BIO 530B Spring 2003 Biodiversity and Conservation: Policy Issues

Meets Tuesdays, 5:45-8:35 PM, BIO 248B

Instructors:

George Robinson Rm 253B Biology Tel: 442-4302 grobins@albany.edu

Office Hours: Wed. 2-4 PM or by appointment

Thomas Birkland Rm 200 Milne Tel: 442-5243 birkland@albany.edu

Gary Kleppel Rm 209 Biology Tel: 442-4338 gkleppel@albany.edu

Christopher D’Elia Rm 229 Biology Tel: 437-3791 cdelia@albany.edu

Office Hours: Tues-Th 2-3:30 or by appointment

Required texts:

T.A. Birkland. 2001. An Introduction to the Policy Process

D.A Stone. 1997. Policy Paradox.

Available in Campus Bookstore and Mary Jane Books (or through the Internet)

Preliminary lists of required supplemental readings are given in the course schedule, and others will be added later. Many are available on line and all will be available to read or copy in a central repository.

Grading (100 points total):

Discussion outlines (2), 30 points.

Course paper, 50 points.

Participation (attendance, debates, discussions), 20 points.

Schedule of Topics and readings (subject to change with notice)

[NOTE: All readings listed in the course schedule are required in advance — they will be discussed on the day announced.]

Date Topic Readings

1/28 COURSE INTRODUCTION US Constitution

[GR, GK] NYS Constitution

US Endangered Species Act

BE PREPARED to discuss the following:

1. Is biological conservation embedded in the US Constitution? NYS Constitution?

2. What are the top current policy issues relevant to biodiversity conservation

At the national level? In NY State? Global?

3. Is the press/media biased on conservation issues?

4. What is the effect of party politics on conservation policy?

5. At what level of government are the most significant biodiversity conservation policies set?

2/4 Overview of policy process Birkland 2001

[TB]

2/11 Overview of policy process Birkland 2001

[TB]

Date Topic Readings

2/18 Ethical frameworks for conservation policy Czech et al. 1998, Ehrlich 2002,

[GR] Jolly 2001, Norgaard 2002

Science and policy Bruntland 1997, Lubchenko 1995,

Morgan et al. 2001, Pouyat 1999, Course paper topics due Aaron et al. 2002, Rykiel 2002

2/25 Policies that govern open space Cronon 2000, Dale et al. 2000,

[GK] [Guests: J. Zappieri, T. Daniels, D. Drsicoll] Kleppel, in press (POSTED)

3/4 NO CLASS

3/11 Land use law and policy TBA

[GK] [Guest: Patricia Salkin, Director,

Govt. Law Ctr., Alb. Law Schl.]

Course paper outline due

3/18 Institutions and conservation policy AAAS Report XXVII:

AAAS: FY 2003 Budget

AAAS: FY 2004 Budget

World fisheries Birkeland, 1997

Johannes, 1981, 2002

3/25 Land use planning as conservation policy Erickson 1998, Ostrom et al. 1999

Lackey 2002, Robinson et al. 2002

Course paper progress report

Conservation management Carpenter and Gunderson 2001

[Guest: TBA] Flaspohler et al. 2000, Grumbine 1991, Wilcove & Chen 1998

4/1 Economic frameworks for conservation policy Balmford et al. 2002, Costanza 2001

[Guest: J Gowdy, RPI Ecological Economics] Costanza et al. 2000, Daly 1999, Ferraro & Kiss 2002,

Gowdy & Erickson ms.

4/8 Policy analysis Stone 1997

Course paper due

4/15 The press and biodiversity conservation Allen 2001, Guterman 2000

Environmental advocacy Norgaard 2002b, Redford & Tabor 2000, Sinclair et al. 2000, Lélé & Norgaard 1996,

4/22 Linking conservation to other policy issues TBA

Discuss course papers

5/6 General discussion

Discuss course papers

*****************************

Second Biennial Conference of the United States Society for Ecological Economics
May 22 - 24, 2003 Saratoga Springs, New York

Course format

1. Lectures

Most class periods will begin with a lecture designed to introduce the scheduled topic. Lectures will be presented by course instructors and occasional expert guest speakers from outside our department or university. The order of lecture topics may change, depending on the pace of the course and scheduling of guests. Plan to attend all classes. Skipping one is equivalent to missing a full week of material.

2. Discussions/labs

During and after lectures we will discuss pending topics, as well as assignments. All students are responsible for every phase of topic discussion. In other words, you may be called on to participate at any time, based on readings and any experience or ideas you wish to introduce. Several labs/demos will be given on ecological modeling and analytical techniques.

3. Assignments

A. Discussion outlines (2 per student)

For each topic covered class (one or two per class period), discussion will be led by two students. As preparation for this discussion, the leaders will compose an outline that should include:

1. A brief synopsis of each of the readings, including the authors’ objectives and conclusions.

2. Brief sketches of the principal authors (where they work, the focus of their scholarship). 3. Your own assessment of the readings, including comparisons and contrasts among the readings.

4. Questions for discussion.

5. Suggestions for further readings on the topic, including background information you found useful.

B. Course paper

This, the major course assignment, is an opportunity to probe a question or topic in considerable depth. In the past, several students have later developed their papers into M.S., theses, reports to NY State agencies, and articles for publication.

You may work individually or in small (2-4 student) groups. During early classes, we will explore possible topics together, giving you the opportunity to form working groups with shared interests. If you are currently engaged in thesis research, you may treat this as an opportunity to explore policy dimensions that you would like to pursue.

Topics should be timely (addressing current problems in conservation policy) and focused as narrowly as possible. The tradeoff here is that the information base is generally weak for a narrow and current topic, so your research will probably require more than trips to the library for books and journals. You are encouraged to use a wide range of resources (e.g., personal contacts, unpublished materials, Internet-based information), with the caveat that accuracy and reliability will need to be assessed. We will discuss the use of various information tools and analytical techniques during the course.

The best preparation for this assignment is critical reading. When you have course readings in front of you, pay attention to how they are organized, how the research was conducted, and how the questions were analyzed. Research papers and review articles that you find to be clear and persuasive can serve as your models. (Not all of our readings should be considered good models. Many were chosen because they are current and provocative.) At this stage in your academic career, the one and only universal rule of style is that you must convince the reader that what you are saying is worth reading.

As a general rule, an individual’s paper should be a maximum of 30 pages, double-spaced, including any tables, figures, and references. Citation format should follow that of a scientific journal (author + date). Do not use footnotes. Try to conserve paper – do not use jumbo fonts, keep large blank spaces to a minimum, and don’t use a separate title page.

Papers will be graded on the basis of clarity, effort, creativity, and quality of the scholarship. Tight, concisely-written text with plenty of summary charts is much preferred to uninterrupted expanses of lengthy, repetitive, bloated prose. We will mark up your papers, so please do not use plastic binders or other contrivances that make them difficult to handle.

Reading list

AAAS Report XXVII: Research and Development FY 2003, Intersociety Working Group, 2000. AAAS Publication Number: 02-3A. (Available for purchase or online at http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/rd03main.htm.) See especially Chapters 15-18 for analyses of environmental sciences.

AAAS: FY 2003 Budget for R&D: (Available online only at http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/fy03.htm.)

AAAS: FY 2004 Budget for R&D. (Available online only at http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/fy04.htm.)

Allen, W. 2001. A news media perspective on environmental communication. BioScience 51: 289-291.

Allen, W., W. Burke, and M. Freeman. 2002. Scientists versus whaling: Science, advocacy, and errors of judgment. BioScience 52: 1137-1139.

Andelman, S.J., and W.F. Fagan. 2000. Umbrellas and flagships: Efficient conservation surrogates or expensive mistakes? Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 97: 5954-5959.

Ayensu, E., and 24 Others. 1999. International ecosystem assessment. Science 286: 685-686.

Balmford, A., and Eighteen Others. 2002. Economic reasons for conserving wild nature. Science 297: 950-953.

Birkeland, Charles. 1997. Implications for resource management, p. 411-435. In: C. Birkeland [ed.], Life and Death of Coral Reefs. Chapman & Hall, NY.

Brundtland, G.H. 1997. The scientific underpinning of policy. Science 277: 457.

Carpenter, S,R,. and L.H. Gunderson. 2001. Coping with collapse: Ecological and social dynamics in ecosystem management. BioScience 51: 451-457.

Costanza, R. 2000. Visions, values, valuation, and the need for ecological economics. BioScience 51: 459-468.

Costanza, R., H. Daly, C. Folke, P. Hawken, C.S. Holling, A.J. McMichael, D. Pimentel, and D. Rapport. 2000. Managing our environmental portfolio. BioScience 50: 149-155.

Cronon, W. 2000. Resisting monoliths and tabulae rasae. Ecological Applications 10: 673-675. [a social scientists critique of Dale et al.]

Czech, B, P.R. Krausman, and R. Borkhataria. 1998. Social construction, political power, and the allocation of benefits to endangered species. Conservation Biology 12: 1103-1112.

Czech, B., P.R. Krausman, and P.K. Devers. 2000. Economic associations among causes of species endangerment in the United States. BioScience 50: 593-601.

Dale, V.H., et al. 2000. Biological principles and guidelines for managing the use of land. Ecological Applications 10: 639-670. [see response by Cronon]

Daly, H.E. 1999. The lurking Inconsistency. Conservation Biology 13: 693-694.

diCastri, F., and T. Younes, editors. 1996. Biodiversity, Science and Development: Towards a New Partnership. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

Ehrlich, P.R. 2002. Human natures, nature conservation, and environmental ethics. BioScience 52: 31-43.

Erickson, J.D. 1998. Sustainable development and the Adirondack experience. Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies 5: 24-31.

Ferraro, P.J., and A. Kiss. 2002. Direct payments to conserve biodiversity. Science 298: 1718-1719.

Flaspohler, D.J., B.R. Bub, and B.A. Kaplin. 2000. Application of conservation biology research to management. Conservation Biology 14: 1892-1902.

Grumbine, R.E. 1991. Cooperation or conflict? Interagency relationships and the future of biodiversity for US parks and forests. Environmental Management 15: 27-37.

Guterman, L. 2000. Have ecologists oversold biodiversity? The Chronicle of Higher Education, Oct. 13, 2000. http://chronicle.com/free/v47/i07/07a02 401.htm

Johannes, R.E. 1981. Words of the Lagoon: Fishing and Marine Lore in the Palau District of Micronesia. University of California Press, Berkeley. 245p.

Johannes, R.E. 2002. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 33: 317-340. The Renaissance of Community-Based Marine Resource Management in Oceania.

Jolly, A. 2001. Monkeys in the back garden. Science 291: 1705-1706.

Kaiser, J. 2001. Words (and axes) fly over transgenic trees. Science 292: 34-36.

Lackey, R.T. 2002. Values, policy, and ecosystem health. BioScience 51: 437-444.

Lélé, S., and R.B. Norgaard. 1996. Sustainability and the scientist’s burden. Conservation Biology 10: 354-365.

Lubchenko, Jane. 1995. The role of science in formulating a biodiversity strategy. BioScience 45: S7-S9.

Mattson, D.J. 1996. Ethics and science in natural resource agencies. BioScience 46: 767-771.

Meffe, G.K., C.R. Carroll, and Contributors. Principles of Conservation Biology. Second Edition. Sinauer, Sunderland, MD. Ch 16: The Role of Institutions and Policymaking in Conservation

Morgan, M.G., A. Houghton, and J.H. Gibbons. 2001. Improving science and technology advice for Congress. Science 293: 1999-2000.

Norgaard, R.B. 2002a. Can science and religion better save nature together? BioScience 52: 842-846.

Norgaard, R.B. 2002b. Optimists, pessimists, and science. BioScience 52: 287-292.

Ostrom, E., J. Burger, C.B. Field, R.B. Norgaard, and D. Policansky. 1999. Revisiting the commons: Local lessons, global challenges. Science 284: 278-282.

Pouyat, R.V. 1999. Science and environmental policy — making them compatible. BioScience 49: 281-286.

Redford, K.H., and A. Taber. 2000. Writing the wrongs: Developing a safe-fail culture in conservation. Conservation Biology 14: 1567-1568.

Robinson, C.S., A. Dodson, and B. Johnson. 2002. Notes on the concept of “sustainable subterfuge.” Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies 9: 21-30.

Rykiel, E.J., Jr. 2002. Scientific objectivity, value systems, and policymaking. BioScience 51: 433-436.

S. Sarkar. 1999. Wilderness preservation and biodiversity conservation — keeping divergent goals distinct. BioScience 49: 405-412.

Sala, O.E., and Seventeen Others. 2000. Global biodiversity scenarios for the year 2100. Science 287: 1770-1774.

Samson, F.B., and F.L. Knopf. 2001. Archaic agencies, muddled missions, and conservation in the 21st Century. BioScience 51: 869- 873.

Sinclair, A.R.E., D. Ludwig, and C.W. Clark. 2000. Conservation in the real world. Science 289: 1875.

Wagner, F. 2002. Freeing agency research from policy pressures: A need and an approach. BioScience 51: 445-450.

Wilcove, D.S., and L.Y. Chen. 1998. Management costs for endangered species. Conservation Biology 12: 1405-1407.

Other recommended readings

Botsford, L.W., J.C. Castilla, and C.H. Peterson. 1997. The management of fisheries and marine ecosystems. Science 277: 509-514.

Chagnon, S.A., and D.R. Easterling. 2000. Climate extremes: Observations, modeling, and impacts. Science 289: 2053-2055.

Charles, D. 2001. Seeds of discontent. Science 294: 772-775.

Clark, T. 2001. Developing policy-oriented curricula for conservation biology: Professional and leadership education in the public interest. Conservation Biology 15: 31-39.

Czech, B. 2002. The imperative of macroeconomics for ecologists. BioScience 52: 964-966.

Daily, G., et al. 1997. Ecosystem services: Benefits supplied to human societies by natural ecosystems. Issues in Ecology No. 2, Ecological Society of America, Washington, DC.

Dale, V.H., and Eight Others (ESA Committee on Land Use). 2000. Ecological Principles for Managing Land Use. Ecological Society of America, Washington, DC.

Daszak, P., A.A. Cunningham, and A.D. Hyatt. 2000. Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife-threats to biodiversity and human health. Science 287: 443-449.

diCastri, F., and T. Younes, editors. 1996. Biodiversity, Science and Development: Towards a New Partnership. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

Easterling, D.R., G.A. Meehl, C. Parmesan, S.A. Chagnon, T.R. Karl, and L. O. Mearns. 2000. Climate extremes: Observations, modeling, and impacts. Science 289: 2068-2074.

Ewing, R.C., and A. Macfarlane. 2002. Yucca Mountain. Science 296: 659-660.

Goklany, I.M. 1998. Saving habitat and conserving biodiversity on a crowded planet. BioScience 48: 941-953.

Goudie, A. 2000. The Human Impact on the Natural Environment. Fifth Edition. MIT Press.

Gowdy, J.M., and S. O’Hara. 1995. Economic Theory for Environmentalists. St. Lucie Press, Delray Beach, Florida.

Greene, J.D., R.B. Somerville, L.E. Nostrum, J.M Daley, and J.D. Cohen. 2001. An fMRI investigation of emotional engagement in moral judgment. Science 293: 2105-2108.

Grumbine, R.E., editor. 1994. Environmental Policy and Biodiversity. Island Press, Washington, DC.

Hardner, J., and R. Rice. 2002. Rethinking green consumerism. Scientific American 286: 89-95.

Haeuber, R.A., and W.K. Michener. 1998. Policy implications of recent natural and managed floods. BioScience 48: 765-772.

Jackson, R.B., and Seven Others. 2001. Water in a Changing World. Ecological Society of America, Washington, DC.

Kareiva, P., M. Marvier, and M. McClure. 2000. Recovery and management options for spring/summer chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin. Science 290: 977-979.

Keeley, J.E., C.J. Fotheringham, and M. Morais. 1999. Reexamining fire suppression impacts on brushland fire regimes. Science 284: 1829-1832.

Lach, D., P.List, B. Steel, and B. Shindler. 2003. Advocacy and credibility of ecological scientists in resource decision-making: A regional study. BioScience 53: 170-178.

M.E. Soulé and J. Terborgh. 1999. Conserving nature at regional and continental scales — a scientific program for North America. BioScience 49: 769-778.

Meffe, G.K., C.R. Carroll, and Contributors. Principles of Conservation Biology. Second Edition. Sinauer, Sunderland, MD. [Text for Bio 530A -- Ch 15: Ecology, Politics and Economics; Ch 16: The Role of Institutions and Policymaking in Conservation; Ch 17: Conservation Biologists in the Policy Process; Ch 18: Sustainable Development Case Studies]

Misc. authors. 1995. Science and Biodiversity Policy. Supplement to BioScience. {15 papers by various luminaries]

Muller, R.N., and D.S. Maehr. 2001. Are universities leaders in the stewardship of conservation lands? BioScience 50: 707-712.

Myers, N., R.A. Mittermeier, C.G. Mittermeier, G.A.B. da Fonseca, and J. Kent. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403: 853-858.

Norgaard, R.B. 1994. The process of loss: Exploring the interactions between economic and ecological systems. American Zoologist 34: 145-158.

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Odum, E.P. 1969. The strategy of ecosystem development. Science 164: 262-270.

Orians, Gordon M., Kunin, W.E. and Swierbinski, editors. 1990. The Preservation and Valuation of Biological Resources. University of Washington Press, Seattle.

Orr, D.W. 1992. Ecological Literacy. SUNY Press.

Orr, D.W. 1994. Earth in Mind. Island Press. Washington, DC.

Pearce, F. 2000. Inventing Africa. New Scientist 12 August 2000, pp. 30-33.

Pimentel, D., L. Lach, R. Zuniga, and D. Morrison. 2000. Environmental and economic costs of nonindigenous species in the United States. BioScience 50: 53-65.

Pyne, S.J. 2001. The fires this time, and next. Science 294: 1005-1006.

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Robinson, G.R., and J. Zappieri. 1999. Biodiversity policy in time and space: Lessons from divergent approaches to salvage logging on public lands. Conservation Ecology, Volume 3, on line (URL: http://www.consecol.org/Journal/vol3/iss1/art3).

Shaffer, M.L., J.M. Scott, and F. Casey. 2002. Noah's options: Initial cost estimates of a national system of habitat conservation areas in the United States. BioScience 52: 439-443.

Snape, W.J. III, editor. 1996. Biodiversity and the Law. Island Press, Washington, DC.

Swanson, Timothy D., editor. 1995. The Economics and Ecology of Biodiversity Decline. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Touval, J.L., and J.M. Dietz. 1994. The problem of teaching conservation problem solving. Conservation Biology 8: 902-904.

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Center. http://www.unep-wcmc.org/

Vitousek, P.M., H.A. Mooney, J. Lubchenko, J.M. Melillo. 1997. Human domination of earth's ecosystems. Science 277: 494-499.

Wagner, F.H. 1999. Whatever happened to the National Biological Survey? BioScience 49: 219-223.

Watchman, L.H., M. Groom, and J.D. Perrine. 2001. Science and uncertainty in habitat conservation planning. American Scientist 89: 351-359.

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