Using Western Landscapes - Mountains and Plains: The Ecology of Wyoming Landscapes - page 315

Fig. 18.10. Pronghorn are
now abundant in Wyoming,
numbering about 500,000,
but they were threatened
with extinction in the early
1900s from overhunting. the
conservation of this species
and some others has been a
success. Photo by Ken Driese.

substitutes represent an enormous tax burden, a
drain on the world's supply of natural resources, and
increased stress on the natural systems that remain.
. . . increased consumption of fossil energy means
increased stress on natural systems, which in turn
means still more consumption of fossil energy to
replace lost natural functions if the quality of life is
to be maintaine d. 16

funding for such payments, the conservation banks
sell conservation credits, usually to corporations seek-
ing ways to mitigate the potentially adverse impacts of
other developments they sponsor. the motivation for
mitigation may be driven by corporate philosophy—
which appeals to many consumers and investors—or by
regulatory mechanisms.
the federal government has developed similar pro-
grams. A good example is the conservation Reserve
Program, whereby farmers are compensated for plant-
ing perennial plants on erodible soils that had been cul-
tivated for annual crops. erosion is reduced, there is less
dust in the air, water draining from such lands is cleaner,
and wildlife habitat is improved. Similar programs also
provide economic incentives to discourage the draining
of wetlands and the plowing of still-intact grasslands.
in this way, consumers from across the nation pay for
highly valued ecosystem services provided by partici-
pating landowners.

Bormann recognized, more than 35 years ago, the
economic value of using solar-powered ecosystems to
provide numerous services, including erosion control,
clean water, recreational opportunities, and habitat for
wildlife. today we can add other services, such as carbon
sequestration and resistance to invasive plants. Fossil
fuels have put Wyoming in the position of subsidizing
new developments through the Wyoming Permanent
Mineral trust Fund, made possible by royalties and sev-
erance taxes on oil, natural gas, and coal. However, such
nonrenewable resources can be used only as the basis
for a transitional economy. Recognizing environmental
constraints is fundamental to achieving sustainability.
the challenge is to find ways by which people can
profit from selling ecosystem services. Progress is being
made. numerous corporations across the nation have
created conservation banks that are now federally regu-
lated and employ experts in conservation finance.17 17 if
landowners commit to making significant ecological
improvements to their land, and if an objective third
party confirms such improvements, payments are made
to the landowner, entirely from private funds. to obtain

Development by Design and Climate Change

the perceived antagonism between economic develop-
ment and conservation has led to various approaches for
setting priorities that are complementary to ecosystem
management. one example, known as Development by
Design, was first articulated by the nature conservancy
(a nongovernmental organization) and stems from the
environmental impact statement process mandated by
the national environmental Policy Act of 1969. 18 this