The photos (from Western Watersheds project).
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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A couple of thoughts…
I’m not saying that grazing doesn’t affect the condition of the locations in these photos, I’m certain it does. Possibly dramatically, but I’d be interested to see two variations of these photos. A meadow in the same area on the same dates with no grazing so I can see the natural changes in the vegetation across the seasons, and/or the same location taken on the same date the following year to see how much year over year damage has been done. Otherwise I think what could be dramatic evidence of a problem can be easily dismissed as normal seasonal changes.
I’m not familiar with these areas (although I have spent some time in the Eastern Sierra) and this is just the first thought I had when viewing the pictures and noticing the dates. I am not an expert by any account, just an interested troll =)
Good luck with your work.
I was thinking of that too — from spring to autumn on a stream ungrazed by livestock.
I will suggest that to Western Watersheds.
Thanks.