Preservation of America's Wildlife

Tag: environment

  • When Diversity of Wildlife No Longer Exists, Predators Turn Against One Another —

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

    “Diversity of Wildlife is the key factor to not only a healthy ecology, but life within this Universe. Humans attempt to favor entertainment, and exploitative circumstance, and avoid what I just wrote in the opening of this conversation.

    Evolution of life also, often devastating to some, is a fact of living. Then the end-of-life, that is, the life-cycle within this Universe we all live. Whether fallen and die from old age, or, devastated within the Predator-Prey Relationships we see in Nature, and understand, that life exists naturally on this planet we live. Time is our boundaries, toward life — a Universal Law we cannot change. . . We are all part of, and just as receptive to it all, as a small field-mouse in a field, a prey to age, or predators.

    Interesting, and the fact is, without human involvement, this life-cycle I discuss here, creates or prolongs a healthy life cycle within the Ecology it exists within — i.e. evidence, for millions of years before we come along. With Human-involvement, not so much, to Zero, actually. So it’s not time, as previously mentioned, being a boundary; but rather, and this is the negative side, whether or not the humans turn-against one another, or not — when Predator-Prey Relationships no longer exist on this planet. Perhaps this planet’s history shows us this, as well . . .

    The devastation of one-predator overwhelming other life within a healthy habitat, that was not within their Predator-Prey Relationship — i.e. I give you the cattle and the wolves, bears, household-pets, coyotes, et al., as a definitive and well proven fact this happens — Science and common-sense observations shows us this as fact, as well. Yet we disregard the “Causation” and go after, to kill or eliminate, the symptoms – whether it be Wildlife-Evolution, or Terrestrial-Evolution; or, our own pervasive obnoxious perceptions, derived from ignorance, bigotry, or bias. History shows us also, when these attributes become popular, things drastically change within the evolutionary process.

    I find it interesting, all of the preconceptions we place on something like the Natural Life Cycles of this planet . . . The fact is simple, not an excuse to kill more life, or exclude some life, i.e. bias, bigotry, and ignorance, in favor of other life forms — a more entertaining life. . . How sad people are entertained by killing life itself, and for the most ironic illusions, yet state they done the killing to save all of us, or the ranchers, or the community, or . . . whatever bullshit fits their need, i.e. excuse, at the time!

    I call that bullshit! Especially, when we are attempting to manage the birthrates within a Wilderness area, or, on the Range, when science tells us, very well and abundantly, Wildlife and our Terrestrial Environments are self-governing, inclusive of population, as well. But human-ego combined with ignorance and bias, and money/greed, then soon we find Nature subordinate to such mind-sets, and destroyed due to them.

    Some of the Evolutionary Process may appear to us as unattractive, even disgusting, when we do not understand the Predator-Prey Relationships — and the Natural Balance of Life on this planet. Humans have disconnected this Universal Necessity of Connection we all have between Nature and a Natural Universal Evolutionary Process, in our attempts to control it all.

    We need to understand it is not our supposed predatory instincts that control this planet; but rather, it is Nature, and we are a part of it; Whereas, with any other living beings on this planet, and Universal Law, if one living-being or species ultimately controls all life on this planet — Nature will respond negatively.

    Ultimately, when no Predator-Prey Relationships exist, Predators turn against one another. We see this often when hunting and trapping over-done in many Wildlife and Wilderness Areas. Frankly, we are seeing it today, already starting. And those with any type of intelligence, can see, many things in our environment and human population as well, becoming worse, the further we disconnect from Nature itself. . . and refusing to understand our connection with it all.” — John Cox, M.A. C/M

  • Sierra Valley, Calif. Not Wolves But True Rancher Destruction of Our Public Lands From Cattle

    Written and Assimilated by
    John Cox, M.A. C/M — Horseman

    Rather than Discuss Wolves in the Sierra Valley —  Let’s Talk Some Truth, and it’s about time. My research took me into the arena, of the many lies Ranchers tell the Public a lot of the time. Evidence is not only in the statistics, and good old American Common Sense, but the many Cattle they say being killed by such a small number of Wolves, in the Sierra Valley — just makes no damn sense at all.

    Whether ranching in the Sierra Valley is “healthy” is a complex issue with no simple answer. While conservation efforts and sustainable practices are ongoing, ranching has had documented negative environmental impacts, particularly concerning water quality and biodiversity

    Some sources suggest the industry’s rhetoric of being purely beneficial to the ecosystem is a misleading simplification.  The rhetoric, or constant lies, cover-up the mis-use of our nation’s Public Lands entirely.  We find many ranches there not of historic values, so much as being run incompetently, and just a lot of Poach if Wildlife as well as lands degradation and other illegal activity ongoing constantly.  We also located Desertification developed within much of the Sierra Valley lands, due to over-populated cattle destruction.

    Environmental impacts

    Water quality:

    One of the most significant concerns is the effect of cattle grazing on water quality, especially since the Sierra Nevada mountains provide more than 60% of California’s developed water supply. 

    • Contamination: Research has found that cattle grazing introduces harmful microorganisms, such as E. coli and Cryptosporidium, into waterways through manure.
    • Eutrophication: Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from manure can cause eutrophication in lakes and streams, leading to increased algae growth and the potential for toxic algae blooms.
    • Erosion and sedimentation: Trampling by cattle can destroy streamside vegetation, compact soil, and cause erosion, which degrades water quality and damages aquatic habitats. 

    Ecosystem and biodiversity:

    Ranching activities also impact the broader ecosystem and its biodiversity. 

    • Habitat degradation: Overgrazing can destroy native vegetation and alter plant composition, reducing habitat for native wildlife species.
    • Riparian damage: Sensitive riparian areas, which support a high diversity of species, are particularly vulnerable to trampling and degradation from livestock.
    • Competition with native wildlife: Extensive cattle herds can outcompete native grazers like deer and elk for food resources.
    • Disruption of natural processes: The presence of livestock can interfere with the natural disturbances that ecosystems use to maintain balance. 

    Conservation and mitigation efforts

    While issues persist, cooperative efforts are being made to address the impacts of ranching. 

    • Public-private partnerships: Land trusts, such as the California Rangeland Trust, work with ranchers to establish conservation easements that prevent development while keeping the land in agricultural production.
    • Adaptive ranching practices: Researchers and ranchers are collaborating to develop strategies that reduce environmental impacts. Techniques include:
      • Using fencing to exclude cattle from sensitive areas like streams and meadows.
      • Providing alternative water and salt sources to draw cattle away from waterways.
      • Implementing rotational grazing to prevent overgrazing.
    • Wildlife coexistence programs: In response to the return of gray wolves, programs have been established to compensate ranchers for livestock losses and provide grants for non-lethal deterrents.
    • Balancing interests: These collaborations involve environmental groups, ranchers, and government agencies, acknowledging the complex trade-offs between agricultural livelihoods, conservation, and ecosystem health. 

    Conclusion

    The health of the Sierra Valley’s ranching areas is a subject of ongoing debate. While ranching has a long history in the valley and can be managed sustainably, it has also led to documented environmental degradation. The view that it is a “lie to keep ranching” oversimplifies the situation by ignoring genuine efforts to find a balance between agriculture and conservation. However, critics point to persistent issues like water quality impairment and biodiversity loss as evidence that the industry’s positive claims can be misleading. Ultimately, a balanced perspective recognizes both the historical and ongoing challenges posed by ranching, as well as the attempts by some to implement better practice.

    ——————– Preservation of America’s Wildlife ——————–