BARE RING BUTTE SLOUGH, RED
DESERT, WYOMING
A DESERT WETLANDS SEVERELY
DAMAGED BY CONTINUAL OVER GRAZING
AND THE LACK OF HABITAT FRIENDLY RANCHING PRACTICES
PHOTO DATE JUNE
19, 2001
WHILE THE SLOUGH STILL
SHOWS GREEN, THE GRASSES ARE ALREADY BELOW THE STANDARD OF ACCEPTABLE
STUBBLE HEIGHT; FURTHERMORE THE CATTLE HAVE ALREADY GRAZED THE
AREA, WHICH WAS NOT SCHEDULED FOR TURNOUT UNTIL A LATER DATE.
THE HUMMOCKS ARE THE RESULTS OF SOIL COMPACTION FROM CATTLE
CONGREGATING IN THE AREA. THE SOIL COMPACTION GREATLY REDUCES
THE CAPABILITY OF THE SLOUGH TO CAPTURE AND RETAIN MOISTURE THERE
BY CONTRIBUTING TO THE DIMINISHING CAPACITY OF THE LANDS TO SUPPORT
WILDLIFE OR GRAZING. IMMEDIATE RECOVERY ACTION IS NEEDED
TO RETURN THESE DESERT WETLANDS TO GOOD HEALTH.
ANOTHER WET LAND AREA
FOUR WEEKS AFTER JUNE 19, 2001 BARE RING BUTTE SLOUGH (ABOVE )
LOOKED WORSE THAN THE WETLAND BELOW
(TRESPASSING CATTLE were OBSERVED WALKING DOWN THE CENTER OF
THE BARE RING BUTTE SLOUGH)
THE PHOTO BELOW WAS TAKEN
APRIL 18, 2001 WEST OF JEFFREY CITY, WYOMING
THE GRASS IN THIS AREA
SHOULD BE 1 TO 2 FEET IN HEIGHT
NATURAL SPRING NEAR GREEN MOUNTAIN WYOMING
When a wetland is
depressed to this condition the recovery becomes a very difficult
process. As the grasses covering the banks of the stream and marshes
are depleted and destroyed, the organics that are important functionaries
of the soils are washed away, killed by exposure to the sunlight,
causing a degenerating change in the health of the habitat. The
change in the soil conditions invite the development of weeds
and grasses not common to the wetlands areas. This in turn affects
the wildlife that depend upon these wetlands for survival and
also diminishes the capability of the the environment to support
the grazing of cattle too; inappropriately controlled cattle grazing
is in and of itself an act of self-destruction. All too many members
of the cattle industry seem to have a cavalier and unconcerned
attitude about the destruction of these highly important wetlands
and seem blind to the the potential elimination of cattle grazing
on public lands. Wild horse are to some degree, contributors to
the depletion of wetlands dependant upon the particular location
of the wetland.
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ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE
PAGE BELOW
YOU MAY REQUEST ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION OR SEND COMMENTS TO
Mr. Jack Kelly
FIELD MAMAGER
Bureau of Land Management
P.O. Box 589
Lander, WY 82520-0589
YOU MAY ALSO DIRECT
COMMENTS TO
THE CONSERVANCY OF THE PHOENIX
P.O. BOX 4988
CASPER, WY 82604
