The National Wildlife Refuges provides a comprehensive examination of the laws and policies governing management of the national wildlife refuges, offering for the first time a practical description and analysis of the management regime outlined in the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act. The 1997 act is the first new statute governing a system of federal public lands enacted since the 1970s. The evolution of law governing the refuge system parallels broader trends in public land management and environmental protection, making the refuge system a valuable case study for those interested in environmental management, policy, and law. The book:
describes the National Wildlife Refuge System and its legal history
offers a detailed breakdown of the 1997 act, including its purpose, designated uses, comprehensive planning provisions, substantive management criteria, and public participation aspects
considers individual refuges and specific issues that apply to only certain refuges
discusses oil and gas development in refuges
offers observations about how well the refuge system law resolves historic tensions and achieves modern conservation goals
A separate chapter examines the special rules governing refuges in Alaska and considers the contentious debate over the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Appendixes offer a reference of acronyms and abbreviations, a chronology of the refuge system's development, key statutory provisions (including the full text of the 1997 act), and basic information about each national wildlife refuge.
With an approach to conservation that is increasingly prevalent around the world, the National Wildlife Refuge System is an important model for sustainable resource management, and the book's analyses of the refuge system's ecological management criteria, conflicts between primary and subsidiary uses, and tension between site-specific standards and uniform national goals all offer important lessons for environmental governance generally.
Preface and Acknowledgments
Chapter 1. Introduction
PART I. Understanding Refuge Resource Management Chapter 2. What Is the National Wildlife Refuge System? Chapter 3. The History of the National Wildlife Refuge System Chapter 4. The Meaning of Organic Legislation
PART II. The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 Chapter 5. Purpose Statements Chapter 6. Designated Uses: The Hierarchy Chapter 7. Comprehensive Planning Chapter 8. Substantive Management Criteria Chapter 9. Public Participation
PART III. Applying Resource Management to Individual Refuges and Resources Chapter 10. Individual Refuge Purposes Chapter 11. The Special Case of the Alaska Refuges Chapter 12. Oil and Gas Development in the Refuges Chapter 13. Conclusion Resource Management through Organic Legislation
Appendix A: A Chronology of Refuge System Development Appendix B: Relevant Statutes Appendix C: The National Wildlife Refuge Units Appendix D: Acronyms and Abbreviations References Index
"This splendid book will be the indispensable source for everyone who wants to know about America's wildlife refuge system. But it is much more than just a reference work. It also thoughtfully explores the system's distinctive dominant use hierarchy approach to conservation management, and in so doing makes an important contribution to our contemporary environmental literature."
