Park Service Finalizes Disastrous Point Reyes Plan to Kill Native Wildlife, Prioritize Commercial Livestock Grazing.

The National Park Service released a management plan amendment today for Point Reyes National Seashore that would enshrine commercial cattle ranching in the California park at the expense of native wildlife and natural habitat. It also calls for the killing of native tule elk and would authorize new agricultural uses that will put other wildlife at risk.

https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/park-service-finalizes-disastrous-point-reyes-plan-kill-native-wildlife-prioritize-commercial-livestock-grazing-2020-09-18/

Posted on September 18, 2020 10:57 PM by biohexx1 biohexx1

Comments

I had a strong reaction to piece. I'd like to share a note I sent to the author:

Dear Jim,

I'm an avid naturalist and have been hiking in the Point Reyes National Seashore my whole life. I have a reaction to your publication I read on Inaturalist (https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/park-service-finalizes-disastrous-point-reyes-plan-kill-native-wildlife-prioritize-commercial-livestock-grazing-2020-09-18/).

I love nature. I love hiking in the wilderness there. I've lived there my whole life.

However, I feel your piece leaves out one bit of critical information.

The reason why Point Reyes exists and isn't wall-to-wall condominiums and housing developments and pools was a forward looking agreement between the government and current land owners and ranchers and farmers. We were there when it happened. The plans were drawn up and several ranchers were starting to sell their land for housing developments. That is what there are so many housing communities throughout Inverness. Without that agreement, private housing communities would extend all the way from Inverness ridge down to the beach. If it wasn't for the farmers and ranchers agreeing to preserve the land, then there would be no Point Reyes National Seashore at all.

As it reads now it portrays the ranchers and farmers as evil villains and enemies of nature and preservation. In fact many of the parents of the current generation were forward looking models of sustainable development. Are things perfect? No, but we don't live in a perfect world. I have visited many of the ranches on the peninsula and to the south and went to school with many of the family members that own ranches. They are working hard to preserve their space for future generations. They are mindful of their stock and work not over tax the land. They are far more mindful of the land and caring for it, then those in city centers, suburbs, and townships.

Partial truth reporting like this is something I'd expect from the Trump campaign, not from scientists who should be trained to look at the full picture and helping those who don't have access to all the information to help give a full picture so we can be informed.

I am not a huge fan of National Park policies. For example they exterminated the "White Dear" of Point Reyes as they were "non native", and faked and misconstrued science to eliminate the Oyster Company which was far more helpful to the environment than the ranches. At the time I was unsure of the plan to relocate Elk to Limantour. I remember watching them helicopter Elk thinking, "I'm not so sure this is a good idea." The end was great, even if their method was not.

I think the park gets it wrong sometimes, as do the ranchers, as do the hoards of litter-leaving-tourists to area, as to well-minded environmentalists. However, the community there is trying to blaze a compromise. We shouldn't leave out parts of the history that should inform our emotions and viewpoints on the issue.
Thank you,
Dan

Posted by datadan over 3 years ago
Posted by biohexx1 over 3 years ago

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