Preservation of America's Wildlife

Tag: environment

  • Forests Managed for Production – Wildlife & Terrestrial Secondary

    We Need Sustainability of Wildlife and Our Terrestrial Environments for Lands and Human Health – Priorities Need Changed

    John Cox, M.A. C/M

    Forestry Management Paradigms, despite the Wild Fires, remain favoring (yes – the Special Interest Lobby) logging and industry within our Forests. We often refer to it as Intensive Timber Management or Industrial Forestry; which, prioritizes high-yield wood production, timber stand uniformity, and rapid economic returns.

    This approach fundamentally shapes the forest ecosystem by favoring commercialized-returns by volume over biodiversity. Co-existence, between our Natural Environment and Human’s non-existence, or a very low priority, and Wildlife sustainability even lower.

    Clearly Observed Priorities Unfavorable to Co-Existence

    Aged & antiquated Cultural Heritage once again a fact; whereas, Industrial managers often clear-cut existing diverse forests and replant with a single, highly speculated profitable commercial species (e.g., Douglas-fir in the Pacific Northwest). This creates uniform, single-age stands. Yet, Old-Growth Timber Stands, at times nearby, keep sustainability possible, yet ignored, and often left out of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) when considering the Clear-Cut, and potential damages to surrounding areas – inclusive of the Old Growth Stands.

    The Short Rotation Cycles of a Reforested-Zone is normal management procedure, in operational aspects of trees that are harvested as soon as they reach commercial maturity. The problem quite obvious, yet ignored — The Clear-Cut done, logs hauled away to the mill, typically long before the biological age when trees would naturally hollow out, fall, and provide diverse habitats.

    Afterwards the Vegetation Habitats,profoundly, are sprayed with Herbicides are often heavily utilized to eliminate broadleaf “weeds” and understory brush that compete with the commercial trees for nutrients and sunlight, directly reducing food and cover for native species.

    For better Reforestation, commercially that is, the Standing dead trees (snags) and large downed logs are frequently removed or burned. In nature, these are essential homes and foraging grounds for birds, amphibians, and small mammals

    When management is stripped of wildlife consideration, the ecosystem shifts in several distinct ways compared to ecological forestry:

    Feature Industrial / Timber-Focused ManagementEcological / Wildlife-Focused Management
    Tree DiversityMonoculture (one or two species planted).Diverse mix of native hardwoods and conifers.
    Dead/Downed WoodCleared out to prevent fire and make logging easier.Preserved on purpose to provide critical habitat.
    StructureUniform, even-aged stands.Varied ages, canopy layers, and open spaces.
    UnderstorySuppressed with herbicides to favor crop trees.Allowed to grow to provide forage and cover.
    Primary GoalMaximize timber board-feet and financial ROI.Enhance ecosystem health and biodiversity.

    While intensive industrial logging is heavily regulated by state and federal forest practices acts to prevent topsoil erosion and massive waterway damage, its core aim remains resource extraction rather than wildlife support.

    Conclusively, the conflicts we do see, easily observed by the way, is the outstanding conflicts in arbitrary logging operations, that damage the surrounding areas, as well as the Logged-Off areas. Something quite a bit more than resolving the issues by Select-Cuts Management. Not only Wildlife ignored in the EIS, but the issue of Sustainable-Forests also in competition with the rush for Dollars and Profits.

    The ultimate results? We see Wildlife coming into areas near homes, or ranches, near suburbs, and supposedly violating some people’s images of where Wildlife has to live, and they have to live — All the While taking away, irresponsibly and unnecessarily, the very Homes where Wildlife live – daily.

    We then move on to Wildfires, and Record Breaking Years for Wildfires, and come up with decisions based upon Profits for Industry, rather than, to conclude, or even resolve the Wildfire problem.

    Do we have a problem with this Cultural Heritage Problem? Absolutely! We seem to invoke, whenever issues develop, and questions asked as to why we have to sacrifice so much, in Our Nation’s Lands and Wildlife. Are Profits for a few, in industry-only, and the hell with Wildlife or the remaining Terrestrial Environment, a fair-bargain for America and American’s? Many American’s will say NO!

  • Co-Exist With All Wildlife and Forests — Evolution

    Article by
    John Cox, M.A. C/M

    “Coexisting with nature involves fostering a reciprocal, sustainable relationship where humans and wildlife thrive together by respecting shared habitats.  Shoveling money to conservation efforts, yearly, to situations that never reach resolution, is not Conservation – Often, when we see no results, we wonder where our taxpayer dollars and donations went.  It sure never went to improvements as claimed. . .  Thereby, Honest Actions include restoring ecosystems, creating wildlife corridors, adopting sustainable agricultural practices, and fostering a cultural shift toward valuing nature for mental and environmental health. 

    Studies to provide hones and proper management, should maintain the status Quo of each Ecological Habitat (i.e. a hands-on beneficial approach non-commercialized & non-special-interest-driven).  Priority given to Diversity, the why and how effects of the Predator – Prey Relationships, through hones research and observation – not from previous science of supposed interactions – obtained from antiquated references.  Essential obtaining the knowledge of how Predator’s & Prey go about their living ways, and means, daily, within their own environments – and how human’s impose on their daily coming and going activities.  Antiquated research need not apply – as things have changed of the years – Evolution has taken place, and we ignore it.  Evolution continues to take place, and we have no idea where, how, or when . . . 

    Agricultural Science is stuck on commercialized profit based remedies, rather than coexistent paradigms that can work, and improve human – wildlife relationships.  Killing Wildlife is more profitable, but antiquated.  Population controls are antiquated, as well, as many are simply untrue, and often human generated.

    Action-Based Strategies for Coexistence (i.e. we have many, here are a few):

    • Support Biodiversity: Plant native species, leave wild patches in gardens, and create wildlife corridors to help animals move freely.
    • Sustainable Land Use: Utilize farming methods that encourage natural pest control (e.g., hedge rows, wildflower strips) rather than chemicals.
    • Habitat Protection: Protect existing natural areas and restore degraded habitats to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
    • Intentional Interaction: Actively engage with nature through volunteering, hiking, or conservation efforts to build a stronger, respectful connection.
    • Systemic Change: Shift consumption patterns to align with ecological limitations, recognizing nature as a partner rather than a resource to exploit.
    • Social Change: Combat ignorance, bigotry, and selfishness, as being inappropriate tools to achieve co-existence. 

    Implementing these changes helps mitigate climate change, as nature-based solutions can provide over a third of necessary carbon capture.”  —  John Cox, M.A. C/M