Research & Article
John Cox M.A. C/M

“We find lot of Public information about Wolves, on Public Lands, most often driven by Fear, or Group Hysteria (i.e. Northern California most recently). The fact is, simplified, Welfare Ranching on Public Lands, and their need to rid our Public Lands of much of our Nation’s Wildlife, is not represented by science, but rather, misinformation — i.e. about Wild Horses, Bear, Cougar, and many other Wildlife that must Co-Exist on our Public Lands, for a healthy environment. Let’s discuss Wolves here . . .

Wolves provide significant ecological benefits to public lands by acting as apex predators that restore balance to ecosystems, fostering biodiversity, and improving habitat health through the regulation of prey populations. In contrast, livestock ranching on public lands is often associated with negative impacts such as overgrazing, habitat degradation, and biodiversity loss. 

Ecological Benefits of Wolves

• Trophic Cascades: Wolves prevent overgrazing by elk and deer, allowing vegetation like willow and aspen to recover, which improves habitat for other species.
• Wetland Restoration: By reducing elk pressure in riparian areas, wolves contribute to increased willow growth, which supports beaver populations and creates healthier, more resilient wetlands.
• Disease Control: Wolves help manage wildlife populations by preying on weak or diseased animals, such as those with chronic wasting disease.
• Ecosystem Services: The presence of wolves can reduce deer-vehicle collisions and provide carrion for scavengers, supporting a more diverse ecosystem. 

Impacts of Public Lands Ranching

• Environmental Degradation: Livestock grazing can lead to compacted soils, damaged stream banks, and the loss of native vegetation.
• Habitat Conflicts: Cattle often compete with native wildlife for forage and water in sensitive, arid, or high-elevation habitats.
• Management Costs: Ranching on public land can require significant, costly efforts to mitigate interactions with predators, often requiring compensation programs for livestock losses.
• Sustainability Challenges: Some studies suggest that the ecological cost of grazing in certain public land areas outweighs the economic benefit, particularly when compared to the restorative impact of natural predator-prey dynamics. 

While ranching has deep roots in Western culture and provides economic value, research increasingly highlights that wolves offer superior, natural, and cost-effective management for restoring and maintaining public land ecosystems.” — John Cox, M.A. C/M