George Wuerthner correctly reminding me that any Wolf Depredation Plan(just enacted by the Oregon Legislature) should have a requirement that demands that Ranchers adopt animal husbandry practices that reduce predation opportunities from happening in the first place.............George, I stand with you!

To: George Wuerthner

From: Rick Meril

George............

.I forgot the lessons that I have learned from you..................Posting this for Wednesday reading.................Thanks for taking the time to comment, illuminate and educate.

Rick

 _______________________________________________
from
George Wuerthner gwuerthner@gmail.com
To: Rick Meril

Rick:

I think the passage of compensation for losses without any kind of requirement for ranchers to adopt animal husbandry practices to reduce predation opportunity just legitimizes the idea that ranchers somehow are entitled to a predator free environment. What incentive do ranchers have to do anything different? They can still leave boneyards out that serve to introduce wolves to the taste of livestock. They can leave their animals untended for weeks or months at a time and then complain when wolves kill a few. They can have their animals eat the forage that would otherwise support native elk and deer and then argue they deserve compensation. They can put their animals out on public lands where the cattle and sheep "socially" displace native prey species like elk.

Not to mention other impacts like the spread of weeks, spread of disease to native species like bighorn sheep, trampling and destruction of riparian areas, destruction of soil crusts from hooves, and pollution of waterways  with feces (each cow defecates 100 pounds of waste a day).  Livestock production is partially or wholly responsible for the endangerment of hundreds of species from sage grouse to grayling to Columbia frog. Where is the damage payment from Ranchers on this destruction? Indeed, in reality we make other industries pay for their damage. When BP spills oil, we charge them for fixing the mess.

Why aren't we charging ranchers to restore wolves,not to mention trampled riparian areas, weeds, etc. ?

Rather than paying ranchers compensation, I believe the livestock industry OWES the rest of us compensation for the loss of predators across the West. For the damage done to ecosystems that are functioning at risk due to the loss of trophic cascade effects of predators. They owe use for the damage to our western landscapes. It's time to stop cuddling an industry that is responsible for more destruction to western landscapes and species than any other.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

GEORGE WUERTHNER'S COMMENTS ABOVE BASED ON MY BLOG ENTRY BELOW:

Rick Meril's recent blog entry on Oregon passing a Wolf depredation payment plan modeled on the one that has been utilized by DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE

A Defenders of Wildlife-type wolf depredation plan has been passed by the Oregon Legislature................Praise from both Ranchers and Conservation Groups for reaching a consensus to pay Ranchers when it is proven that wolves have killed their livestock............Gives the 2 dozen wolves on the ground in Oregon some breathing room to "spread their seed and multiply"............gives the Ranchers some $$ when a depredation event occurs...............I would like to see the money paid to the Ranchers for preventive measures taken to guard cattle and sheep........clean up the boneyards.......etc,etc...........and prevent conflicts from happening in the first place