Activity 2.3.1 Ranchers, Anglers, and Beavers

 

Activity 2.3.1 Ranchers, Anglers, and Beavers

 

Six-Point Critical Analysis Worksheet

1. Exploratory

In this video I learned about the functioning of restoration at Square Valley Ranch, restoration in agriculture is a system that takes advantage of all the benefits of natural ecosystems by creating agricultural systems that mock nature by providing by still providing our daily life resources. Each year the water rises in the ranch which holds water look and leads to a bigger flood to allow growth in the ranch. After viewing the video, I also learned that manager John Griggs located at Maggie Creek ranch located in Nevada, stated that Lahontan cutthroat trout that has helped tremendously with water which led to better grass and herd number. After reading the article, I learned about BLM which is the acronym for Bureau of Land Management. The objective of BLM is to shift streams that have been damaged due to natural causes such as wildfires, droughts, and grazing practices. Land managers across the country are now using two manual approaches to restore areas and improve stream habitats which includes grazing management and beaver. Beaver dams have also been very beneficial to the recovery in streamside vegetations. This is because their dams store water and keep water from running off downstream and providing moisture all year round.

 

 

2. Diagnostic

The motive for BLM is to sustain the health and production for agricultural landscape across the country. In the article I also learned about Proper Functioning Condition which is a long-standing rapid assessment the BLM uses to monitor the overall condition or impairment of streams across the 248 million acres the agency currently manages.

 

3. Cause and Effect

Natural causes such as wildfires and other disasters causes the implementation of these strategies, the Bureau of Land Management  is to help shift streams and return our landscapes back to healthy sustainable environments.  

 

 

4. Priority

The most important issues to continuing different methods and research alternative routes to increase the usage of BLM. In a new recent study satellite imagery is used to track changes in streamside vegetation over a 30-year period in five watersheds located in the Great Basin region of northeastern Nevada. Land Managers our continuously evaluating their ranches and seeking for innovative ideas.

 

5. Application

 

Proper Functioning Condition goes hand in hand with the Bureau of Land Management because this is the method that is primarily used to evaluate the overall condition or impairment of streams and vegetation.

 

6. Critical

 

Prior to viewing the video and reading the article I obtained little knowledge on maintaining agricultural land. I feel that the Bureau of Land Management in   consistently learning and seeking new ideas to improve our agricultural lands. I believe that the methods are used have been very beneficial within the current years and our country is doing a great job with monitoring our natural landscapes.

 

References

Shepard, M. (no date) Restoration agriculture: Balancing Agriculture and the environment – mother earth news, Mother Earth News – The Original Guide To Living Wisely. Available at: https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/restoration-agriculture-ze0z1501zcwil/#:~:text=The%20goal%20of%20a%20restoration,such%20a%20system%20based%20on (Accessed: April 27, 2023).

Restoring streamside vegetation using grazing and Beavers (2019) Trout Unlimited. Available at: https://www.tu.org/magazine/science/restoring-streamside-vegetation-using-grazing-and-beavers/ (Accessed: April 27, 2023).