advocating for endangered species
drafting environmental legislation
preserving wildlife habitat
Pronghorn (the oldest mammal species in North America), can’t jump fences. In fact fences (and other “improvements” such as water developments, roads, and transmission lines) imperil many species by inhibiting wildlife movement, migration, breeding; fragmenting habitat; and killing species such as sage grouse.
BLM LANDS REFORESTATION AND AQUIFER RECHARGE BILL
The BLM Lands Reforestation and Aquifer Recharge Bill proposes funding for reforestation and landscape restoration on millions of acres of BLM (Bureau of Land Management) lands, primarily in twelve western states (AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, & WY). Passage of this Bill will allocate one billion dollars per year to the BLM, and highlights the essential role of forests in creating rain, alleviating drought, lowering local and regional temperatures, saving topsoil, & decreasing erosion.
Given that 80-90% of rainfall on land (inland from the coasts) is from transpiration through trees and other plants (rather than from evaporation), forests and woodlands are essential in creating rain for drinking, irrigation of crops, providing water for livestock, aquifer replenishment, and other purposes. When forests are cut down, drought and heating accelerate. Once forests and other natural vegetation have been cut down or lost in some other manner, the best remedy to bring back the rain, end droughts, and cool down the air, is reforestation. Given the increase in drought and temperature in the twelve western states, and BLM’s management of nearly 247 million acres in these states, reforestation of significant tracts of BLM land is the best way to solve the heat and drought-related problems that are accelerating multiple crises in the United States.
SACRED TREES
Occupiers of the Malheur Wildlife Sanctuary seek the use of more public lands for grazing. While overgrazing leads to deforestation, sustainable grazing may be beneficial. Ecologist Allan Savory suggests that sustainable grazing may help restore meadows and woodlands.
WILDERNESS UPDATE
GRAZING
- 98% of AMERICA'S ORIGINAL PRIMEVAL forests
have been LOST
- THE BLACK-FOOTED FERRET HAS LOST ALMOST ALL OF ITS NATURAL HABITAT IN THE usa
- THERE HAVE BEEN NO OFFICIAL SITINGS OF THE IVORY BILLED WOODPECKER SINCE 1987
- MANATEE USED TO LIVE IN THE RIVERS AND BAYOUS FROM TEXAS TO NORTH CAROLINA, BUT ARE NOW RELEGATED TO FLORIDA
- MOST MUSSEL SPECIES HAVE DISAPPEARED FROM RIVERS IN TENNESSEE, ALABAMA & GEORGIA
Many politicians support self-regulation and deregulation across a range of industries. But this does not work in industries or companies that create “public bads” such as pollution, resource depletion, health problems in humans, or species extinction. There is no incentive in a laissez faire economy for a polluter to eliminate pollution.
FENCES
Trees are cut down trees for profit & practical uses, yet many trees are national treasures and will never be replaced, including those on Vancouver Island which make up the densest bear habitat in North America. Sequoias can live over 3,000 years; Redwoods over 1,000. Pando (the quaking aspen colony in Colorado) is 80,000 years old!