Pitchstone Waters (Page 37)

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Belching Cows and Endless Feedlots: Fixing Cattle’s Climate Issues

Belching Cows and Endless Feedlots: Fixing Cattle’s Climate Issues

The so-called climate problem of cattle burps and farts is a phenomena of feedlots. When cattle are on the range – grazing as nature intended – they reduce atmospheric carbon. NOTE: this article was originally published to NYTimes.com on October 21, 2020. By Henry Fountain. Photographs and Video by George Steinmetz.

Burned, Beetle-ravaged Wyoming Forest Expected to Flourish

"Invasion Biology"

Burned, Beetle-ravaged Wyoming Forest Expected to Flourish

As demonstrated across the West, refusing to “manage” forests is a powerful management practice. While the practice of keeping human hands off of forest resources may be well-intentioned, it is detrimental and destructive. The “hands off” management policy has led to degraded forest conditions, which despite what we are being

The Elwha Dams Are Gone and Chinook Are Surging Back, but Why Are So Few Reaching the Upper River?

The Elwha Dams Are Gone and Chinook Are Surging Back, But Why Are So Few Reaching the Upper River?

“As reported below, King Salmon recovery on the Elwha River is going slowly. It will require that wild sea-run fish find their way back into the river, spawn, and then after several years, return to spawn again. The spawn-to-spawn time for the really big (100-pound) salmon once common in the

Brucellosis Outbreak in China Worsening as Disease Spreads to Farms

Bacterial Brucellosis Disease

Brucellosis Outbreak in China Worsening as Disease Spreads to Farms

The many sincere and well-intentioned “defenders of wildlife” who oppose treating the brucellosis that infects Yellowstone Park’s elk and bison should read the article below. The current Covid pandemic demonstrates once again that animal diseases can transfer to humans with horrible results. Known as zoonosis, disease transmission from animals

Owl Protections Questioned as Blazes Rage

Endangered species

Owl Protections Questioned as Blazes Rage

What is described in the article below is how competing priorities are paralyzing common sense ways to address the forest decline that everyone wishes to halt. Declining forest health and catastrophic wildfires are symptoms of a broken forest management system. Although the actions that led to failure sincerely tried to

allan_savory_new_book

Allan Savory - Saving Western Ranching Culture

“In this interview Allan Savory explains why the Western ranching culture is dying along with other cultures. NOTE: this interview was originally published to WorkingCows.net on August 10, 2020. /content/images/wordpress/2020/08/Working-Cows-Ep.-150-Allan-Savory.mp3

Fighting Wildfires With Fire

Fighting Wildfires With Fire

Due to well-intentioned “hands off” forest management practices – often intended to help wildlife – our national forests are accumulating highly flammable understory material faster than nature can cycle it away. The well-meaning prescription set forth in the article below is controlled burns. Based on our 50-years of range and forest experience

After Years of Political Gridlock, Oregon’s Fire Disaster Brings ‘New Reality’

After Years of Political Gridlock, Oregon’s Fire Disaster Brings ‘New Reality’

Insistence on unproven and costly schemes like “cap and trade” continue to block immediate, inexpensive measures for wildfire prevention. NOTE: this article was originally published to NYTimes.com on September 23, 2020. It was written by Mike Baker. Early this year, lawmakers considered legislation to thin forests, hire firefighters and

Chukar Life

Upland bird hunting along the Snake and Salmon rivers in Idaho.

cattle_eyes_butt

Painting Eyes On The Butts Of Cattle Surprisingly Effective At Scaring Off Would-Be Predators

Here is another example of low-tech, non-lethal ways to protect cattle from predators. NOTE: this article was originally published to IFLScience’s Apple News Channel on August 7, 2020. It was written by Katy Evans. Researchers have come up with a novel way to protect the lives of livestock, lions,

Public Land Grazing in California: Untapped Conservation Potential for Private Lands?

Public Land Grazing in California: Untapped Conservation Potential for Private Lands?

“This article is more important today than when it was published 13-years ago. NOTE: this article was originally published to ResearchGate.net on January 7, 2007. It was written by Adriana Sulak and Lynn Huntsinger Working landscapes may be linked to public lands.

Mastodons and Mammoths in the Great Lakes Region, USA and Canada: New Insights into their Diets as they Neared Extinction

Mastodons and Mammoths in the Great Lakes Region, USA and Canada: New Insights into their Diets as they Neared Extinction

“As discussed below, for millions of years and until very recently, elephant-like creatures were common in North America. NOTE: this article was originally published to Academia.edu. It was written by Catherine Yansa. The conventional image of Ice Age environments of North America includes mammoths feeding on grasses in open

Documents Detail Push To Manage Yellowstone Bison as Cattle

Documents Detail Push To Manage Yellowstone Bison as Cattle

The article below summarizes various objections to managing Yellowstone bison more like cattle in order to control brucellosis, among other things. Yellowstone’s elk and bison are now a regional reservoir for this disease, which causes spontaneous abortion in cattle and wild animals and can threaten human health. Because of

Ohio Hunter Killed by Grizzly Bear in Alaska in ‘Surprise Attack’

Ohio Hunter Killed by Grizzly Bear in Alaska in ‘Surprise Attack’

The tragic outcome described in the article below is not surprising. If you are in bear country and come upon a kill or carcass including livestock, you are likely within 100-200 feet of a bear. Bears camp out on these carcasses until they are completely eaten—and defend their food

Fire-Protection Plans Hit Red Tape, Then the Flames Came

Fire-Protection Plans Hit Red Tape, Then the Flames Came

Over time, our beautiful, once-productive public forests have become overgrown, money-losing firetraps. Everybody knows what needs to be done, but government regulations and ideological disputes prevent common sense remedies—many of which cost nothing. When inevitable catastrophic fires occur, those in charge neither accept responsibility nor change their practices. Instead

laura_chris_gill_flyfishing_yellowstone

Fishing the Firehole in Yellowstone with Laura and Nichole

Fishing the Firehole, northwest of Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park. Fishing the Firehole In Yellowstone Park from Christopher Gill on Vimeo.

When the Otters Vanished, Everything Else Started to Crumble

Aleutian Islands

When the Otters Vanished, Everything Else Started to Crumble

Quoting the authors of the article below, “In the Aleutian’s delicate seascape, otters hold the entire ecosystem together. As they have disappeared, the rest of the local food web has started to crumble. NOTE: this article was originally published to NYTimes.com on September 10, 2020. It was written

Climate Change Mitigation As A Co-benefit of Regenerative Ranching: Insights From Australia And The United States

Climate Change Mitigation is a Side Effect of Regenerative Ranching: Insights From Australia And The United States

“Whatever the causes of climate change, human damage to our environment cannot be denied. As the authors of this paper explain, more and more people are rejecting industrial agriculture in favor of regenerative (restorative) ag practices. NOTE: this paper was recently published to RoyalSocietyPublishing.org on August 14, 2020. It

Escaped Exotics Animals are Changing the Texas Landscape

Escaped Exotics Animals are Changing the Texas Landscape

Quoting the author of the article below, “There’s an idea that gets played with in progressive futurist circles sometimes: the notion of deliberately engineering landscapes to mimic our understanding of their past shape. Quietly, without any particular plan or larger vision in mind, ranchers in Texas have done something

Save a Sage Grouse, Drop a Fence Line

“As discussed in the article below, barbed wire fences are dangerous to grouse. Apparently grouse don’t see the wires, so they fly in to them. Many are killed. As the authors explain, there are many ways to reduce this risk, and help other species in the process. NOTE: this

Is The Way Cattle Are Grazed The Key to Saving America’s pPrairies?

Is the Way Cattle Are Grazed the Key to Saving America's Prairies?

“The article below gives another example of the application of holistic grazing concepts for the purpose of regenerating rangelands. NOTE: this article was originally published to NYTimes.com on January 13, 2020. It was written by Karen Weintraub. An unlikely alliance of ranchers and conservationists is working to find the

Deadly Diseases From Wildlife Thrive When Nature is Destroyed, Study Finds

Deadly Diseases From Wildlife Thrive When Nature is Destroyed, Study Finds

“As discussed below, much of what is wrong with human health originates in our agricultural practices. NOTE: this article was originally published to TheGuardian.com on August 5, 2020. It was written by Damian Carrington. Rats and bats that host pandemic pathogens like Covid-19 increase in damaged ecosystems, analysis shows

High in the Cascades, a Lone Fire Lookout Still Keeps Watch

High in the Cascades, a Lone Fire Lookout Still Keeps Watch

The last of a breed. NOTE: this article was originally published to NYTimes.com on January 13, 2019. Photographs and Text by Ruth Fremson. GLACIER PEAK WILDERNESS, Wash. — Smoke was rising over Bonanza Peak. So Russ Dalton, 72, stepped inside the lookout post perched high above the Glacier Peak Wilderness,

Elk Return to Kentucky, Bringing Economic Life

Elk Return to Kentucky, Bringing Economic Life

After a concerted reintroduction effort two decades ago, the state is now home to the largest population of elk east of the Mississippi. The animals’ home: reclaimed coal mines.

ranching_alongside_predators

Ranching Alongside Predators in an Idaho Forest

“Using domestic animals to restore overgrown forest near Yellowstone Park in Idaho.” Cattle, Goats, Bears and Cougar from Christopher Gill on Vimeo.