One place where it would be good to continue to have cattle is the area
of Coon Point, on the refuge at Sauvie's I. A bit over a year ago the
cows were removed at the suggestion of Portland Audubon. I tried to
explain to PAS that while it is good to have them off Malhuer NWR, that
the duck, shorebird, heron, falcon, and eagle habitat at Coon Point would be
adversely affected by removing cattle there. As one would expect, black berries,
willows, and cottonwoods are now emerging and changing the habitat at
Coon Point. This is also unforunate in that it is (soon to be past
tense) a very accessible spot for "dudes" to see showy species. It will
soon become the domain of Song Sparrows and Downy Woodpeckers, nice
birds to be sure, but species that are widespread and viewable in vast
areas of western Oregon.

Similarly, there should be areas along the coast with shallow ponds,
surrounded by grazed areas, which would supply high tide roosts and fresh
water habitats for shorebirds. I agree with Brian Sharp entirely
regarding his comments about grazing east of the Cascades.
Jeff Gilligan.


On Mon, 12 Feb 1996, brian sharp wrote:

> On Sat, 10 Feb 1996, Jon. Anderson and Marty Chaney wrote:
>
> > "Cattle-Free by 2003?"
> >
> > Or, is it more appropriate to manage the vegetation appropriately?
> >
> > One camp holds that, because current or past practices have had abuse, all such uses should be shut down. I respectfully disagree. Grazing on public lands is done for several reasons. On wildlife refuges, where wildlife is the primary use, grazing should be used as a tool for a specific management goal. Inappropriate grazing should not be allowed on any public lands, IMO. Historical grazing abuse at Malheur NWR is usually used as the damnation of all cattle grazing by the savants.
> >
> > However, I look at the habitat 'management' on Nisqually NWR, or any of the 3 Willamette Valley NWRs in Oregon. The former pastures ('improved' or semi-native), which used to provide waterfowl winter feed as well as grassland sparrow, meadowlark and short-eared owl nesting habitats, have been allowed to continue in their succession. Instead of grassland/pasture habitats, the wildlife has been provided second-growth Himalaya Blackberry and other brush (alder/willow at Nisqually; poison oak/Douglas hawthorn at Finley/Ankeny/Baskett Slough).
> >
> > Now, I have nothing against providing Song Sparrow habitat, but let's use some common sense. The Feds haven't the budget on their field stations to manage their wildlife habitat, so the wildlife loses out because of the prevailing attitude of "cows are bad"; no livestock can be allowed. If we want productive wetland habitat at Nisqually, it makes little sense to let it grow up to alder thicket. If we want grassland habitat in the Willamette Valley, we're losing it. And, it's expensive to restore - field burning isn't PC in the Valley, impossible at Nisqually, and you'd need a 'dozer and blade to re-habilitate some of the wetlands that have brushed-up!
> >
> > Ankeny NWR was my back yard when I was growing up, and later as a budding biologist. The few wet pastures where I could once find Ladies-tresses orchids (Spiranthes romanzoffiana) are now mediocre winter sparrow brushy blackberry habitat - in an area where winter sparrow habitat is not necessarily of concern. Is summer grazing so bad in that light? The anti-cow folks say Yes. I doubt that it's that simple.
> >
> > Dang, there I go again.... Not spouting the Party Line. :-)
> >
> > Jon. - Don't let your babies grow up to be Cowboys - Anderson
> > Olympia, WA
> > festuca at olywa.net
> >
> > ----------
>
> I was talking about the grassland refuges. 113 of 115 refuges are grazed
> in the great plains. That grazing is not there to maintain the
> grasslands in an arrested state of succession. There is no reason to
> graze places east of the Cascades either, like Hart Mountain. In fact
> there are lots of reasons not do--they
> never even evolved under grazing pressure from large, heavy, herding
> herbivores. Have you ever noticed the weeds (exotic annuals), for
> example, on the grasslands east of the Cascades? The landscape may look
> like a grassland, but most of them are in poor or only fair condition.
>
> > > Brian Sharp
> > 2234 NE 9th Av
> > Portland, Or 97212
> > 503-287-6501
> > ecopers at teleport.COM
> >
> >
> >
>
> Brian Sharp
> 2234 NE 9th Av
> Portland, Or 97212
> 503-287-6501
> ecopers at teleport.COM
>

Jeff Gilligan. Portland, Oregon.
jeffgill at teleport.COM