Welfare Ranching: The Subsidized Destruction of the American West

Welfare Ranching: The Subsidized Destruction of the American West

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD, Douglas R. Tompkins
vii

INTRODUCTION
xiii

PART I - This Land Is Your Land
1

Public Lands Ranching: By the Numbers
5

Ranching Myths
7

The Iron Pentagon
16

PART II - Cultural and Historical Roots: The Grasp of the Cowboy on Contemporary Consciousness
18

In the Beginning: Cow, Christopher Manes
23

Beef, Cowboys, the West: American Icons, George Wuerthner
27

Land Held Hostage: A History of Livestock and Politics, Thomas L. Fleischner, Ph.D.
33

An Evil in the Season: The Cattleman's Welfare System Begins, T. H. Watkins
41

Pillaged Preserves: Livestock in National Parks and Wilderness Areas, Andy Kerr and Mark Salvo
47

Free Speech: The Cowboy and His Cow, Edward Abbey
57

PART III - Looking Across the Arid West: What's Wrong with This Picture?
62

Understanding Range Management, George Wuerthner
67

How to Look . . . and See
70

PART IV - A Century of Trashing Public Lands Ecological Impacts of Livestock Production in Arid Western Landscapes
162

The Science of Nature and the Nature of Science: Questions of Fact and Value, Mollie Matteson
167

Surveying the West: A Summary of Research on Livestock Impacts, Allison Jones
171

Lifeblood of the West: Riparian Zones, Biodiversity, and Degradation by Livestock, J. Boone Kauffman, Ph.D.
175

What the River Once Was: Livestock Destruction of Waters and Wetlands, Joy Belsky, Ph.D., Andrea Matzke, and Shauna Uselman
179

Cattle and Streams: Piecing Together a Story of Change, Suzanne Fouty
185

Stink Water: Declining Water Quality Due to Livestock Production, John Carter, Ph.D.
189

Guzzling the West's Water: Squandering a Public Resource at Public Expense, George Wuerthner
195

The Soil's Living Surface: Biological Crusts, George Wuerthner
199

Comrades in Harm: Livestock and Exotic Weeds in the Intermountain West, Joy Belsky, Ph.D., and Jonathan L. Gelbard
203

Silent Springs: Threats to Frog Habitat from Livestock Production, Janice Engle
207

Native Snails: Indicators of Ecosystem Health, Terrence J. Frest, Ph.D.
211

Birds and Bovines: Effects of Livestock Grazing on Birds in the West, Carl E. Bock, Ph.D.
217

Ranching in Bear Country: Conflict and Conservation, Brian L. Horejsi, Ph.D.
221

A West Without Wolves: The Livestock Industry Hamstrings Wolf Recovery, Michael J. Robinson
227

Prairie Dog Gone: Myth, Persecution, and Preservation of a Keystone Species, Lauren McCain, Richard P. Reading, Ph.D., and Brian J. Miller, Ph.D.
231

Sage Grouse: Imperiled Icon of the Sagebrush Sea, Randy Webb, Ph.D., and Mark Salvo
237

Where Bison Once Roamed: The Impacts of Cattle and Sheep on Native Herbivores, Bill Willers
241

A War Against Predators: The Killing of Wildlife Funded by Taxpayers, Brooks Fahy and Cheri Briggs
247

A Heavy Toll: Native Animals Harmed by Livestock Production
251

PART V - Ranching Economics and Livestock Subsidies: The True Cost of a Hamburger
258

Taking Stock of Public Lands Grazing: An Economic Analysis, Thomas M. Power, Ph.D.
263

Mortgaging Public Assets: How Ranchers Use Grazing Permits as Collateral, Mark Salvo
271

It's What's for Dinner: The Health Costs of Meat, Virginia Kisch Messina
279

Eating Is an Agricultural Act: Modern Livestock Agriculture from a Global Perspective, Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., and Mollie Matteson
283

PART VI - False Hopes and Counterarguments: Ways to Stay Blind to the Critical Plight of Western Ecosystems
286

The Donut Diet: The Too-Good-to-Be-True Claims of Holistic Management, George Wuerthner
291

Just a Domestic Bison? Cattle Are No Substitute for Buffalo, George Wuerthner
295

Cows or Condos: A False Choice Between Public Lands Ranching and Sprawl, George Wuerthner
299

Using a Hammer to Swat Mosquitoes: Livestock as Management "Tools," George Wuerthner
305

PART VII - Looking for Solutions: Restoring the West and Wildlife
308

The Last Roundup: Options for Ending Destructive Public Lands Ranching, Bill Marlett
313

Upholding the Law: Litigation and Public Lands Livestock, Stephanie M. Parent
317

OUR VISION
322

Acknowledgments
323

What You Can Do
324

Groups to Contact
324

Assessing Livestock Impacts on Public Lands
325

Key References and Resources
326

A Guide to Livestock-Free Landscapes
327

Endnotes
329

Index
343

FOREWORD, Douglas R. Tompkins	vii
INTRODUCTION	xiii

PART I - This Land Is Your Land	1
Public Lands Ranching: By the Numbers	5
Ranching Myths	7
The Iron Pentagon	16

PART II - Cultural and Historical Roots: The Grasp of the Cowboy on Contemporary Consciousness	18
In the Beginning: Cow, Christopher Manes	23
Beef, Cowboys, the West: American Icons, George Wuerthner	27
Land Held Hostage: A History of Livestock and Politics, Thomas L. Fleischner, Ph.D.	33
An Evil in the Season: The Cattleman's Welfare System Begins, T. H. Watkins	41
Pillaged Preserves: Livestock in National Parks and Wilderness Areas, Andy Kerr and Mark Salvo	47
Free Speech: The Cowboy and His Cow, Edward Abbey	57

PART III - Looking Across the Arid West: What's Wrong with This Picture?	62
Understanding Range Management, George Wuerthner	67
How to Look . . . and See	70

PART IV - A Century of Trashing Public Lands Ecological Impacts of Livestock Production in Arid Western Landscapes	162
The Science of Nature and the Nature of Science: Questions of Fact and Value, Mollie Matteson	167
Surveying the West: A Summary of Research on Livestock Impacts, Allison Jones	171
Lifeblood of the West: Riparian Zones, Biodiversity, and Degradation by Livestock, J. Boone Kauffman, Ph.D.	175
What the River Once Was: Livestock Destruction of Waters and Wetlands, Joy Belsky, Ph.D., Andrea Matzke, and Shauna Uselman	179
Cattle and Streams: Piecing Together a Story of Change, Suzanne Fouty	185
Stink Water: Declining Water Quality Due to Livestock Production, John Carter, Ph.D.	189
Guzzling the West's Water: Squandering a Public Resource at Public Expense, George Wuerthner	195
The Soil's Living Surface: Biological Crusts, George Wuerthner	199
Comrades in Harm: Livestock and Exotic Weeds in the Intermountain West, Joy Belsky, Ph.D., and Jonathan L. Gelbard	203
Silent Springs: Threats to Frog Habitat from Livestock Production, Janice Engle	207
Native Snails: Indicators of Ecosystem Health, Terrence J. Frest, Ph.D.	211
Birds and Bovines: Effects of Livestock Grazing on Birds in the West, Carl E. Bock, Ph.D.	217
Ranching in Bear Country: Conflict and Conservation, Brian L. Horejsi, Ph.D.	221
A West Without Wolves: The Livestock Industry Hamstrings Wolf Recovery, Michael J. Robinson	227
Prairie Dog Gone: Myth, Persecution, and Preservation of a Keystone Species, Lauren McCain, Richard P. Reading, Ph.D., and Brian J. Miller, Ph.D.	231
Sage Grouse: Imperiled Icon of the Sagebrush Sea, Randy Webb, Ph.D., and Mark Salvo	237
Where Bison Once Roamed: The Impacts of Cattle and Sheep on Native Herbivores, Bill Willers	241
A War Against Predators: The Killing of Wildlife Funded by Taxpayers, Brooks Fahy and Cheri Briggs	247
A Heavy Toll: Native Animals Harmed by Livestock Production	251

PART V - Ranching Economics and Livestock Subsidies: The True Cost of a Hamburger	258
Taking Stock of Public Lands Grazing: An Economic Analysis, Thomas M. Power, Ph.D.	263
Mortgaging Public Assets: How Ranchers Use Grazing Permits as Collateral, Mark Salvo	271
It's What's for Dinner: The Health Costs of Meat, Virginia Kisch Messina	279
Eating Is an Agricultural Act: Modern Livestock Agriculture from a Global Perspective, Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., and Mollie Matteson	283

PART VI - False Hopes and Counterarguments: Ways to Stay Blind to the Critical Plight of Western Ecosystems	286
The Donut Diet: The Too-Good-to-Be-True Claims of Holistic Management, George Wuerthner	291
Just a Domestic Bison? Cattle Are No Substitute for Buffalo, George Wuerthner	295
Cows or Condos: A False Choice Between Public Lands Ranching and Sprawl, George Wuerthner	299
Using a Hammer to Swat Mosquitoes: Livestock as Management "Tools," George Wuerthner	305

PART VII - Looking for Solutions: Restoring the West and Wildlife	308
The Last Roundup: Options for Ending Destructive Public Lands Ranching, Bill Marlett	313
Upholding the Law: Litigation and Public Lands Livestock, Stephanie M. Parent	317

OUR VISION	322
Acknowledgments	323
What You Can Do	324
Groups to Contact	324
Assessing Livestock Impacts on Public Lands	325
Key References and Resources	326
A Guide to Livestock-Free Landscapes	327
Endnotes	329
Index	343