1. Exploratory
“Proper Functioning Condition is a long-standing rapid assessment the BLM uses to evaluate the overall condition or impairment of streams and streamside vegetation on the 248 million acres the agency manages in the western U.S.” (Kurt Fesenmyer, Trout Unlimited, 2016)
“Relative to a comparable site with hot season grazing and no beaver, the study shows that streamside vegetation can be 10–40% more productive where conservation-oriented grazing approaches are applied, and beaver are at work.” (Kurt Fesenmyer, Trout Unlimited, 2016)
“The study also demonstrates that conservation-oriented grazing approaches can yield changes in vegetation that are comparable to those achieved by removing livestock completely through enclosures.” (Kurt Fesenmyer, Trout Unlimited, 2016)
“That means one of the major benefits of riparian and stream restoration through conservation-oriented grazing is the potential scale of impact – 155 million acres of BLM lands are managed for livestock grazing.” (Kurt Fesenmyer, Trout Unlimited, 2016)
2. Diagnostic
Due to the earth's year-round natural causes and the growth of surrounding communities, our land is constantly being degraded. This is just one of the inevitable aspects that we must face, but it is important to acknowledge any of the possible ways that we can work on reducing the long-term damage(s), which is what the source provides for the reader. Whether it is because of a flood, drought, hurricane, tornado, etc, our land is being compromised. Not to mention the damage we and other living animals make to it along the way, though it might not always be on purpose. But nonetheless, these are the main causes to pinpoint when looking for grazing solutions.
3. Cause and Effect
The source discussed efforts being made in regard to the large area(s) of land vegetation that need to be restored for use. Therefore, landowners and farmers found that beavers and grazing could help replenish this issue. The article reads how, “beavers, it turns out, are a big amplifier of the recovery in streamside vegetation, especially in the arid Great Basin. Their dams store water and re-wet floodplains, keeping water from running off downstream and providing moisture for vegetation year-round” (Trout Unlimited, 2016). This goes to show the relationship between how an environment works in coexistence with us and the animals that use it for their habitat. The beavers just go about their routine while actually helping us and/or farmers in the long run, and it is important that we take their contribution into consideration and appreciate it rather than take it for advantage and continue to harm the land or chase them out.
4. Priority
The issue being faced has to do with the quality and possible methods of restoration of land. Discussed within the introduction of the article, BLM (Bureu of Land Management) wanted to “shift streams that have been degraded by stressors such as drought, wildfire, and historical grazing practices from a non-functioning designation to a proper functioning designation, and then make sure they stay that way” (Trout Unlimited, 2016).
But the issue with that was figuring out how to achieve this goal on such a large scale, meaning that it isn’t as fast of a fix with the big acres of land that would be needed to cover. Therefore, as I address in the previous ‘cause and effect’ bullet point, farmers found that their beavers contributed to the solution.
5. Application
Though I may not own my own few acres of land nor farm myself, this is everyone’s environment that we are talking about. We must be more courteous of this land and how we continue to use it. This is the land that we raise our cattle on and grow our crops within. It doesn’t just affect the farmer(s), it affects our whole community system. I come to think of it like the food web, if one animal goes extinct on that web, the rest of the animals are thrown off course. That is why we must coexist in the most collaborative and respectful way possible, so we can continue as a functioning ecosystem and environment.
6. Critical
Prior to looking into the sources, I wasn’t very knowledgeable on the whole grazing method. We are so quick to abuse such large coverages of land and overuse it, that we don’t think about its effects and needs for restorations in the future. My thought process behind the upkeep of land has definitely changed and I have a greater respect for the researchers and scientists that look further into these issues and develop or discover ways to solve them. Without these individuals’ contribution, we could be running out of land faster than we use it.
sources:
Fesenmyer, K. (2016). Restoring streamside vegetation using grazing and beavers. Trout Unlimited. https://www.tu.org/magazine/science/restoring-streamside-vegetation-using-grazing-and-beavers/
Fesenmyer, K. A, Dauwalter, D. C., Evans, C., & Allai, T. (2018). Livestock management, beaver, and climate influences on riparian vegetation in a semi-arid landscape. PLoS ONE 13(12). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208928
No comments:
Post a Comment