardens: Maintaining, researching, and displaying common and rare desert plants . 26 Desert Fishes Council: Preserving species and habitats of fishes in arid regions of the Southwest . .,. 16 Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee: Conserving the Desert Tortoise through establishment of a 38-acre tortoise preserve . , . 12 Florida Audubon Society: Regional society engaged in a broad range of ecosystem and species conservation activities . , . , . 22 Greater Yellowstone Coalition: Advocacy group and coordinating body for groups concerned with preserving the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem . 18 Individuals, agricultural animals: Maintaining and breeding one to several minor breeds of livestock . 42 Individuals, American Federation of Aviculture: Organization serving individuals engaged in the keeping and breeding of nonnative birds . ., . 31 Land Trust Exchange: Providing legal and technical support to land preservation groups ... 13 Living Historical Farms: Recreating and interpreting historic agricultural settings . 39 Native Seeds/SEARCH: Collecting, preserving, and disseminating native crops and their wild relatives of the Southwest . 39 North American Fruit Explorers: Exploring, maintaining, and exchanging informaion on fro it and nut varieties . 37 Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County: Preserving an 1 l-acre tall grass prairie site in Illinois . 10 Rhododendron Species Foundation: Collecting, preserving, and propagating wild species of Rhododendron . 24 Seed Savers Exchange: Preserving heirloom and endangered commercial varieties of garden vegetables . 3 5 Southeast Alaska Conservation Council: Advocacy group and coordinating body for groups concerned with management of the Tongass National Forest . 20 Texas game ranchers: Maintaining and breeding large, nonnative mammal species . 32 Wildlife Education Program for a Living Future: Environmental education with emphasis on human/predator interactions . ... , ., . , . 15 9 10 SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEMS--ON-SITE Maintaining biological diversity of wild spe- The actions taken by these organizations cies on-site offers unique advantages over liv- range from relatively passive (e. g., comment- ing collections maintained off-site. On-site pres- ing on agency proposals) to confrontational (e.g., ervation permits efficient maintenance of far stopping construction of a dam). Indeed, a few greater species diversity than is possible through groups consider civil disobedience a valuable off-site methods. With on-site methods, entire tool. In most cases, however, lawsuits in State communities of species and their diverse or Federal courts are the intervention method habitats can be preserved with the result that of choice. Few of these groups explicitly pro- natural selection and evolutionary processes mote the maintenance of biological diversity, continue. In addition, both the known and cur- yet many of the programs and actions they en- rently valued as well as unknown and poten- courage have direct bearing on it, Environ- tially valuable species are maintained. Both on- mental advocacy groups often focus, refine, and site and off-site techniques are important com- articulate public needs by providing leadership, ponents in an integrated program for preser- information, or organization. They can be sen- vation of all segments of biological diversity (42). sitive and highly responsive to conditions or sit- uations overlooked by government agencies be- About 40 percent of all lands in the United cause they are diverse, local, and adaptable States are publicly owned. Within this Federal (43,45), They can, in addition, provide an ave- land system, a network of natural areas with nue for public comment on particular govern- various degrees of protection (e. g., national ment proposals, which may effect biological parks, wildlife refuges, marine sanctuaries, wild diversity. and scenic rivers, national forests, and wilder- ness areas) maintains components of biologi- The methods of on-site preservation vary and cal diversity. These Federal efforts are rein- include acquiring land, providing assistance forced by a number of private groups working to private landowners or local conservation actively to preserve land and the natural diver- groups, facilitating communication or con- sit y it supports. Some of these groups play a key certed action by mediating between large and political role in supporting legislative safe- sometimes competing interests, and environ- guards protecting natural areas. Others watch mental advocacy, The following descriptions over and care for specific areas that might other- illustrate the variety of activities and approaches wise suffer from neglect, inattention, or short- taken by on-site preservation groups. age of funding. Both the government and the private sector hold land, but private groups do Prairie Preservation Society so largely to fill in gaps where the government will not, cannot, or should not (43). of Ogle County Interested citizens and groups commonly pro- Prairielands are one of the most threatened vide information that aids in the administration ecosystems in North America. In Illinois, for of government programs. The efforts of con- example, studies indicate that less than 1 per- cerned citizens and organizations have precipi- cent of the original tallgrass prairie remains in tated government actions at the Federal, State, its native form (30). Prairies have been converted and local level. Individuals and groups have mainly into agricultural production and now worked to initiate, modify, or cancel govern- support the Wheat Belt and Corn Belt of the Na- ment policies and actions that affect the envi- tion’s Midwestern States. Many of the remain- ronment (43), They promote environmental ing vestiges of native prairie appear in old grave- quality in legislative, legal, and administrative yards, along railroad right-of-ways, and as arenas and, like the government, function at lo- private landholdings. Because these remnants cal, State, interstate, national, and international are scattered, Federal consolidation and pro- levels (43). tection is difficult, and local grassroots organ i- . — 11 —. v Photo credit: Praire Preservafion Society of Ogle County Members of the Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County, Illinois conducting a controlled burning of Bicentennial Prairie as part of their regular management activities for this preserve zations are attempting to fill this void in Fed- tion . .,” particularly relating to local prairie eral ecosystem protection. habitats (54). The organization obtained funds from the State Bicentennial Commission with One of these organizations is the Prairie Pres- a matching grant from the County for purchase ervation Society of Ogle County, Inc., a land of a local prairie remnant. The organization be- trust of individuals concerned with native came fee-title owners of an 11½-acre parcel of prairielands in I11inois. The organization grew native prairie previously held by a private indi- from the collaboration of a Soil Conservation vidual in 1980. It was appropriately named Bi- Service soil scientist with a local “prairie en- centennial Prairie. thusiast” who also was a prairie nursery owner and prairieland restorer. Their idea was to pur- Most of the society’s 360 members are from chase a remnant prairie parcel to bring recog- Ogle County, Illinois, The governing body, of- nition to the native prairies in Illinois during the Nation’s 1976 Bicentennial Celebration. ficers, and consultants are all volunteers. Like many nonprofit groups, a core of about 20 indi- The society organized in 1975 as a not-for- viduals does most of the work of the organiza- profit organization whose purpose was to tion, including restoration work on Bicenten- " . engage in or promote charitable, scientific, nial Prairie. Work crews conduct controlled and educational activities in the fields of natu- burning operations on the site during the spring ral history and environmental quality protec- to restore the Prairie to pristine condition. They 12 also cut brush and wood to maintain the prai- Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee rie habitat. The prairie site is available for scien- tific and educational projects, and a checklist Less than 25 years ago, it was not uncommon of plant species on the site has been developed. for people living in southern California to take Many grade-school groups and college classes, trips through the local desert and return
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