WildEarth Guardians

Wednesday, January 11, 2006
'Til the Cows Come Home - Recent decisions on the Valles Caldera have left ranchers and environmentalists feeling not so at home

The trust must develop a comprehensive plan that protects natural and cultural resources within the preserve before deciding how much grazing is healthy for the entire system
Contact: Laura Paskus Santa Fe Reporter

From the article: Billy Stern, grazing program co-ordinator for the WildEarth Guardians, notes that many of the streams within the preserve violate both state and federal water quality standards-thanks to extensive livestock grazing in the past. By focusing so intently on livestock issues, Stern believes the trust is “putting the cow before the fish, elk, birds and streams,” and he points out that “running cattle costs more than it brings in”-thus hindering the trust from reaching its goal of being financially self-sustaining.

To read the entire article, visit the Santa Fe Reporter website. Article