These eleven original essays by leading wildlife management and public policy scholars deal with policy issues, management perspectives, and the public attitudes about wildlife that shape the world of the wildlife manager. Part 1 contains William R. Mangun's introductory essay "Fish and Wildlife Policy Issues" and Daniel J. Decker et al.'s "Toward a Comprehensive Paradigm of Wildlife." Ann H. Harvey's "Interagency Conflict and Coordination in Wildlife Management," Philip S. Cook and Ted T. Cable's "Developing Policy for Public Access to Private Land," and Debra A. Rose's "Implementing Endangered Species Policy" make up part 2. Part 3 consists of Cliff Hamilton's "Pursuing a New Paradigm in Funding State Fish and Wildlife Programs" and Trellis G. Green's "Use of Economics in Federal and State Fishery Allocation Decisions." The fourth part includes James J. Kennedy and Jack Ward Thomas's "Exit, Voice, and Loyalty of Wildlife Biologists in Public Natural Resource/Environmental Agencies"; Jean C. Mangun et al.'s "Nonconsumptive Wildlife-Associated Recreation in the United States"; and Barbara A. Knuth's "Natural Resource Hazards: Managing to Protect People from the Resource." In part 5, Joseph F. Coates looks to the future in "Public Policy Actors and Futures."
The foremost experts on the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation come together to discuss its role in the rescue, recovery, and future of our wildlife resources. At the end of the nineteenth century, North America suffered a catastrophic loss of wildlife driven by unbridled resource extraction, market hunting, and unrelenting subsistence killing. This crisis led powerful political forces in the United States and Canada to collaborate in the hopes of reversing the process, not merely halting the extinctions but returning wildlife to abundance. While there was great understanding of how to manage wildlife in Europe, where wildlife management was an old, mature profession, Continental methods depended on social values often unacceptable to North Americans. Even Canada, a loyal colony of England, abandoned wildlife management as practiced in the mother country and joined forces with like-minded Americans to develop a revolutionary system of wildlife conservation. In time, and surviving the close scrutiny and hard ongoing debate of open, democratic societies, this series of conservation practices became known as the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. In this book, editors Shane P. Mahoney and Valerius Geist, both leading authorities on the North American Model, bring together their expert colleagues to provide a comprehensive overview of the origins, achievements, and shortcomings of this highly successful conservation approach. This volume • reviews the emergence of conservation in late nineteenth–early twentieth century North America • provides detailed explorations of the Model's institutions, principles, laws, and policies • places the Model within ecological, cultural, and socioeconomic contexts • describes the many economic, social, and cultural benefits of wildlife restoration and management • addresses the Model's challenges and limitations while pointing to emerging opportunities for increasing inclusivity and optimizing implementation Studying the North American experience offers insight into how institutionalizing policies and laws while incentivizing citizen engagement can result in a resilient framework for conservation. Written for wildlife professionals, researchers, and students, this book explores the factors that helped fashion an enduring conservation system, one that has not only rescued, recovered, and sustainably utilized wildlife for over a century, but that has also advanced a significant economic driver and a greater scientific understanding of wildlife ecology. Contributors: Leonard A. Brennan, Rosie Cooney, James L. Cummins, Kathryn Frens, Valerius Geist, James R. Heffelfinger, David G. Hewitt, Paul R. Krausman, Shane P. Mahoney, John F. Organ, James Peek, William Porter, John Sandlos, James A. Schaefer
At a time when wildlife policy management becomes increasingly complex and when effective administration is of paramount importance, William R. Mangun has designed a study analyzing the public policymaking process and wildlife conservation issues today. As editor, he has brought together an interdisciplinary group of scholars and practitioners to give a conceptual framework and in-depth evaluation of practical issues in wildlife management. The book stresses the importance of the human dimension and calls for knowledgeable public involvement. Charting new ground, the text should help resource managers and behavioral scientists, students, and professionals in public administration, political science, and wildlife protection find new ways to overcome current problems. The book begins with an overview of the enormous changes in wildlife management over the past 50 years, and then provides a theoretical framework for understanding wildlife policy. Strategies and operations, intergovernmental policies and programs, issues in resource allocation and sustainable development, and organizational problems describe contemporary political, economic, social, and ethical conflicts and administrative pitfalls. Case studies range from problems like the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the plight of sea turtles, and endangered species plans to matters demonstrating local, state, national, and transnational priorities. The book demonstrates that a lack of understanding of the policy process will lead to compromised effectiveness, diminished professional pride, and relative powerlessness in overcoming the growing problems confronting those concerned with wildlife protection and conservation today.
