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Re: [RC] Horse Manure and Weeds - Linda MiramsTo get an idea of how USFS researchers and planners view horses on public land, wilderness in particular, see: <a href="http://www.vic.com/~lbm/USFS_Proceedings_v15_2000_McClaran_LiveStock.pdf ">http://www.vic.com/~lbm/USFS_Proceedings_v15_2000_McClaran_LiveStock.pdf</a> . Yes, it is long. Yes, it is dense. But if you're going up against professionals, this is the level at which your opponents are playing the game. Are you up to it? Notice the repeated references to horses spreading invasives. Note the repeated references to one particular paper: "Cole and Hall, 1992." which expands to: Cole, D. N; Hall, T.eE. 1992. Trends in campsite condition: Eagle Cap Wilderness, Bob Marshall Wilderness, and Grand Canyon National Park. Ogden Utah: US. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Research Paper INT-453. 40 p. in the citations at the back of the paper. Many of the more recent papers referred to are available online. The Forest and Range Experiment Station in Ogden Utah where both Cole and McClaran work (Cole may have moved) is a hot-bed of anti-horse sentiment that spreads to the rest of the USFS, other federal land management agencies, and then through to state agencies. Note that most of the debate actually centers around environmentalists who want to stop cattle grazing concessions on public lands, most particularly wilderness areas. We're sort of a sideshow. There have been serveral additional important changes since EO13112 in 1999. - In 2004, Congress passed Public Law No: 108-412, the Noxious Weed Control and Eradication Act. This was much watered down from the original version, which people feared could easily become a second Endangered Species Act, with its broad sweeping prohibitions. The version passed does, however, provide money for research and developing control and mitigation plans. One can guess what the research is going to try to prove vis-a-vis horses and cattle, and we're feeling the effects of these control and mitigation plans. - The USFS now has a long-range plan to control and mitigate invasives. Sorry, I havn't read it and I don't know what it says about horses. Linda Mirams =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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