Awesome birthday gift

[glatt]

Originally Posted by jinx

Presence Of Wolves Allows Aspen Recovery In Yellowstone

Very interesting. It's obvious that putting the wolves in will impact the elk, but I had no idea about the trees. I wonder if anyone did?

[classicman]

Originally Posted by glatt

Very interesting. It's obvious that putting the wolves in will impact the elk, but I had no idea about the trees. I wonder if anyone did?

I doubt anyone thought that far into it, but who knows. I do think that this is a great example of the unintended consequences of humans actions on the environment. In this case it seems like they were positive ... so far.




No when we realize what having too many aspen trees and them being to tall and blocking the light from some other something and then when they don't reproduce .... headspinning.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by glatt

Very interesting. It's obvious that putting the wolves in will impact the elk, but I had no idea about the trees. I wonder if anyone did?

They probably did. Around here the whitetail population is destroying the forest undergrowth. The Gamelands next door has a deer exclusion fence in one area so biologists can study a deer free area. A large property owner nearby has an exclusion fence to support forest recovery, creating a reserve for native plants.

[xoxoxoBruce]

There's always somebody thinking about this stuff, it's a matter of the people thinking/knowing, having influence with the people that have the power to effect changes.

I remember when they were planning strip mine reclamation, they decided Elk would be better than Deer, because of different eating habits. Elk graze and Deer browse.

[Lamplighter]

For those of you following the "wolf story"

This animal is demonstrating Americans in all their glory:
State officials bucking federal law,
Hunters protecting their favorite game animals,
Businesses seeking governmental protection against natural risks,
and Environmentalists using the courts to their advantage.

Idaho seeks to kill hundreds of protected wolves
By Laura Zuckerman
SALMON | Fri Aug 6, 2010 5:50pm EDT

SALMON Idaho (Reuters) - Idaho game officials said on Friday they would seek federal approval to kill off hundreds of wolves in their state despite a court ruling that restored protection of the animals under the Endangered Species Act.

Montana, the second of two states where the gray wolf was ordered returned to the federal endangered species list, is likely to follow Idaho's lead in seeking permission to thin its wolf packs through licensed sport hunting or government squads of aerial gunners.

Powerful ranching interests in both states opposed reintroduction of wolves to the region 15 years ago and have continued to resist federal protection of the animals as a threat to livestock. Sportsmen complain wolves are killing too many big-game animals, like elk, that could be hunted instead.

At last count, in December 2009, the gray wolf population in the Northern Rockies,
including Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding region, was estimated at 1,700 animals.
Environmentalists say the region's wolf population would have to reach
between 2,000 and 3,000 individuals in order to be considered viable by international standards.