View Of The West,Environmental Cognition And Evolution Of Public Land System In The United States

Public lands in the United States are lands that are owned,disposed,and administered by federal government.In the early history of the United States,the area of public lands increased rapidly through land cessions of the eastern states and territorial expansion.The issue of public lands penetrates the development process of the United States,which not only witnesses the history of the United States,but also bears the future of the United States.Public land system refers to system of public lands ownership,possession,domination,development,utilization and protection,shaped by series of land acts passed by Congress.The system has exerted far-reaching influences on economy,politics,society and environment of the United States.From 1862 to 1935,public land system in the United States underwent important transition.During this period,public land system was continuously adjusted according to the natural conditions of the west of the United States and gradually tended to natural resources conservation.With the view of transforming western wilderness to Garden of World,Homestead Act of 1862 set up public land system oriented to attract immigrants and encourage settlement.Because American society lacked comprehensive and thorough cognition of the natural environment in the west then,this Act tried to impose land system suitable for the east on the ecosystem of the west.Its implementation not only caused severe land speculation,but also led to serious resource destruction.For decades,Congress tried to adjust it to the natural conditions of the west.According to the evolution of environmental cognition,this paper discusses how the United States reformed public land system,in order to deal with the unique and complicated natural environment in the west.Firstly,the public land system was adjusted according to the arid climate in the west.When American society was aware of the natural conditions of the arid west,some government officials and Congressmen advocated encouraging afforestation by granting public lands to settlers,so as to change the arid climate of the west.Thus,Timber Culture Act was enacted by Congress.The Act failed ultimately,and American society gradually became conscious that environmental reality of arid climate in the west could not be changed.For purpose of adapting to natural conditions of the arid west and encouraging irrigated agriculture and dry farming,Congress passed Desert Land Act,Carey Act,National Reclamation Act and Enlarged Homestead Act successively.Secondly,public lands were utilized by classification according to the distribution of natural resources in the west.The diversity of natural resources in the west contributed to diversity of land use patterns,so logging,mining,and stock-raising developed in different areas.Designed to promote agricultural settlement,the Homestead Act apparently didn’t meet land demands of these industries.In view of this,Congress enacted General Mining Act for public lands rich in mineral resources,Timber and Stone Act for public lands rich in forest resources,and Stock-Raising Homestead Act for public lands rich in pasture resources.Thirdly,the focus of public land system achieved transition from land development to natural resources conservation.In late nineteenth and early twentieth century,faced with shrinking natural resources and environmental devastation,notion of nature in American society changed dramatically.Affected by this,public land system in the United States began to pay attention to natural resources conservation.National forest system,national park system and fish and wildlife protection system were established gradually.In order to protect and utilize public mining lands and stock-raising lands rationally,Congress passed Mineral Lands Leasing Act and Taylor Grazing Act,avoiding previous situation of indiscriminate exploitation of mineral and pasture resources.Through series of public land system reforms,the United States adjusted relationship between man and nature,and the framework of public lands today formed initially.Thereinto,the evolution of environmental cognition about the west in American society are powerful driving forces for the transition of public land system.The United States has vast public lands and advanced technological means to change natural environment.However,only by respecting the natural attribute of lands,can the country achieve sustained prosperity and harmonious coexistence between man and nature.