“Although gray wolves and beavers are currently not endangered, the loss of these keystone species from many ecosystems in the western United States is of great concern,” said a co-author of the report. said Christopher Wolf, a postdoctoral fellow at Oregon State University Forestry College. University in Corvallis.
Keystone species are animals that ecosystems rely heavily on for their overall health.
If federal action created protections that would allow gray wolf populations to recover, ecologically responsible, such as controlling numbers of ungulates, which are ungulate animals like elk and deer. can bring great benefits to
Curbing these herbivores, in turn, would help regrow plants such as poplar and trees that have been adversely affected by declining biodiversity, says report co-author Oregon State University Forestry College. William Ripple, a noted ecology professor, said:
The proposed area would total about 191,500 square miles (496,000 square kilometers) across 11 western states, about 16% of the total land area of those states, Wolf said.
Proposed protected areas include Yellowstone National Park, the northern and southern Rocky Mountains, and the Mogollon Plateau, the report said.
The federal government owns about 47% of the western United States, so the area will account for about 34% of federal land in the west, he said. A large amount of land is key to survival, Wolf added, as wolves require vast territories to live.
The 11 states are Arizona, California, Oregon, New Mexico, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah.
Federal law has intermittently protected gray wolves since the 1970s with the Endangered Species Act, which protects endangered species, Ripple said.
Wildlife conservationists believe the act saved species like the bald eagle from extinction, he added.
As of February 2022, gray wolves are generally protected in the continental United States, with the exception of wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains.
Gray wolf and beaver populations are now stable, but are still in significant decline due to historic genocide, Wolf said.
Why do gray wolves and beavers need to re-breathe?
Most gray wolves disappeared in the early 1900s, as ranchers migrated into wolf habitat with their livestock, according to co-author Robert Lee Vesta, professor emeritus of forest ecology and sociology at Oregon State University. I erased.
In the 1800s, trappers hunted beavers in large numbers for the fur trade, reducing North American populations by about 90% to 98%, but the species made a comeback in the early 1900s, Wolf said.
“Despite this recovery, beavers are still missing from many of the rivers where they may have previously lived,” he said.
Why is it important to restore wolf and beaver populations?
Wolves are apex predators and are at the top of the food chain, according to Ripple.
When mostly removed from ecosystems, ungulate populations increase dramatically because wolves aren’t there to prey on them, he said.
This can lead to overgrazing of ungulates, stunting some plants and trees and reducing biodiversity. Vesta said.
Beavers play an important role in the ecosystem, acting as engineers to build dams and providing many benefits to the environment, the report said.
According to the report, beaver-built structures enrich fish habitats, aid water flow during droughts, improve water quality, and improve habitats for many plants and animals.
“Beaver-created ponds and wetlands act as natural firebreaks in case of wildfires,” Ripple said.
Reduction of grazing permits
As part of the proposal, the researchers also recommended limiting grazing permits on federal land in the west. The federal government grants ranchers grazing permits, allowing herds of ranchers to graze on certain public land.
Livestock has been implicated in the decline of many native species of plants and animals through trampling and grazing, Wolf said.
The researchers suggested that the federal government offer ranchers buyouts to encourage them to leave, the report said.
Ranchers can spend their money however they like, such as retiring or buying private land to support their livelihoods, Vesta said.
CNN has reached out to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which is responsible for issuing federal land and grazing permits, but has yet to comment on CNN’s record of the proposal.
Next steps for protection
Researchers have yet to discuss their proposal with the federal government, Ripple said.
It would also be a sizeable financial investment, Vesta said, but he hopes governments will be willing to accept their recommendations because of the enormous benefits to the ecosystem.
Wolf said there are also many institutions and groups of people that need to coordinate the implementation of the proposal.
“The decision to proceed with these recommendations will ultimately rest on the wishes of the American public and various stakeholders, including communities, ranchers, hunters, and various other groups.”
Source: www.cnn.com
