CORE Environmental Stewardship 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which practice best demonstrates the Leave No Trace principle of 'traveling on durable surfaces'?
- Hiking single-file on established trails (Correct answer)
- Cutting switchbacks to shorten the route
- Walking side-by-side to spread out impact
- Creating new paths through untouched meadows
Correct answer: Hiking single-file on established trails
Staying on established trails and hiking single-file concentrates impact on already-disturbed ground, protecting surrounding vegetation.
Question 2: A riparian zone refers to the area:
- Around mountain summits above treeline
- Adjacent to rivers, streams, and other water bodies (Correct answer)
- Within designated wilderness areas only
- Inside national park boundaries
Correct answer: Adjacent to rivers, streams, and other water bodies
Riparian zones are the vegetated areas bordering water bodies and are critical habitats that filter runoff and provide wildlife corridors.
Question 3: What is the primary reason hunters and anglers should properly dispose of fish entrails and carcasses?
- To prevent attracting insects to campsites
- To avoid fines from game wardens
- To reduce disease transmission and maintain ecosystem balance (Correct answer)
- To keep the area aesthetically clean for other visitors
Correct answer: To reduce disease transmission and maintain ecosystem balance
Improper disposal of carcasses can spread diseases like chronic wasting disease and disrupt natural scavenger behavior.
Question 4: Which of the following is considered a non-point source of water pollution?
- A factory discharge pipe
- Agricultural runoff from fields (Correct answer)
- A sewage treatment plant outfall
- An oil refinery drainage channel
Correct answer: Agricultural runoff from fields
Non-point source pollution comes from diffuse areas like agricultural fields rather than a single identifiable pipe or outlet.
Question 5: The concept of 'carrying capacity' in wildlife management refers to:
- The maximum weight a pack animal can transport
- The number of hunters a unit can legally support
- The maximum population a habitat can sustainably support (Correct answer)
- The total acreage needed for one animal's territory
Correct answer: The maximum population a habitat can sustainably support
Carrying capacity is the largest population size a given environment can support indefinitely given available resources.
Question 6: When camping in bear country, food should be stored:
- In your tent to keep it close
- In a bear canister or hung at least 10 feet high and 4 feet from tree trunks (Correct answer)
- Buried 6 inches underground near camp
- In a vehicle at least 50 yards from your tent
Correct answer: In a bear canister or hung at least 10 feet high and 4 feet from tree trunks
Proper food storage prevents bears from associating humans with food, which protects both people and bears.
Question 7: What does the term 'biodiversity' specifically measure?
- The total biomass of an ecosystem
- The variety of species, genes, and ecosystems in a region (Correct answer)
- The number of endangered species in an area
- The productivity of a given habitat
Correct answer: The variety of species, genes, and ecosystems in a region
Biodiversity encompasses genetic diversity within species, species diversity within communities, and ecosystem diversity across landscapes.
CORE Environmental Stewardship 2
Which practice best demonstrates the Leave No Trace principle of 'traveling on durable surfaces'?