Activity 2.3.1- Ranchers, Anglers, and Beavers
Six-Point Critical Analysis Worksheet
1. Exploratory
PFC, proper functioning condition. A
term that is relates to the condition and or impairment of riparian climate, or
streams and streamside vegetation, on nearly 248 million acres managed by the
Bureau of land Management. It’s an important process and manufactures much
effort to shift stream flow and water from poor health and stressors on the
environment from nonfunctioning to proper functioning condition, and though
approaches are mixed, conservation-oriented grazing is a valuable resource in
establishing vegetation growth and allowing it to bounce back and recover to a
more healthy and sustainable level.
2. Diagnostic
Much of the degradation of these biomes is at risk due to overgrazing, but
also, such factors as wildfires growing and natural causes like drought.
Overgrazing can take an considerable toll on the riparian and aquatic parts of
much of the cattle raising land of the Midwest and central US, by hindering the
environments ability to recover vegetation loss due to consumption of cattle.
This, in turn with droughts, as an uncontrollable factor, further dry up the
landscape, and as the lack of vegetation reduces the moisture the surrounding
areas have, the damage done by wildfires, can be detrimental.
3. Cause and Effect
It is an important role being played by the Bureau of Land Management, to
sustain the riparian ecosystem, as it has been found that the vegetation
contributes up to 90% of the organic matter necessary to headwater streams, as
well, the natural growth helps prevent erosion and determine flood banks. If
the ecosystem is not maintaining, not only would the organic profit the stream
vegetation produces to the stream itself be affected, the fish, the aquatic
environment, and the land itself will suffer, circling back to reduce the
quality or availability for the cattle to graze well and affecting deer, elk,
and many other species.
4. Priority
A collective effort from BLM and community must be met with continued
cooperation from fellow ranchers and partners, in a long term engagement, to
allow the Riparian areas a grace period to regrow and recover. It is surmised
that conservation oriented grazing is an important first step to allowing
natural vegetation to continue to act as a sponge and helps to bring beavers
back into the habitat. Though it is possible to rebuild and reallocate water,
beavers help do this naturally. The natural or manmade dams will promote the
spread of water to watersheds and streamside vegetation, The conservation
oriented grazing is thought to be a key step in enticing the beavers to return,
which helps further naturally build the watersheds back up, and even amplify
recovery of water basin, which to set the right ground work for nature to
rebuild.
Though this is a long standing study and effort, the quality of beef, abundance
of fish in streams and rivers, local wildlife and natural species, and geography
of the environment, are all intertwined and deeply affected by the health of
the riparian zones throughout the entire world. The Riparian ecosystems serve
to provide and sustain water and act as a breathing lifeline or resource and
fuel life amongst its entire stretch only benefiting food sources of all kinds.
Water is a staple to life all over the world, plants, animals, and humans, and
in turn though not directly for our benefit or use, maintaining the health of
stream vegetation greatly promotes health to surrounding communities.
6. Critical
Not very often do I drive past creeks and farms with ponds and does it click
the importance that each bit of that water and the health of the surrounding
area sink in, as again, the ranchers and BLM are working on such a vast amount
of land and the change is slow, however, it inspires me to become aware that
though much of the ranch land here in the south is degraded due to drought and
poor management from past historical grazing practices, it’s possible for all
of this to change with the right efforts and dedication to the cause, and the
effects that it will positively promote onto the ecosystem and wildlife and
beauty of the land we live on and around.
Fesenmyer, K. (2016). Restoring streamside vegetation using grazing and beavers. Trout Unlimited. Retrieved from https://www.tu.org/blog-posts/restoring-streamside-vegetation-using-grazing-and-beavers?utm_source=informz&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=informz
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
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