Explain The North American Model Of Wildlife Conservation

The North American Model of Conservation is an important part of the preservation and conservation of our nation’s natural resources. The model contains seven main tenets, each of which serve to provide opportunity for our use of the wildlife resources while simultaneously protecting the same resources from over harvest. The ideas presented in this model have been present long before the words were put to paper; some can be traced back to Roman times. The tenets began to become more concrete in the 19th century when hunters and anglers saw the drastic decline in wildlife due to the high demand in meat markets. These hunters and anglers set in motion the conservation movement that eventually conceived the North American Model. This movement
stated that it is our responsibility to conserve our wildlife resources and ensure that they would be available to everyone now and in the future. Ideas that were present during this movement were the seven sister tenets; they are as follows:
1.
Wildlife as a public trust resource. This means that the government holds wildlife in a trust for the people. No one person has more claim on wildlife than any other person but all citizens have the same right to use the same wildlife.
2. Elimination of markets for game. Commerce of wildlife was a large contributor for the decline in the 19th century. Professional hunters would kill many animals to sell at market. This tenet prohibits the sale of wildlife to keep populations sustainable.
3. Allocation of Wildlife by Law. This tenet ensures that wildlife is available to everyone and not privatized to companies or people of wealth. No laws should be written without due process of a democracy.
4. Wildlife should only be killed for legitimate reasons. This tenet ensures that wildlife is not killed for trivial reasons. Food, fur, property protection and self-defense are all legitimate reasons.
5. Wildlife is considered an international resource. Migratory birds and fishes move between countries in different seasons. This requires that the two countries work together in order to preserve and manage a migratory species.
6. Science as the basis for wildlife management. This means that science, not emotion or opinion, will be the foundation on which we make our laws and regulation to manage our wildlife
resources.
7. Hunting opportunity for all. This ensures that everyone has the same opportunity to hunt and that it is not only a privilege for landowners or wealthy people. These seven tenets were written with noble intentions and a bright future in mind. However, no document of this magnitude is immune from criticism. While held in high regard by many, some believe the North American Model to be flawed in more ways than one. One such belief is that hunting opportunity for all is one of these flaws. This paper intends to delve into this tenet and its possible flaws, suggest possible changes and perhaps even replacements. In the time before the wildlife conservation movements hunting in Great Britain was a privilege only the elites had.
The common person did not have the right to hunt or pursue wildlife. Theodore Roosevelt thought that this was a poor policy for America. He position was that equal hunting opportunity for all people, rich or poor, would be beneficial to society. Roosevelt called this idea Democracy of Sport.
“We do not intend that our natural resources shall be exploited by the few against the interests of the many... Our aim is to preserve our natural resource for the public as a whole, for the average man and the average woman who make up the body of the American people.” – Theodore Roosevelt
As can be seen in this quote, Roosevelt intended to appeal to the interest of the masses and the quality of our nation’s natural resources instead of the interests of the elite. This was a revolutionary idea that, on the surface, looked wonderful. Although this was a spectacular idea in theory, it has a few unintended
consequences. The downsides to this tenet may not be apparent upon first glance but they pose a real threat to conservation as we know it today. The hunting culture that this tenet promotes is possibly dangerous in a way that would affect the way certain species are managed. Hunters and anglers always want to better their chances of having a successful trip. While a successful trip means different things to different people, it usually equates to the number or size of target species that they encounter on their hunt. If hunters and anglers have too many unsuccessful trips they may become disinterested in going at all. In some states, such as Colorado, that make most of their wildlife funds from hunting permit sales, this could be disastrous.