Recimo, Nova Myrel F.

BTVTEd – CSS 3
EGE 311 - People and the Earth’s Ecosystem
Module 3 – Lesson 1

Module 3: Human Impacts in the Environment

Lesson 1: Application

What is happening in this picture?

Julia “Butterfly” Hill lived in this

600–1,000-year-old, 180-foot-
tall California
redwood for more than 2 years
in the late 1990s, to keep a
lumber company from cutting
down the tree.

1. Would Hill’s perspective on wilderness better fit the wise-use

movement or the environmental movement?

Wise-use movement or environmental movement encompasses a wide

range of issues, from eliminating environmental control to defense of private
property rights with compensation for all environmental regulation, to local
control of federal lands in order to permit unrestricted logging, grazing, drilling,
and mineral development even in national parks and wilderness areas.

I think, Hill’s perspective does not fit the wise-use movement because
wilderness mainly refers to protected area of land which no human
development permitted. Therefore, her perspective might fits more to the
environmental movement since she wants to preserve resources on federally
owned lands.
Recimo, Nova Myrel F.
BTVTEd – CSS 3
EGE 311 - People and the Earth’s Ecosystem
Module 3 – Lesson 1

2. Explain the likely differences in the perspectives of Hill and the

lumber company, especially given that the tree is on the company’s
land.

Hill is an example of the one that supports environmental movement

while the lumber company is an example that supports wise-use movement.
The environmental movement mainly aims to protect rather than utilize the old
trees. It encourages to stop both illegal and legal loggers from cutting trees
especially the old ones. There are four pillars of environmental movement and
this includes protection of the environment, grassroots democracy, social
justice, and nonviolence. It clearly advocate the sustainable management of
resources and stewardship of the environment through changes in public
policy and individual behavior.

On the other hand, wise-use movement can be described as having

strong anti-environmental views and others assert that the free market, rather
than government regulation, will better protect the environment. The wise-use
movement merely promotes the expansion of private property rights and
reduction of government regulation of publicly held property. Those who
support wise-use movement think that environmental movement is biased
toward the attitudes of urban elites, ignoring the rural perspective.

3. Based on issues faced in Tongass National Forest, why do ecologists

and environmentalists think that the logging of old-growth trees causes
particular damage?

The ecologists and environmentalists really believe that logging old-

growth forests can particularly impact biodiversity and wildlife habitats and
reduces the invaluable benefits, like clean water and carbon sequestration
that these forests provide. The old-growth trees provide clean water essential
for healthy fish and wildlife populations as well as for several communities in
the region. Also, old-growth woodland provides natural water filtration and
nutrient cycling, regulating storm water runoff and cleansing the soil of
pollutants. If the logging continues, it causes soil erosion that leads to
Recimo, Nova Myrel F.
BTVTEd – CSS 3
EGE 311 - People and the Earth’s Ecosystem
Module 3 – Lesson 1

increased quantities of nutrients, sediment and other pollutants making their

way into rivers and streams, which can be devastating for fish and other
aquatic species. Fish populations can be deprived of oxygen when nutrient
levels in water become excessive, and can also suffer due to the increased
water temperature caused by loss of the shade provided by dense old-growth
trees. These are particular damages that logging of old-growth trees can
cause if not controlled and stopped.

Reference link:
https://environmentamerica.org/blogs/environment-americablog/ame/tongass-
national-forest-under-threat