“You’ve obtained private funding to buy land for a local songbird sanctuary. You can buy a dozen small plots of land (about 10 acres each), or a contiguous 10-acre tract. Assuming all of the options provide good habitat for the birds, which purchase would you make? Explain your reasoning.”
Assuming both the contiguous and small plots of land are reasonable options, I would personally choose the 10-acre tract. Due to the fact that maintaining one big piece of land might be a lot easier than keeping up with many small plots of land. Having everything in one place will prevent the wildlife from neglect as a result of the hard work that has to go into sustaining the environment for the birds. Assuming that the small plots of land are not bordering each other, this would make it inconvenient to have to travel between each territory.
Although all of this has been considered, the dozen small plots of land might be beneficial for the migration of the songbirds. Many migratory sanctuaries already exist outside of the US, most residing in Canada. If I were to buy half of the plots in the south where the birds can migrate, it can prove to be promising for the species long term.
Despite both arguments I am still sticking with buying the 10-acre tract. Logically, it will be more sustainable and overall be a safer use of the private funding.