The Effects Of Grazing On Wildlife And Plant Species And Holding Up The Long Tradition Of Ranching

Feral horses are viewed as a symbol of freedom and power here in the United States. However, they are also a relatively unmanaged, non-native grazer. Information about their influence on vegetation

One of the basic arguments for the restoration of bison back onto the prairies involves the economic benefits. Five of the nations ten poorest counties are located on Indian reservations (Manning, WWW). With decreasing beef prices and increasing land values, the margin of profit continues to narrow. A majority of the cattle industry that once was present in the midwest have sought greener pastures east in states such as Florida, Tennessee, and Kentucky (Popper, D). Another possible opponent, the Forest Service also no longer seems to focus on maximizing their timber yields in the midwest, but rather in northern California, Oregon, and Washington (Popper, D). Bison offer a plausible solution due to their low cost (about half as much as cattle). Bison are also better adapted to the environment and produce the same amount of meat which is higher in protein, lower in cholesterol and fat, compared to cattle. In terms of land usage, bison graze and then move while cattle remain where they are thus damaging the soil. Bison also eat a greater variety of grasses, something which lacks with cattle. A proposal made by conservationists suggest that, "Ranchers can easily switch to buffalo and sell hunting rights, meats, hides, horns, and skulls at healthy prices (Popper DE, 1994)." Care of bison is also simple because unlike cattle, bison can withstand plains' winters. Land value also increases when it offers game

: CORRECT Agricultural practices improve wildlife habitats and lead to increased species populations in farming communities.

1 The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has stepped in to provide restorative practices upon 500,000 acres of heavily degraded public grasslands. This land is suffering from severe soil erosion as well as degradation due to overgrazing. The suppression of natural fires has caused shrubs and invasive weeds to encroach upon the grasslands. A full scale assessment will take place on this land before restoration efforts begin. The first thing that would need to be assessed is the soil, for it is eroding and holding little nutrient value. Samples would be taken of this soil from various parts of the grasslands including the eroded gullies. Each soil sample would be taken from at least 1 foot below the surface, to test for carbon richness below the topsoil. These would then be tested for texture, density, water retention, and chemical composition. Typically, powerful, healthy soil will contain amounts of both Nitrogen and Phosphorous, which are essential nutrients in sustainable plant growth. These samples would also be tested for any build-up of salts, something known as soil salinization. Unhealthy, salinized soil is created over years of over-hydrating and deep plowing. Excess water will suffocate root systems of once-healthy crops, and salinized soils will reduce crop output up to 20% (Withgott &Brennan, 2011). The next assessment would be in the shrubs and invasive weed species on the land. Knowing the volume and location of these plants gives way to a better understanding of

Through strictly regulated hunting we have reintroduced and repopulated various game species into areas where they were previously wiped out due to extremely excessive hunting by settlers. In the early 1900s all of Indiana’s whitetail deer were virtually extinct. By the 1930s whitetail deer were beginning to be reintroduced into Indiana. In just 20 years after initial reintroduction the population was at a sustainable level so that regulated modern hunting programs could begin. Conservationism has been a necessity to the ecology of the United States and many other countries around the world. The U.S. Forest Service by itself manages 193 million acres of public land nationwide or roughly 8% of the total land in the United States. The management of this land would not be feasible without the funding hunters provide through licenses, tags, and stamps. The 193 million acres does not include any public recreational land on the state level. There is 2,260,380 acres of public hunting land in all the states

2. Question : What is the most important single environmental factor in determining the productivity of rangelands?

“A few years after the war ceased, railroads extended west, and markets were established within driving distance of Texas” (Haynes, 278). The railroads were a huge impact on Texas because around that time transportation was very poor. The railroads allowed for goods and other resources to be traded and sold for profits. Texas was known for having a background in farming and ranching because of its Mexican ancestry. Farming and ranching became very important to Texas’ life and economy. Texas’ economy, population, and environment was flourishing, as more and more settlers came along. The ranchers and framers were soon starting to settle in all parts of Texas. “Thes frontier counties we traveld in are nearly all Settle up from the old States mostly

Horses were introduced to the southern plains Indians by the Spanish who settled in New Mexico. The Jumanos, a tribe that occupied the Texan plains, acquired horses through trade even before the Spanish settled in New Mexico. The Jumanos’ long time rivals, the Apaches, became skillful raiders and riders by the 1650s.These cultures were able to quickly adapt to equestrianism because of the compatibility of horses with the environment of the Southern Plains. The region provided a lot of grass, the main food staple of horses. Horses helped the Indians with buffalo hunts and nomadism. Both the Jumanos and Apaches were easily able to incorporate horses into their societies, but their horse cultures did not last. The Apaches used their newfound power to obliterate the Jumanos. Shortly after this, a new tribe came down from the Arkansas Valley called the Comanches that had a specialized mounted hunting system.The Comanches invaded the grasslands and rapidly became equestrian, mastering mounted nomadism, hunting, and warfare within a generation. The Comanches started a guerrilla war with the Apaches over grassland for their herds, and by 1760, the Apaches were wiped from the Southern Plains.

Every year the Wildlife Bureau of the DNR purchases land for public use and wildlife habitats. The restoration of Iowa’s prairie land is considered important because it can restore the natural ecosystem, benefit water quality, and reduces soil erosion caused by runoff. Other farming practices such as having buffer strips near streams and cover crops have helped manage the soil erosion in Iowa, but since 1850 we have lost nearly 14 inches in topsoil depth and growing.

Nature provides people with everything they need to survive, but humans have a negative impact on nature which affects both humans and animals. Wildlife conservation is very important because if humans allow plant and animal species to go extinct at the rate they are now, many species will be lost and life on earth would fall apart. Conserving species helps maintain biodiversity which helps slow down extinction rates. Animals that have diverse genetics allow them to evolve and adapt to changing environments (Paterson). Nature is not here just for us, so humans should help to preserve it or at least decrease extinction rates. Every organism has a role in an ecosystem and all of them are important to maintain balance (Marshall).

As the twentieth century approached, America was experiencing a time of considerable expansion. All eyes were looking for ways to make the United States a larger, more powerful, and more efficient country. Because of this wave in American society, there was no movement given more devotion than the settling of the West. The range-cattle industry in its various aspects, and in its importance to the United States and particularly to the Great Plains, has been a subject of focus to Americans since its origin in the mid 1800's. This industry was rendered possible by such factors as vast sections of fertile land, the rise of heavy industry involving the great demand for beef, and

A section of land on the west side of East Lake, just north of the obsidian flow, is privately owned and has not been maintained by the USFS uniformly with the rest of the NNVM. Our team was graciously given permission by the land owners to survey the properties. and found large populations of common mullein and canada thistle, as well as smaller populations of bull thistle and reed canarygrass. These findings pose a unique management predicament, because the populations found on private land will most likely seed out to other areas of NNVM if not managed. Because of the significance of these populations and their location of private land, our team suggests a partnership between the USFS and the private landowners.

I am writing to you in regard to the Bridger -Teton National Forest. It is “the largest intact ecosystem in the lower 48 United States. Offering nearly 1.2 million acres of designated Wilderness, over 3,000 miles of road and trail and thousands of miles of unspoiled rivers and streams.” (USDA Forest Service)

Figure 1: These line graphs illustrate the 12 samples that derived from the 6 data pairs for each pasture. To restate, these samples were collected from two pasture sites in the BLM’s Twin Lakes grazing allotment of Davenport, Washington. The first graph (a) represents the wet weight (kg/ha) in the function of the ocular estimate (kg/ha); whereas, the second graph (b) represents the dry weight (kg/ha) with the function of the estimated wet weight (kg/ha). A trendline, best fit linear equation, and R2 values were added. Upward slopes are observed.

Humans are not the only habitants of this earth so are the wildlife that surrounds us. We are in symbiosis relationship with the animals that are around us. Due to the population boom of humans, we are at a constant clash between the natural world and the human world. When the habitats of these animals are under severe pressure and a large number of species of wild fauna have become endangered, the significance of wildlife conservation becomes urgent. The increase in human populations has had a negative effect on the wildlife population. Studies have shown that with an increase of human population, there has been a steady decrease in wildlife population. This is due to more land being used by humans which in turn decreases or damages