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INTRODUCTION Based on an article in |
This activity aligns with the following National Science Education Standards: Content Standard C: Life SciencePopulations and Ecosystems Introduction Today, most American wild horses and burros are located in portions of the West on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Public lands also provide habitat for wildlife. In addition, BLM issues permits to ranchers to allow them to graze their livestock on public lands. Land managers strive to balance the various uses of the land while protecting the health of the rangelands. As the following activity demonstrates, this "balancing act" can be quite challenging. To get a feel for the difficulties involved in making land-use decisions, conduct this role-playing activity. Students will research and debate the viewpoints of different interest groups regarding the removal of horses from a wild horse and burro Herd Management Area (HMA). Procedure 1. Divide the class into five groups, each of which will represent one interest group. 2. Photocopy the position statements of each of the five interest groups shown in the two columns at right. (If possible, copy onto one sheet of legal size paper.) Cut apart each set of position statements and give one to each of the five student groups. 3. Read the background information aloud to the class. Then allow the remainder of the class period (or longer, if possible) for each group to prepare its arguments by doing further research in the library or on some of the websites listed in the article references. 4. Groups should each choose a spokesperson, who will make a presentation to the rest of the class. Each spokesperson has up to 10 minutes in which to outline the group's position. Appoint a timekeeper. 5. Following the presentations, allow a 30-minute period for questions and discussion. The class should then come up with a list of possible options. Background Herd Management Area #45 is in trouble. Home to a herd of approximately 125 horses, the area supports nearly 900 cattle as well as numerous species of wildlife. Over the course of the past summer, there was very little rainfall. Several water holes dried up and a couple of streams were reduced to a trickle. The area's plants also suffered from a lack of precipitation. Even though they're drought resistant, Indian ricegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, and other grasses that are favored by horses and cattle have died off early. And some of the heartier shrubs, such as winterfat and bitterbrush, are looking less than healthy. Land managers, who are responsible for protecting the wild horses, are concerned that the horses won't make it through the winter. To help them, managers propose to conduct an emergency gather of the wild horses. The proposal is to remove all but about 30 of the horses, take them to a temporary holding facility, and prepare them for adoption by private citizens. A public meeting is being held next week to debate this and other options. Various groups have been given permission to speak at the meeting. Group Position Statements (Note: Every effort has been made to represent accurately the positions of each interest group; however, opinions within each group do vary.) Save a Living Legacy This group has been active in the horse protection issue for decades. Members want to make sure that wild horses and burros are strongly protected and stay on the range. After all, these animals are part of America's "living legacy." Position: BLM should not remove horses from the range. Reasons: Ranchers for the Range This organization of local cattle ranchers advocates progressive range management practices, and its members have cooperated with land managers to preserve forage and water. As they have for several generations, these ranchers depend heavily on public lands to graze their cattle. Position: Removing the horses is a good idea. Reasons: Department of Fish and Wildlife The State Department of Fish and Wildlife is charged with managing and conserving the state's wildlife resources. Position: Remove horses and cattle from the range temporarily and perhaps even permanently. Suggested alternative: Tourist Board Tourism in the area is increasing and the tourist board is interested in drawing more year-round visitors to the region, particularly those interested in hunting, horseback riding, and off-road vehicle use, including snowmobiling. Position: Don't remove the horses or threaten the longterm health of the herd. Reasons: Suggested alternatives: State Department of Natural Resources This goverment agency monitors the water quality of streams and rivers on land throughout the state. Agency experts have conducted extensive studies of the limited water resources in the area. Suggested alternatives:
This activity aligns with the following National Science Education Standards: Background Most American wild horses and burros live on public lands in the West in distinct areas known as Herd Management Areas (HMAs). They share the land with numerous species of native wildlife as well as grazing livestock. In natural ecosystems, each animal species occupies its own niche, which enables the animals to share the same habitat. Most wildlife biologists would argue that a wild horse and burro HMA is not a natural ecosystem. Both wild horses and/or burros as well as livestock have been introduced to an area where various species of wildlife already lived. Niches overlap and, to further complicate matters, most herd areas are dry and sparsely vegetated. The limited food and water resources of an HMA must be shared among all the resident animals. Conditions vary greatly according to the location of a particular HMA, the season, and other factors, such as the amount of recent rainfall. In general, however, cattle consume mostly grasses (6080 percent of their diet), with 1020 percent of their diet being flowers and weeds (forbs), and another 5 percent consisting of shrubs. Horses have a similar diet, although they may consume slightly less grass and more shrubs than cattle do. Wildlife also enter the picture. Deer tend to prefer forbs and shrubs, while elk eat more grass. Depending on which animals live in a particular area and which types of forage grow there, and numerous other conditions as well, the amount of food available may decline quickly or slowly. In attempting to manage the land for a variety of animals, land managers must monitor the forage and water as well as the number and types of animals present. Adjustments must be made so that the animals do not suffer and the rangelands don't deteriorate. The following demonstration shows how complex the management of an HMA is and how important it is to monitor the kinds of forage available and the number and types of animals present in an HMA. Materials Needed: Bags of three different kinds of dried beanspinto beans, kidney beans, and navy beans would be good choices. (The beans should be different colors, and there should be enough so that each student will be able to gather several of each during the course of the activitysee specific recommendations on quantities below.) Procedure 1. Each type of bean represents a different food type found on the range. Kidney beans can represent grasses; pinto beans flowers and weeds; and navy beans can represent shrubs. Count out eight kidney beans, four pintos, and two navy beans per student. Spread the beans out on a large tabletop in an open area. This area represents the available forage in a given herd management area. 2. Next, divide students into three groups. One group will represent wild horses, a second will represent cattle, and the third group will represent elk. There should be approximately equal numbers of horses and cattle and about half as many elk. For example, in a class of 25 students, there could be 10 each of horses and cattle and five elk. The students should stand along the edges of the cleared area. 3. Now pretend it's early in the spring. Snows are beginning to melt, plants are starting to grow, and the wild horses have returned to this area from their winter range. Each "horse" goes to the table and removes two beans. For authenticity's sake, inform the students about the types of food that horses prefer (grasses, then forbs, then shrubs); however, students should feel free to take any type of food they want. After all, all plants are particularly tasty in the early spring. 4. Next, it's the elks' turn. They move into the area, and each "elk" takes two kidney beans, because the favorite food of elks is grass. 5. Now it's time for the cattle to return to the range. Cattle also prefer to eat grasses, so each "cow" should also take two kidney beans. 6. All the animals are now on the range. The members of each "herd" will now go to the feeding areaone at a time. The first animal will take one bean, then return to the herd and tag a second member to go to the feeding area. Each feeding animal takes one bean at a timechoosing any type of food they wish. This process continues until the supply of one type of food is exhausted. 7. Discuss with students how this demonstration reveals some of the problems land managers face in maintaining the health of a herd management area. What do they think animals are likely to do if their preferred food supply runs out? (Animals could eat something else, move to another part of the range, or go hungry and die.) What would happen if the number of horses in the area doubled? (The amount of food in the areaparticularly their favorite foods, such as grasses and shrubswould decline more rapidly.) How would this affect the food supply of cattle and elk? (Their food supply would decline as well.) How might the situation change if the dominant form of wildlife in the area was deer, which tend to eat more forbs and shrubs? (The supply of grass for horses and cattle would last longer.) What other factors might alter the situation? (Many answers are possible, including drought, fire, and a prolonged winter.) What are some ways in which land managers can maintain the food supply as well as the health of the range and its animal inhabitants? Removing animals from the range is one answer, but the question remains: Which animals?
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social PerspectivesPopulations, Resources, and Environments; Science and Technology in Society
Through this activity, students should come to appreciate that each group represented has valid concerns and that each possible option presents its own set of complications. In addition, students should realize that positions expressed by most of these groups may or may not be based entirely on facts. As often happens with contentious issues, people can focus on certain facts and ignore others, or they can choose to believe some experts while disregarding others. Frequently, additional studies and research are needed. However, as the situation in this activity is presentedand as is often the case in reality an emergency exists. A decision needs to be made quickly. Challenge students to try and think of a solution that could address everyone's concerns. To conclude the activity, students should abandon their assigned roles and pretend they are public land managers. In this role, they should vote on what they think is the best option.
Suggested alternatives:
Suggested alternatives:
Reasons:
experience" that draws many people to the area. Consider taking some of the cattle ranches and turning them into resorts, where tourists can come to experience all that nearby public lands have to offer.
Position: It's a good idea to remove the horses.
Reasons:
Content Standard C: Life ScienceOrganisms and Their Environment; Populations and Ecosystems
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