Identify the impact of increased funding for natural areas

Overview: President Bush is seeking an increase in the budget for the National Park Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System. Have students identify the impact of increased wildlife funding and energy exploration on the U.S. environment and its people.

Curriculum connections: Environment, Current Issues

Objectives
Students will be able to:

• Examine the role of Congress in the budgetary process.
• Identify the impact of increased wildlife funding and energy exploration on the U.S. environment and its people.

Standards
National Council on Economic Education
Standard 17, grades nine-12
High school students should understand that the costs of government policies sometimes exceed benefits. This may occur because of incentives facing voters, government officials and government employees; because of actions by special interest groups that can impose costs on the general public; or because social goals other than economic efficiency are being pursued.

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning
Life sciences, Standard 6, grades nine - 12
High school students need to know ways in which humans can alter the equilibrium of ecosystems, causing potentially irreversible effects (e.g., human population growth, technology, and consumption; human destruction of habitats through direct harvesting, pollution, and atmospheric changes)

Materials
Article "Bush seeks more bucks for natural areas"
Internet access

Suggested time
Article and questions only: 30 minutes
Full lesson plan: Two to three classroom periods

Procedure
1. Have students read the article"Bush seeks more bucks for natural areas," and ask the following questions:

• What is the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service? What change in funding is President George Bush proposing for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service? How much did Mr. Bush increase funding last year for National Park Service operations? What kinds of programs are supported by the wildlife refuge budget?

• What is the National Wildlife Refuge System? Who was the "brainchild" of this project? Why did it begin?

• Where is Mr. Bush pushing to expand oil drilling? On what energy-related issues mentioned in the article did Mr. Bush and Congress recently clash? Do you think national monuments should be opened up to energy exploration? Explain. When will Mr. Bush submit his budget proposal?

2. Point out to students that a State of the Union Address is an annual message from the president to Congress in which a legislative agenda is proposed. Have students research the role of Congress in the budgetary process and its "power of the pursestrings." Then ask: Why do you think it is important for a president to have the support of Congress? Discuss.

3. Divide students into two groups. Have one group conduct further research on the impact of increased wildlife funding on the U.S. environment and its people. Direct the other group to conduct research on the impact of energy exploration on the environment and citizens of the U.S . Have students share their findings.

4. Ask students: Do you think Mr. Bush's push for expanded drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Refuge and other public lands contradicts his call for an increase in funding for environmental and Park Service programs? Why or why not?

Assessment
Have students write letters to their congressional representatives in support of or opposition to one or both of Mr. Bush's proposals cited above.