Author Archives: Photographer -- Journalist

Written by John Cox, MFA

Corrupt people are most often caught, because corrupt people, to say it nicely, are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. We can say the same about government agencies and the Bureau of Land Management. So let’s take a look at why I say this – and this is not just my opinion, but rather, the opinion of many Americans’ and taxpayers, that are saying “enough is enough’.

Here I will discuss examples about their “overpopulation of wild horses on public lands”. I will talk about some of the more flamboyant cases that I see on the DOI/BLM XL sheets, AND OVER THREE DECADES WORTH. The DOI/BLM. Corruption, in these agencies, obviously a severe understatement.

So, let’s start at clear Lodge Canyon HMA, in NV, and in 2008 onward called Eagle HMA. Right away we see flaws within BLM math as well as outright lies.

Let’s go to 2009 (keep in mind these are all population statistics from the BLM) and I see the available Wild Horse statistics of 505 Wild Horses in this HMA – an increase from the year before of 470 Wild Wild Horses, for a 1,343% increase. So we’re led to believe at this HMA, at the end of 2009, there were 975 Wild Horses’ on that range; Although, eyewitnesses at those HMA’s never did see 975 horses; nor, did they ever see 505 Wild Horses’ roaming the same HMA.

But more confusion arises when we go to 2010, and we see only 606 Wild Horses’ roaming this range. These are all BLM numbers folks – which we refer to as Phantom-Numbers, similar to the DOI/BLM Phantom-Forests that do not exist (wrote about this a couple field-notes back, but still “not-there” today LOL) upon paper-only!

At the same HMA let’s go to 2012, 522 Wild Horses’ roaming the HMA; which, BLM says a 322 Wild Horse increase happened, which is 161% increase in Wild Horses on that range. So, they’re telling us that there are, in 2012, 844 Wild Horses on this HMA at year end, yet the following year, 2013, they say there were 626, at the beginning of 2013 . . . Interesting, how that cannot happen on this Universe, and yet, they’re saying it does.

Now let’s go to the Calico Mountains HMA in Nevada. In 2008 there were supposedly 549 Wild Horses roaming this HMA — there was an increase of 285 Wild Horses, which is according to BLM statistics, a 108% increase. Simple addition shows us this is 834 Wild Horses by the end of 2008, that were roaming the Calico HMA – Yet the BLM in their 2009 statistics, shows only 660 (beginning of the year 2009) Wild Horses roaming the HMA and a 111 Wild Horse increase by the end of 2009, which shows in their math, a 20% increase.

According to DOI/BLM, amazingly, Wild Horses disappear, or were not there to begin with, suddenly appear, then disappear, then appear again on some other range — and need I point out, that not just Wild Horse Mares have foal, but according to these numbers, blatantly — all horses, stallions and foals and yearlings, all have foals, and the trees and the rocks in the area seem to have foals, as well. This is quite a government agency — I would suggest this should go down in biological history as a phenomena — but, sadly, it is simply a corrupt government agency that lies a lot . . .

Now let’s go to the Black Rock Range West HMA, in Nevada. The first thing that comes to my mind is the ridiculous and obvious nature of the corruption the BLM poses upon the American taxpayers, yet, there seems to be no checks & balance system here, of justice, whatsoever. And here’s why:

Right off the top in 2008 we see 399 Wild Horses’, according to BLM, roaming the range at Black rock Range West – Somewhere (Phantom-Horses again – they just come and go as they please, I guess), 323 Wild Horses showed-up — an increase of 425% in one year.

There is no doubt in my mind that perhaps the BLM does not understand that only mares carry foal, and a hard-fact that anywhere from 35% to 55% of those foals die at birth, and another 12% die within the first year too a year and a half old, on the range. We have to ask the obvious question, as taxpayers as well as on this planet Earth, where did these horses come from, and are these simply Phantom Numbers, that we know have existed over decades now with DOI/BLM.

I see just within these statistics, “Phantom-Wild Horses” that exist in DOI/BLM minds only – and consider this – We depend on this agency for proper management of highly toxic birth controls and their Darting Programs, as well as with our hard-earned taxpayer money, to be responsible, and transparent – apparently, we have a ways to go presently, also, as this is just straight-up corruption, and to obtain larger budgets for themselves; which is, a Legal “Federal Fraud” situation, ongoing today.

On the same range let’s go to 2011. . . There were only 143 Wild Horses roaming the Black Rock Range West HMA (the fact is the figures from year-to-year make no sense whatsoever when you’re looking at these charts from the BLM) so the BLM tells us there is an increase of 83 horses, which is 138% increase –They went from 2008 of 722 Wild Horses; to 2009, with only 507; then to 2010, there were only 60 Wild Horses; then to 2011, there were 226 Wild Horses the BLM tells us; then in 2012 they tell us there were 74 Wild Horses’ roaming the range, and decreased by the 69 that were rounded up, which is -48%; and then, in 2013, 114 Wild Horses on that range again, and according to their figures a 27% increase. THEY JUST COME OUT OF NOWHERE! is about the only explanation I see . . .

We can honestly label the DOI/BLM Wild Horse Herd Counts as “Phantom Wild Horse Herds”, as they simply do not exist within the numbers DOI/BLM give us. Classifieds as “Paper-Only” Statistics, as there is no “Real-World” situation that this could exist, what so ever.

The fact is I could go on and on with a lot of this information that is from the BLM, and approved by their Over-Site Government Agency the DOI . . . Yet these Phantom-Numbers exist. Statistically, as well as observation tells us, clearly, there is no evidence, credible, to show these numbers even exist. This is all at taxpayer expense – From the Grazing Permit Program.

Never the less, all one has to do is look at their statistical data, which consistently shows us – no doubt whatsoever – that the DOI/BLM are two very corrupted government agencies. Where are Taxpayer’s Representatives, we voted into office, to look after Our America?

Writer: John W. Cox, MFA

Without reliable knowledge, mixed with experience, people or groups of people cannot effectively protect and maintain our natural resources, wildlife, our terrestrial environments, or restore them when protections fail.

Our public lands, wildlife, and terrestrial ecology remains under attack. All are threatened by habitat fragmentation, invasion of alien species such as cattle and sheep among others, development on their boundaries and within our federal lands themselves, which develops into an unsustainable use – multiple use range, within them all. What is needed is and remains, good science conducted by educated, reliable, and experienced researchers, that is scientifically and data reliable, inclusive of information about all threats to our Natural-Resources in America.

Without reliable knowledge, and information, we cannot effectively protect and maintain neither our Natural Resources, nor our Wild Horses, when needed. I will outline here in synoptic form, and identify 5 major situations that need reliable science and information – not to be confused with special-interest science, questionable conservation science led by specific hunter groups or industrial groups or ranching groups, nor information referred to as science, which is obviously based on beliefs, bias, and opinions only.

There is nothing in nature that is static, as we see much of our research in America paid for by our tax dollars, are often based on beliefs in static, or non-changing isolated landforms, and that no options exist to coincide with change due to presumably, everything remains static – or unchanging.

Applications of quality science and long-term research – as a permanent tool for proper management of our Lands and Wildlife in America . . .

Number 1 – Ecological systems are dynamic. The problem with short-term government science in our ecosystems derive different understandings, when we peruse, for example, five-year studies. They debate issues within their restrained research platform, that long-term research complicates management options – but allows only treatment of causes through ecosystem management, not just treatment of symptoms, such as trying to fix system-dysfunction one species at a time – which is shown us over time, does not work at all. These are what we refer to as short-term management views, based on static and isolated landforms. We see within the Wild Horse research on public lands, by government agencies, of five-year terms – and one month out of each of the 5 years actually on-site – simply does not show us the proper information we need for management of our Wild Horses. One of many examples.

Nevertheless, we find the understanding that comes from sustained research, and eventually over longer periods of time, provides hope for undertaking tasks that will resolve the problems we see daily now, and ecological restoration and sustainability development would, indeed, help build public consensus. In the long term, just as in the geology perspective, looks can be deceiving and our nature and landscape is not static at all, and must be approached as such.

Number 2 – Area landmasses in the United States are not islands, although we can identify some ecological habitats as islands, the term is simply meant to establish the boundaries of each habitat. Understanding this, we find transboundary forces influence ecology habitats and must be identified and addressed to adequately protect these habitats and resources. Ecological research, as evidence, has shown us this to be true. Isolation of our public lands and parks and forests is simply a myth – all are interactive with all of nature, our natural resources, our wildlife, and all else that surrounds all of these habitats.

Number 3 – Knowledge is better than ignorance. A quality scientific process can balance our natural resources, and wildlife, and for example Rewilding – situations, proactively and protectively. There are quality research and science papers out there, that show quality data-gathering and scientifically derived knowledge, can resolve such issues as how much use is possible without ecological impairment, and how large sections of land mass and wildlife, among other natural resources must be to protect system-function and avoid losses from habitat-fragmentation. The answers obtained through this type of knowledge are more effective than those obtained through belief-based advocacy – special-interest science or government science.

Number 4 – Sustained research reveals secrets that short studies never do. Without consistent – long-term data – understandings of the dynamics of echo systems are flawed. Short-term studies show us data becomes unavailable to decision-makers, and for many reasons, including lack of consistent funding, lack of management support for research, and lack of understanding the need for long-term data. Quality science and research illustrate the value of using our lands alongside long-term research, truthful research – not bias generated research – and show how long-term data can improve management decisions. Interesting to note here how our cultural situations, and the need to demand answers right now, or explained within a minute or two as if a commercial, seems to promote short-term research, that basically and simply is not enough data to resolve issues of today.

Number 5 – We also see the need that research must be a cooperative effort. In other words, we find government research, for example on our public lands, and done by government researchers, for example at the BLM or the Department of Interior, we find environmental assessments copied from previous environmental assessments, research papers from research papers decades ago, and only the dates changed. Taxpayers pay for this type of research in the thousands of dollars, as if an original source – which they are not, they are simply plagiarized and copied – names changed to update and coincide with the dates the research supposedly accomplished.

The need for cooperative efforts from many sources becomes obvious and we see many problems arise when research programs are isolated, or nontransparent, or when managers and scientists do not cooperate. It goes without saying further that many of these programs, diversity needed within the science community, are more desirable – and regulatory situations of conduct need to be adhered toward for honesty of the science, as well as peer-reviewed appropriately, by those who have no conflict of interest or future monetary award with those involved in the research or the potential future management of such.

It also goes without saying that all people, within government and the private sector both, should be qualified, and their qualifications checked. This would coincide with their experience as well, as we find those with less experience always seemed to conduct themselves toward career goals that sometimes can neutralize information in favor of working, for example with government or a cooperative associated with large corporations. Frankly myself and others have found this to be a disgusting situation even though dominant, at times, within the research community. And those who lie about their experience, simply do not know what they do not know, and miss the needed information, from data gathering, too interpretation, then to the research paper itself, and appropriate tools need –

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