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CASE STUDY - "WHAT GOOD IS IT?"
Charles M. Haynes
 Intended Audience: Grades 9-12 and above. Objectives:
Rationale: Zoologist Marston Bates once wearily (and with more than a slight hint of consternation) articulated a most vexing question frequently put to him by the public when encountering an familiar organism - i.e., "What good is it? ". Indeed, the question is often at the heart of endangered and threatened species debate and is often phrased as "How far am I (society) willing to go?" or "What am I willing to pay?" And few topics in the realm of conservation biol ogy and environmental ethics stimulate more debate than the problem of endangered species. The key term here is "problem" for, depending upon who one is talking to, endangered species are perceived as either HAVING a problem (i.e., an imminent threat of extinction) and consequently in need of human intervention and protection, or they are perceived of BEING a problem (i.e., barriers to human wants and needs.) Thus, while environmentally oriented individuals may consider the Endangered Species Act to be a model of insightful, com passionate and ethical legislation, other more human-centered persons may consider it an unworkable and overly expensive bureaucratic bottleneck to achieving their perceptions of the public good. Few persons will argue the desirability of preserving certain species such as sport fish, deer, song birds, and endangered species like the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, the great whales or grizzly bears (unless they are from a whale consuming society like Japan, Norway or as in the case of the grizzly, they perceive threats to self or livestock.) Conservation biologists often char acterize species like the aforementioned which are broadly perceived as desir able because they are attractive, graceful, symbolically powerful or otherwise capable of eliciting strong emotional responses as "glamour species". For such charismatic species considerable money and effort is often expended (the California condor is a pertinent example of this attitude). Thus, for some non-human organisms, we seek to preserve them because we see in them some form of INSTRUMENTAL VALUE to human beings. There is, however, another quite large group of threatened and endangered species which commonly place special interest groups at extreme logger-heads and are often the source of furious ethical debate. These are the so called "nongame" or "nonresource" species. Many native North American fishes, small mammals, invertebrates, and most plants fall into this category. The notorious snail darter case illustrates the tremendous passion and ethical confusion possible with such species. Nonresource species are perceived to have little or no present or future instrumental value; rather, the appeal by preservationists is that of INTRINSIC VALUE (value in and of itself) and some form of NATURAL RIGHTS. Yet, Bates' vexing question continues to haunt us. In the case study presented, students are presented with an actual scenario shortened of some of its more cumbersome intricacies. The " drimp"1 is Gila cypha, or humpback chub, an endangered fish species endemic to the Colorado River system. The humpback is perceived by many to stand in the way of the development of western U.S. water and energy resources. Students will be confronted with concepts of WORTH or VALUE (instrumental vs. intrinsic), the idea of NATURAL RIGHTS, and possible human DUTIES to other forms of life. They will also explore the meaning of EXTINCTION, both as a natural phenomenon and as a human-caused event. Finally, students will be asked to explore alternative outcomes to the rather restrictive options presented in the scenario. Procedures: It is suggested that prior to actually conducting the activity students research the Endangered Species Act both in its original form and as amended. They should also have a clear understanding of the terms SPECIES, EXTINCTION, ENDANGERED, THREATENED, POPULATION and ENDEMIC. Other concepts that might be explored include the history of the Endangered Species Act, the idea of " critical habitat," and the meaning of "recovery". The case study may then be used as an INDIVIDUAL or GROUP assignment or for class DISCUSSION and/or ROLE PLAYING. Although the question "What should Ms. Franklin do?" is an open ended one, the town council resolution scenario ultimately requires an answer. Students should then be led to consider the SHORT TERM and LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES of their determination. Class Discussion Consideration: For discussions, students should be led to explore new ideas by the use of the following sorts PROBE QUESTIONS:
References: Clark, T. W., P. Schuyler, et al. 1992. "Conserving Biodiversity in the Real World: Professional Practice Using a Policy Orientation." Endangered Species Update 9 (5 and 6): 5-8 Ehrenfeld, D. W. 1972. "Preservation of Species." Pages 285- 310 in Conserving Life on Earth. Oxford University Press. 360 pp. Fradkin, P. L. 1981. A River No More Ñ The Colorado River and the West. A. E. Knopf, New York, NY. Haynes, C. M. 1982. The Humpback Chub: "What Good Is It?" Colorado Outdoors 31(6): 30-33 Haynes, C. M. 1985. The Humpback Chub: "What Good Is It?" (Revisited). Further Reflections on Nongame Wildlife. Colorado Outdoors 34(4): 1-4 Rose, S. and J. Hammil. 1988. "Help is on the way for rare fishes of the Colorado River Basin." Endangered Species Technical Bulletin 8(8): 1-7. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC. Tyus, H. M., B. D. Burdick, et al. 1982. "Fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin: Distribution, Abundance and Status." Pages 12-70 in W. H. Miller, H. M. Tyus, and C. A. Carlson, eds. Fishes of the upper Colorado River System: Present and Future. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD.
Ms. Franklin is an elected member of the town council in a small Colorado community. She is also co-owner with her brother of a sporting goods store. The community in which Ms. Franklin and her brother and family live has endured a depressed economy during recent times due to the closure of several mines in the area and there have been a number of failed businesses and home foreclosures. The sporting goods store is barely holding its own and Ms. Franklin and her brother are uncertain if they will be able to keep the business going much more than another year. One of Ms. Franklin's most important personal goals as Councilperson, therefore, is to enhance the economy of her community and to improve the quality of life for its citizens. At tonight's council meeting a water developer is proposing to construct a hydroelectric dam in the canyon of a nearby river. Although the electrical energy generated by the dam's turbines is not needed in the community and surrounding area, it can be sold to a regional power grid and during times of need sent hundreds, even thousands, of miles away where it can be used. Although the developer and his associates will receive all profits from sale of the power, the dam will mean construction jobs and the huge reservoir created by damming the river can be used by the community for its own recreational (swimming, fishing, boating, camping) and economic interests (a hunting and fishing lodge, marina, and other recreation-based businesses.) The water developer asks that the council pass a resolution in favor of the hydroelectric project so that he can include it in his application to the government agency that licenses dams. He explains that the town council's "yes" vote is the most critical part of his application. Following the developer's proposal a scientist from the State University several hundred miles away asks to be heard. She informs the council that an endangered fish species lives in the canyon just downstream of the proposed dam site. The fish, called the "drimp", grows to about a foot in length, has a large fleshy hump on its back, an overhanging snout, and is a dull greenish-brown in color. Because of its secretive nature and muddy water habitat, few people have or will ever see one in their lifetimes. Due to its status as an Endangered Species it is unlikely to ever become a sport or food fish. The scientist informs the council that the water used to turn the energy generating turbans and then released from the base of the dam will cause the drimp's downriver habitat to be icy cold and, consequently, very likely destroy its ability to reproduce. Without young, adult drimps will grow old and die and the canyon's population will become extinct. There is in the world only one other population of these fish known - it is several hundred miles to the south downstream of a rapidly growing city. The scientist asks that the council reject the water developer's resolution and vote instead for the con tinued existence of the endangered drimp. Ms. Franklin's brother, agitated by the scientist's plea in behalf of the drimp and at the urging of several other persons, rises and demands that the council vote in favor of the dam and its hoped-for economic benefits. He ends his statement with the question Ñ "What good is it anyway?" Question: What should Ms. Franklin do?
"WHAT GOOD IS IT ANYWAY?"
1 "drimp" = damnably repulsive insignificant mass of protoplasm
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