Activity 2.3.1- Ranchers, Anglers, Beavers

1. Exploratory 

Probe basic facts and knowledge found in the video and article.

The Bureau of Land Management, otherwise known as BLM, uses Proper-Functioning Condition which is an assess the condition of steams and streamside vegetation. The reasoning behind this is to convert streams affected by drought, wildfires, and historical grazing practices. They do this by combining the forces of livestock and beavers.  

2. Diagnostic 

Probe motives or causes.

Due to drought the vegetation has no access to the water they need to supply themselves with food (photosynthesis), Livestock would then have nothing to eat which in turn would be bad for the rancher's business.  

3. Cause and Effect 

Causal relationships between ideas, actions, or events.

They move or herd cattle from area to area to give the vegetation time to grow and recover before moving the cattle back to that area.  This rotation is called Conservation-oriented grazing.  “Conservation-oriented grazing is all about timing and intensity,” said Todd Allai (Fesenmyer) The beavers help restore the wetlands due to their dams holding water from the streams from running off stream allowing the vegetation around the stream to soak up the water. In simpler words, the cattle eat the grass; the grass regrows and while it regrows it drinks up the water the beaver’s dam holds; thus, allowing them to regrow nourish. 

4. Priority 

Seek to identify the most important issue.

The degradation of streams and the greenery around it. 

5. Application 

Probe for relationships and connect theory to practice.

It’s important that I inverse myself in knowing what is going on in my country. Just because I do not live in the West of the U.S. does not mean the that area should be overlooked. It relates to me because it feeds me more meat from the live sock and fish as a consumer and it benefits the environment. 

 

6. Critical 

Analyze how this challenges your thinking/assumptions.

 

I had learned about livestock grazing and the criticisms and benefits of it when I listened about the grassland's restoration journey. This is another example of how grazing can help restore and bring life back to an environment, of course in this case the cattle had a little help from the beavers, but none the less the restoration and rebalance can only come from mother nature when humans work with her and not against her. 

References:

Fesenmyer, K. (2016). Restoring streamside vegetation using grazing and beavers. Trout Unlimited. https://www.tu.org/magazine/science/restoring-streamside-vegetation-using-grazing-and-beavers/Links to an external site. 

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.0208928Links to an external site. 

 

Activity 2.3.2 ranches as Grassland Conservation

Six-point Critical Analysis of current Event 

 

1. Exploratory 

Probe basic facts and knowledge found in the video and article.

    There is 12 billion acres of Grassland making up about 40% of earth’s surface and are important for human’s food supply in both livestock and fruit production. Grasslands are the most under conserved biome and are known to be in environments called brittle tending.  

2. Diagnostic 

Probe motives or causes.

    Where the pattern of precipitation is unpredictable or seasonal, meaning for a good chunk of the year there would be no humidity at the soil surface level, which means very little biological decay of carbon, which creates a “standing haystack”. If the carbon isn’t cycled, when it starts to rain again the above ground accumulation of the carbon becomes a problem for the plants because the plants grow back from their plant bases but are inhibited from defoliating eventually leading to that plant's death. 

 

3. Cause and Effect 

Causal relationships between ideas, actions, or events. 

    Lucky, Livestock help the plants by eating away at the carbon plant decay, which then in return the livestock output biomass for the plants to nourish themselves and grow anew to start a healthy prosperous cycle. There can be setbacks, if a group of livestock stay and one area and leave their excrement everywhere in that area, not wanting to eat there they will leave, but come back after the plants have soaked up the nourishment from the excrement and then the livestock will eat the plants that are fresh and still not back to their root mass, which would eventually lead to the plant depleting it’s carbohydrates in its roots and dies. Ranchers help by herding the livestock to gaze the land in a way that won’t hurt the grasslands. 

4. Priority 

Seek to identify the most important issue.

    The myth that grazing is a negative influence on grasslands. When in reality it helps bring diversity in animal life and plants life. It just depends on the intensity of grazing, in other words the behavior of the livestock with grass. 

5. Application 

Probe for relationships and connect theory to practice.

    This relates to me as a consumer; I want to make sure my food products are taken care of. But if the grasslands aren't being conserved and taken care of, how can I be that I am eating/drinking something good for me? 

6. Critical 

Analyze how this challenges your thinking/assumptions.

    This podcast opened my eyes to an issue I had not made myself aware of. That issue being the not-so-cared-for grasslands. And the importance of the relationship between grazing animals and flatlands. I knew of the relationship between these two, but I did not realize how fragile it was (more so the importance of every piece in this puzzle), especially when trying to restore said grasslands. 

Activity 3.2.1- Natural Resources Review

 

Renewable and non-renewable resources are both natural resources due to them both being resources from the earth and are not man-made. On the other hand there are natural resource alternatives which have some of earths products included in its manufacturing but is mostly synthetic. These alternatives can be better for the environment and people's wallets but if they are not disposed of properly they can become a hazard to the environment. Renewable resources can be over consumed by humans and may not be able to meet with society's increasing demands for the bi-products made from the environment's pool of supplies. Earth's non-renewable resources can not re-supplemented as rapidly as earth's renewable resources, on the other hand, for some people, these non-renewables can be a cheaper form to supply energy, transportation, manufacturing, and a way of living.  These natural resources are used for different things, using different methods to yield these resources in order to supplement human life. The human society has used this resources to advance human evolution as a whole and in parts, like the use of different methods in different social classes.