Activity 1
The Question of Ferret Reintroduction on the Public Lands
In this role-play activity, students consider the question of whether the black-footed ferret should be reintroduced on public lands. By presenting the positions of various interest groups to a mock town council meeting and working together to resolve conflicts over the proposed reintroduction of an endangered species, students are involved in resolving competing interests and turning a potential conflict into a collaborative effort.
The Prairie Dog. Black-tailed prairie dogs are the most abundant of the five species of prairie dogs found in North America. They live in colonies or "towns," which can be as small as one-half hectare or as large as 400 hectares. They construct up to 20 burrow entrances per hectare, each leading to tunnels of up to 2 m deep.
The Scenario
In a hypothetical situation, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has approached the Smithdale Town
Council regarding a proposal to reintroduce the black-footed ferret onto public lands near the town of Smithdale. The public lands identified for reintroduction fall within the ferret's historic range.
Burrowing Owl. The burrowing owl often lives in prairie dog burrows. They eat mostly insects, like beetles and grasshoppers, and small mammals such as mice and ground squirrels.
Concerned about the possible impact on adjacent private landowners and people who use the public lands, the BLM has asked the Smithdale Town Council to comment on the proposal. The council has scheduled a hearing to engage citizens in a public dialog about the reintroduction of the black-footed ferret into its former range near the town of Smithdale.
Procedure
Give each student a copy of the background passage. After students have read the passage, have them form groups of three to five students and give each group a photocopied "position card." Each group will represent one of the various community interests. Ask students to prepare an argument for their position by researching how communities have handled the reintroduction of other species, such as the reintroduction of the gray wolf in the West or the red wolf in the East. Students also should find out what issues people are most concerned about and choose a spokesperson to present their argument.
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Birds. Birds are attracted to prairie dog towns because the insects they eat are easily seen in the grazed patches. Plovers, killdeers, prairie-horned larks, and meadowlarks can be found, as well as predatory birds such as ferruginous hawks, red-tailed hawks, and sparrow hawks. |
The "town council" can be composed of students (who also research the issue), teachers, or parent volunteers. Students may also want to elect their town council. For the "public meeting," have the Smithdale Town Council sit in front of the class. Give each group five minutes to state its position to the council, which can then question the spokesperson. Once every group has expressed its opinion, lead students in a general discussion about the issue.
Black-Footed Ferret. The prairie dog is tied to one of the most endangered species in the world, the black-footed ferret. The only ferret native to North America, black-footed ferrets are members of the weasel family (Mustelidae), a distinction shared with weasels, martens, fishers, otters, minks, wolverines, and skunks.
Collaborative Problem Solving
Make sure students understand that each group has a valid concern, and that there is no "right" or "wrong" in this situation. After the public meeting, have students assemble in groups made up of one person from each of the interest groups, with the exception of the town council. Challenge each of these new groups to collaboratively come up with a recommendation on how the reintroduction of the black-footed ferret could be managed to have the least impact on the local community, while still allowing for the reintroduction of this species.
For Discussion
During their discussion, encourage students to consider the following questions:
Would the reintroduction of the black-footed ferret improve the overall health of the ecosystem, and, if so, how?
What are some things about the impacts to local communities that would be useful to know? Examples could include the economic impact to adjacent private landowners (normally, the BLM would not reintroduce the species on private lands although the species might naturally expand there), energy and mining companies, hunters and anglers, and cattle ranchers.
What is the best use of this public land for human interests? For biological diversity? What solution could satisfy the needs of both?
How do the values of the various interests differ?
What can you give up or alter about your position?
What if you knew the economic benefits and costs of some of the choices? Would that make a difference in your decision?
How does the fact that the black-footed ferret was historically a part of the ecosystem affect your recommendation?
Badger. The badger, like the black-footed ferret, is a member of the weasel family (Mustelidae). It resides in arid grasslands and sagebrush country, and lives in burrows.
Each of the multi-interest groups should then present its solution, and the Smithdale Town Council can then vote on what to recommend to the BLM about the proposal. After the vote, discuss the pros and cons of the suggested solutions. Identify and list the benefits (if any) and the costs and liabilities (if any) resulting from the council's decision. Include effects on people, plants, and animals.
Extension
To extend learning further, follow the same procedure for a similar resource issue currently under debate in your community. Contact constituent groups representing diverse opinions and ask them for prepared statements (500-1,000 words) summarizing their positions on the issue, or invite them to a debate in your classroom and continue to research the issue so that students can ask relevant questions.
Background
The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is considered the most endangered mammal in the country, and, in fact, by 1980 was believed to be extinct. In the late 1800's, however, an estimated 5.6 million of these animals were found throughout the Great Plains. As the prairie was settled, large stretches of native grassland were plowed into farmland, eliminating prairie dog habitats. This had a devastating effect on ferrets, whose lives revolve around prairie dog towns. Ferrets eat prairie dogs and live in prairie dog burrows, hunting mostly at night.
In many areas, poisoning programs wiped out large colonies of prairie dogs, leaving only small, isolated dog towns. As prairie dog numbers declined, black-footed ferrets nearly disappeared. By the 1950's, very few ferrets were left. The ferret was officially listed as an endangered species in 1967. By 1980, the species was thought to be extinct. However, in 1981 a small ferret population was discovered near Meeteetse, Wyoming. While this population peaked at about 130 animals in 1984, by 1986 canine distemper (thought to be transmitted through domestic animals but also carried by wild animals) had reduced it to 18 known animals. Worried about the ferret's ability to survive, biologists captured these few remaining animals and launched a successful captive-breeding program. The captive population has now increased to more than 400, and the animals have been reintroduced into Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, and Arizona.
The goal of the program is to establish 10 free-ranging populations of black-footed ferrets, spread over the widest possible area within their former range. Each of these populations is to have 30 or more breeding adults. It is hoped that 1,500 free-ranging black-footed ferrets will live in the wild by the year 2010.