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Population Management
Essential Question:
How does knowing about population dynamics help ranchers and conservationists balance the needs of cattle and wildlife that live in the same space?
Nature Works Themes
- Food
Nature provides grazing habitat that ranchers use to raise cattle for milk and meat. The grazing habit also supports wildlife that can serve as an additional source of meat.
- Stuff
Nature provides grazing habitat for cattle, which supply goods such as leather, horn and dung for fertilizer. The grazing habitat also enables wildlife populations to thrive, which supports the economy of emerging nations in East Africa.
Teacher Background:
In this lesson, students learn how balancing cattle herd size, grazing rights and wildlife populations is beneficial. Cattle play a central role among Kenya’s rural people and cattle herd’s needs overlap with the needs of East African wildlife. East African wildlife populations are a valued resource that attract tourists and provide much-needed income. Cattle are a valued resource and are an integral part of the traditional culture in East Africa. When ranchers carefully manage herds, it helps balance the needs of these populations.
Cattle ranchers and conservationists share the responsibility for developing and implementing plans to balance the water/land needs of the cattle and wildlife populations. In Kenya, ranchers and conservationists support the needs of wildlife, while at the same time ensuring cattle herds are able to thrive. The key principle is that the environment benefits from multiple land uses. As a hands on activity, students will explore population dynamics and how to plan for long-term sustainability of both cattle and wildlife.
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| Teacher's Guide PDF Companion for PowerPoint |
| PowerPoint Lesson Plan |
Fieldtrips!
Take your students on a field trip to a Nature Conservancy preserve. Locations in all 50 states – check it out.
