"Invasion Biology" Eyewitness Account of Pronghorn, Bison, Elk, & Mule Deer Sharing Desert Ranges According to invasive species believers, including TPWD, bison and elk should be removed from our state parks and wildlife management areas because they don’t belong and because they “compete” with, and “harm” desert bighorn sheep and pronghorn. Here is an eyewitness account of these species sharing range in the
"Invasion Biology" Feral Hogs Pegged as One of Top Contaminators of San Antonio River Since Europeans arrived in Texas, pigs have roamed our river bottoms, fattening on acorns and mast and in so doing, stimulating plants. Before the Civil War, these were gathered seasonally, slaughtered and the meat provided the primary cash crop for Hill Country farmers. At the time of the Civil War,
Cattle Restoring Deserts: The Grasslands Story Using the capital markets to further conservation through holistic ranching. The Grasslands Story …by Jim Howell Grasslands LLC is a for profit ranch/farm management company. Our company was originally a part of the Savory Institute, founded in 2009 by myself and my wife, Daniela, Tony Malmberg, Allan Savory, Jody
chemicals Contaminating Our Bodies With Everyday Products Big Wildlife is interdependent with the agrochemical giants. Their poisons are harming human health, and even worse, destroying the soil fertility on which civilization depends. NOTE: post originally appeared on NYTimes.com on November 28, 2015 In recent weeks, two major medical organizations have issued independent warnings about toxic chemicals
Bio-Diversity The Corn-Fed Albatross Called Ethanol Ethanol is a boondoggle foisted on the American taxpayers by so-called conservatives, in order to benefit their agribusiness cronies. The ethanol program is an economic and environmental disaster. NOTE: post originally appeared on WSJ.com on January 5, 2016 In the past two presidential-primary seasons, candidates crisscrossing Iowa before the
"Invasion Biology" A Hint of Danger in the Forest Proliferation of feral pigs is not limited to Texas. Regulations against selling free-range pigs as food and regulatory red tape that has driven small processors out of business are why we have the feral pig “problem.” Free-ranging pigs have provided humans with nutritious, safe, enviornmentally sustainable meat for thousands of
"Invasion Biology" State of Texas - Resolution H.R. No. 2159: Legislation to Change the "Exotic" Classification of Elk Elk are a Texas native which , before Europeans, roamed our state from north to south and east to west. For years a group of us have attempted to remove the “exotic” classification which has led to so much perversity in the treatment of this animal. In the last legislature, despite
2016 Six Trends You Can’t Afford to Miss if You’re in Agriculture NOTE: post originally appeared on SouthwestFramPress.com on November 5, 2015. Lowell Catlett doesn’t dismiss the obstacles facing agriculture today. He chooses to look beyond them. “There has never been a better time to be in agriculture,” he says. “There has never been a better time to live in
"Invasion Biology" Parks and Wildlife Begins Reducing Deer Population at Texas Mountain Ranch CWD and high-fenced deer go hand in hand. Chronic Wasting Disease was created in a government-funded, high-fenced experimental wildlife facility near Fort Collins, Colorado. They won’t say what was being done to these confined animals, but instead spin the story to imply CWD appeared spontaneously. The same agencies that
Biodiversity Eat Your Cake and Have It Too We have learned that the best tasting food is the most nutritious, and that good taste depends on soil fertility – not to be confused with fertilizer. Because soil fertility, nutrition and delicious food are part of the same thing: “Designer” coffee and chocolate and many other better tasting foods could
Chronic Wasting Disease Deer Hunted in Medina, Uvalde Counties Tests Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease “The rules developed by TPWD to deal with CWD accelerate the proliferation of high fences and their associated industrial deer raising methods. These practices both caused, and now spread CWD.” NOTE: post initially appeared on KSAT.comFebruary 5, 2016 State Creating New Management Plan A new case of chronic wasting
food safety Organic vs. Non-GMO Labels. Who’s Winning? The organic qualifications are easily gamed and often doubtful. Many genuine small organic producers are blocked by red tape. GMO safety is meaningless without a discussion of the safety of chemicals, like glyphosate (Roundup) with which most GMOs are inseparable. NOTE: post initially appeared on WSJ.com on December 8,
Cattle Desert Grassland Restoration: Using Cattle to Stop Erosion Second in a series on “animal impact”, this video shows cows being used to re-grow grass in deadspots, and how cows can help stop erosion by healing gully headcuts. Animal Impact Made Easy #2 from Christopher Gill on Vimeo.
Hunting Excellent Numbers Highlight Quail Season The winter of 2015-2016 was the best in many in Hudspeth County, far-West Texas NOTE: post originally appeared on SAExpressNews.com on January 7, 2016 Excellent bird numbers attributed to wet weather A wet spring, wet winter and few summertime temperatures topping 100 degrees have provided the right combination to
Bio-Diversity Restoring Desert Grasslands with Intensive Grazing There are lots of ways to get animal impact onto ranges. Australia: Same idea, smaller scale at Circle Ranch, in the high-desert mountains of far-West Texas: Animal Impact Made Easy #1 from Christopher Gill on Vimeo. Animal Impact Made Easy #2 from Christopher Gill on Vimeo.
Animal Development In Australia, Cowboys Use Satellites to Home In on the Range Technology is making holistic planned grazing cheaper and easier. NOTE: Post initially appeared on WSJ.com on January 24, 2016 Ranchers saddle up satellites to track herds; water-trough weigh-ins Murray Grey has a beef with traditional ranching methods. Each year in punishing heat, Mr. Grey has mounted a horse to
"Invasion Biology" Circle Ranch Game Cameras - Winter 2015 Below you will see many wildlife photos showing our mixed species sharing range and water. Note the areas frequented by different species. Elk do well everywhere, particularly in the desert, which means elk are potential rescue species for empty deserts. Bulls would be worth $10,000 – $15,000 if allowed
carbon-sequestration A Secret Weapon to Fight Climate Change: Dirt We don’t need to agree whether there is climate change, or whether people are to blame for it, to know this: People are responsible for grassland decline. Grasslands are the planet’s largest terrestrial carbon sump. Fixing grasslands will remove atmospheric carbon. Healing grasslands with holistic practices is common
rain in west texas Strong El Niño Will Weaken and Could Transition to La Niña This Fall, NOAA Says This will likely mean renewed drought in far-West Texas. NOTE: this post initially appeared on Weather.com on February 11, 2016 El Niño is forecast to weaken through the spring with conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean potentially transitioning to La Niña next fall, according to the latest monthly outlook
Cattle Animal Impact Made Easy #2: Treating Deadspots and Headcuts with Cattle It takes lots and lots of animals to restore desert grasslands. This 4-minute video is #2 in a series on “animal impact”. It shows how, at Circle Ranch in the high-desert mountains of far-West Texas, we are using cows to re-grow grass in dead-spots, and cattle trampling to control erosion.
Bio-Diversity Cover Crops, a Farming Revolution With Deep Roots in the Past Gardeners readily understand the following: “Modern farming practices like applying fertilizer and herbicides and not tilling their fields, or “no till,” have helped farmers increase yields and reduced labor, but they have also unintentionally interfered with root systems, increased erosion and disrupted underground microbial activity and insect life that are
Animal Development Winter Grazing Report at Circle Ranch Guy Glosson helps us with grazing planning and monitoring. He is a rancher, HMI Certified Educator, and HMI Director. Grazing Report, February 2015 I arrived late Tuesday afternoon and did not have time to look at much of the country. I went with David on Wednsday to feed the herd
"Invasion Biology" Restoring Grasslands with Planned Grazing: Soil Carbon Curious Adaptive Multi-Paddock grazing (AMP grazing) is regenerating soils around the world, producing healthy grass-finished beef. But the science on AMP grazing is sparse, to say the least. Now, a group of leading soil, rangeland, bug and social scientists are setting out to fill the science gap. Led by Dr. Richard
"Invasion Biology" Animal Impact Made Easy #1 Join a a “pasture walk” at Circle Ranch in far-West Texas to observe how we use cattle to restore grasslands in our high-desert mountains. Animal Impact Made Easy #1 from Christopher Gill on Vimeo.
"Invasion Biology" Wildfire Danger Grows on Destocked Public Lands in Far-West Texas When animals are removed, wildfire risk is increased. Cattle, burros, aoudad and elk will reduce this risk, and help deer, pronghorn and sheep in the process. NOTE: Post initially appeared on SAExpressNews.com on February 3, 2016 Big Bend National Park Still Burning Firefighters continue to battle a brush fire
