Lesson Plan : Endangered Species and Agriculture
Teacher Name: | Meredith Perry |
Grade: | Grade 11-12 |
Subject: |
Topic: | Endangered Species and Agriculture |
Content: | Agricultural land benefits wildlife Agricultural land provides 75% of the nation�s wildlife Agricultural land provides large plots of unbroken land essential to wildlife The large separated fields improve wildlife�s survival Farmers and ranchers provide around $153 billion a year related to biodiversity of animals and plants in the U.S. Wildlife benefits Agriculture A diversified wildlife allows for: Threatened and endangered species Rare plants More skunks, birds, and bats Human-made irrigation ditches and ponds allows for wetland habitat for geese, great blue herons, wood ducks, and waterfowls. More animals like coyotes, foxes, eagles, and hawks help decrease the number of pests like mice, wood rats, and prairie dogs that create problems on agricultural lands |
Goals: | To teach the importance of environment and agriculture working together |
Objectives: | To understand the importance to agriculture to protect endangered species and the biodiversity is crucial to our eco-system |
Materials: | |
Introduction: | The Environmental Protection Agency Protects human health Protects the natural environment including land, air, and water The EPA works with: US Fish and Wildlife Service programs related to endangered species Other federal agencies State and local governments American Indian Tribes International partnerships Private landowners Private organizations Endangered Species and Pesticides The EPA has attempted to manage pesticide regulations since 1988 EPA must also regulate the use and types of pesticides registered in an area The EPA works with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to insure the legal use of a pesticide will not be dangerous to the listed animals of that area or their habitat If the procedure is not correctly followed, those opposing these pesticides can file a suit to enforce the ESA |
Development: | Endangered Species Grants to States and Territories Conservation Grants Recovery Land Acquisition Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Land Acquisition |
Practice: | Endangered Species Act of 1973 The Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and Defense are to protect listed species Allows U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to acquire land for listed species Conserves the ecosystems that threatened and endangered species depend on Protects both plants and wildlife and their habitats Works with both federal lands and privately owned land Amended in 1978, 1982, 1988, and 2004 |
Accommodations: | The snake river salmon The Endangered Species Act also greatly affects the water irrigation systems The precautions to protect the salmon have caused for a decrease the irrigation water available to farmers This means better river flow for salmon but implications for farmers needing water from these Federal Irrigation Projects The Pacific Salmon Vs. Chlorpyrifos Opponents of Chlorpyrifos have been successful in filing correct suits and bringing the ignored pesticide evaluations to light in order to obtain court-ordered restrictions The legal opinion has outweighed the scientific facts Chlorpyrifos is one of the first pest control products to be under this evaluation The EPA�s regulations and the NMFS recommendations provided for pesticides in the past have been scrutinized and many groups are working to improve them in order for the correct pesticide regulations to work with agriculture as a whole Grey Wolf Integral part of the ecosystem Placed on the Endangered Species List in 1974 when the population had almost completely disappeared Now the Great Lakes region there are over 4,000 wolves |
Checking For Understanding: | Controversy? The grey wolf population has surpassed its goal while being restored Can cause serious economic losses for livestock producers In Minnesota, over 1,000 claims have been filed due to livestock losses which taxpayers have paid over a million dollars to reimburse Last year about 265 wolves were shot but the initial population still grew eight percent Strict hunting regulations are set to hunt a grey wolf after it is removed from the endangered list in that area In Minnesota, the grey wolf is still listed as threatened March 2010, a petition was filed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in order to request the grey wolf be taken off the list so that the population decreases as well as the amount of livestock being killed |
Closure: | Create methods for farmers and wolves to live in harmony: Fencing livestock More lighting Alarm systems Properly remove dead or dying livestock attracting carnivores |
Evaluation: | The Pacific Salmon Vs. Chlorpyrifos Opponents of Chlorpyrifos have been successful in filing correct suits and bringing the ignored pesticide evaluations to light in order to obtain court-ordered restrictions The legal opinion has outweighed the scientific facts Chlorpyrifos is one of the first pest control products to be under this evaluation The EPA�s regulations and the NMFS recommendations provided for pesticides in the past have been scrutinized and many groups are working to improve them in order for the correct pesticide regulations to work with agriculture as a whole |
Teacher Reflections: |
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