The town of Fremont met recently to discuss the pros and cons of protecting prairie dogs. Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents the size of rabbits that live in colonies underground in grasslands and prairies. Their numbers have been greatly reduced over the last few decades. Dr. Masser, a local biologist, pointed out that prairie dogs are an important part of the prairie food web, as they are prey for many birds and mammals. Without federal protection from both the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, they could become extinct in a few years. Dr. Masser also explained that 2 of the 5 species of prairie dogs are already listed as either threatened or endangered. Local ranchers disagreed. Mr. Smith stated that he will continue to poison or shoot the prairie dogs on his land because they destroy the grasses that are needed by his livestock, and he encouraged the BLM to do the same on public lands.
(a) Explain the tragedy of the commons in general terms. Then, using the information you just read about the prairie dog and any other relevant information, incorporate the town of Fremontâs discussion into your explanation.
(b) Identify and discuss one argument in favor of preserving western grasslands as habitat for prairie dogs and one argument in favor of maintaining those grasslands for the grazing of livestock.
(c) Identify one action that the Bureau of Land Management and one action that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could take to resolve this land use conflict.
The town of Fremont met recently to discuss the pros and cons of protecting prairie dogs. Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents the size of rabbits that live in colonies underground in grasslands and prairies. Their numbers have been greatly reduced over the last few decades. Dr. Masser, a local biologist, pointed out that prairie dogs are an important part of the prairie food web, as they are prey for many birds and mammals. Without federal protection from both the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, they could become extinct in a few years. Dr. Masser also explained that 2 of the 5 species of prairie dogs are already listed as either threatened or endangered. Local ranchers disagreed. Mr. Smith stated that he will continue to poison or shoot the prairie dogs on his land because they destroy the grasses that are needed by his livestock, and he encouraged the BLM to do the same on public lands.
(a) Explain the tragedy of the commons in general terms. Then, using the information you just read about the prairie dog and any other relevant information, incorporate the town of Fremontâs discussion into your explanation.
(b) Identify and discuss one argument in favor of preserving western grasslands as habitat for prairie dogs and one argument in favor of maintaining those grasslands for the grazing of livestock.
(c) Identify one action that the Bureau of Land Management and one action that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could take to resolve this land use conflict.
