Conservation & Extinction

Ignoring the central message of the Jurassic Park films, some "enterprising" scientists are focusing on efforts to bring back extinct species.  In my opinion, this is an unwise and inappropriate endeavor, whether the extinction occurred at the hands of humans or not.

Once we gave up our nomadic lifestyle and turned to cultivation and domestication (both about 10,000 years ago), humans have had a significant effect on the health of other animal populations.  Of course, this negative impact greatly increased during the Industrial and Technologic Revolutions as pollution and widespread development destroyed ecosystems.  Rather than reversing extinction, a natural component of evolution, we should concentrate on protecting those species that still exist; reducing our population, cutting back on personal consumption, greatly limiting pollution and protecting natural habitat are the primary tools.  Nature will heal herself if we get out of her way.

Then again, we have an American President and Administration who are anti-science; they deny climate change, are cutting back (if not eliminating) federal support for green energy industries and even talk of renewing the use of coal in power plants.  Unless we reverse the political climate, the extinction of our own species will be greatly accelerated.

Ignoring Anti-Science Policies

Having devoted decades to scientific research in the development of their products and services, it seems unlikely that American corporations will derail their agenda in response to the anti-science policies of the Trump Administration.  Expensive, long-term commitments to medical research, environmental science, technologic advancement, pollution control and, most recently, climate science, cannot be derailed by relatively brief swings in the political environment.

While this is reassuring, the anti-science rhetoric of Trump's stooges will certainly have an effect on the uneducated public, resulting in unnecessary health complications, a reduced commitment to protecting our natural environment and to excessive personal consumption.

Of course, while corporations can ignore anti-science policies, none of us can or should ignore the Administration's attacks on our Democracy, on our personal freedoms and on social justice.  Our response to those threats may require a revolution.

 

EPA Chief ridicules Climate Change

King Trump's EPA Chief, Lee Zeldin, plans to "put a dagger through the heart of the climate change myth."  This disturbing admission is not surprising since he has already rolled back most environmental protection programs during his first six months of service.

In line with most of the King's Court, Zeldin is not interested in science.  He joins those who have cut back funding for medical research, weather forecasting, education, space exploration and other vital programs.  These incompetent stooges care only about serving our King and carrying out his wishes.

One wonders if Secretary Zeldin has grandchildren.  Does he not care about their future welfare or will it be enough to leave them a handsome inheritance?  Their home planet be damned.

  

Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge

Covering 72.2 acres, the Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge, in Arvada, Colorado, is the smallest urban unit of the NWR system.  Nevertheless, it offers a pleasing mix of wetland and grassland habitat.

On this cool, foggy morning in northwest Metro Denver, my wife and I visited the refuge.  The eastern portion, accessed from W. 80th Ave., offers two loops around and near ponds and swaths of marsh.  The larger western section is primarily grassland, bordered by groves of trees;  it is best reached from West 77th Ave.  Despite the overcast, we encountered a good mix of wetland and grassland birds, highlighted by a Cooper's hawk and a snowy egret.

Founded in 1992, Two Ponds NWR is managed as a unit of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR.  We recommend a visit.  

Back at Denver's NWR

On this beautiful morning along the Colorado Front Range, my wife and I visited the Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR in northeast Metro Denver.  Once an Army base and munitions depot, it is now a 15,000 acre expanse of prairie, woodlands and lakes.

On our first visit in more than a decade, we hiked around marsh-lined Lake Mary and along a tree-lined portion of Lake Ladora.  Though the refuge is renowned for its bison, bald eagles, black-footed ferrets and burrowing owls, our sightings today were limited to Canada geese, double-crested cormorants, American white pelicans, belted kingfishers and a host of common songbirds.  Unfortunately, the 11-mile Wildlife Drive was closed today due to road work.

The Refuge is best reached from the intersection of Quebec Pkwy and 56th Avenue.  Drive north on Quebec Pkwy, turn right (east) on Prairie Pkwy and then left on Gateway Rd. which enters the refuge near the Visitor Center.  Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR is open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year, except on major holidays.  In addition to the Wildlife Drive, 20 miles of footpaths wind through southern portions of the refuge.  

Freedom and the Young

Having come of age during the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War Protests, I know that younger generations of Americans were instrumental to the success of those political upheavals.  Today, as King Trump and his loyal Congress threaten personal rights and the welfare of our planet, it will be up to young Americans to turn the tide.

Non-violent protests, boycotts, massive voter turnouts and relatively young, energetic candidates must all play a role.  Personal freedoms, global cooperation, conservation and the threats of climate change seem to be the primary issues but the overall effort must be directed at the protection of our Democracy and Constitution.

The widespread protests on No Kings Day were heartening but the commitment to dislodge Trump and his loyalists cannot fade.  Otherwise, we are headed toward a dictatorship that could alter the fabric of life in America for decades to come.  It will be today's younger generations that have the most to lose. 

Flashback Post LXVIII

As billionaires and wealthy celebrities gather in Venice, Italy, to celebrate the second wedding of Jeff Bezos, the outrageous extravagance has triggered protests in that city, echoing sentiments that I expressed in April of 2013.

See: The Cost of Extravagance 

Heat & Energy

During the ongoing heat wave, which has affected most States east of the Rockies, there has been a great deal of political chatter.  Most Democrats, concerned about the threats imposed by climate change, point to the extreme weather as strong evidence that we must enact policies to mitigate global warming.

Most Republicans, on the other hand, place emphasis on the stress to our energy grid, arguing for more natural gas production and even suggesting that coal-fueled plants be fired up.  They prefer to ignore climate change and are inclined to belittle the value of green energy sources.  Indeed, the Trump Administration has cut Federal subsidies for electric vehicles, wind farms and solar energy production.

It is an ecologic vs. economic political confrontation.  Ample evidence indicates that the burning of fossil fuels is responsible for global warming and its many complications.  To ignore that fact and to focus solely on increasing energy production via their use is a disturbing and potentially disastrous choice. 

Oakmont and its Trees

When it was first developed, in 1904, Oakmont Country Club, in western Pennsylvania (the site of this week's U.S. Open) was known for its open terrain, resembling the courses one sees in Great Britain.  Over the years, trees were added to bring the course in line with the classic American style.

Recently, as they approached the Open, officials of the Club decided to take the course back to its original layout.  Depending on the source, 12,600 to 15,000 trees were removed.

A fan of golf but also a dedicated conservationist, I was dismayed by the news.  One cannot overlook the fact that trees add to the ecologic diversity of any landscape; furthermore, and most importantly, they play a significant role as carbon sinks and their loss is especially disturbing as we attempt to mitigate climate change.  This is not 1904 and, in my opinion, the decision to bring back the old Oakmont was short-sighted at best. 

Year of the Phoebe

Perhaps it's my imagination (and it often is) but there seems to be more Say's phoebes hanging around our Littleton farm this year.  These large flycatchers usually hunt from a fencepost or from a dead snag and the latter fact may explain my observation.

Since we are letting the farm naturalize as much as possible, our calls to the tree service have diminished and we have plenty of dead wood in our larger trees.  Combined with less attention to the pastures and "lawns," this may attract the phoebes by offering both more perch sites and more prey.

One would like to believe that naturalization does attract more species but there are always exceptions.  An example this year is a dearth of collared doves which used to nest on the farm but have not been observed at all this year.  Nature keeps us guessing. 

Stewards of the Earth

Most religious persons believe that God placed man on Earth to oversee and protect the bounty of life that it harbors.  If so, She must be severely disappointed.

Among the last species to appear, we are surely among the most expendable.  When compared to photosynthetic plants and pollinating insects, our role is insignificant.  Indeed, for the past 10,000 years, during which we established permanent settlements and gave rise to the agricultural, industrial and technologic revolutions, we have been dismantling, polluting and otherwise destroying the intricate web of life into which our species was born.  Should humans disappear tomorrow, natural ecosystems would begin a long process of healing and the planet might just survive, at least until our sun burns out.

But we are where we are and our only hope of offering stewardship is afforded by our intelligence.  We generally know what we must do: limit our population, reduce our consumption, eliminate pollution and both protect and restore as much natural habitat as possible.  Unfortunately, greed, politics and mysticism get in the way and our professed role as stewards of the planet will not likely materialize.  In the end, it will be our species that destroys Mother Earth. 

A Generic Naturalist

Growing up with an interest in Nature, primarily instilled by my maternal grandfather, I have come to learn a great deal about the plants and animals of North America.  But, even though I graduated from college with a degree in Biology, don't quiz me about their Genus and species.  And when it comes to groups such as insects and mushrooms, my knowledge base is unimpressive, to say the least.

Rather, my enthusiasm for the great outdoors is how it all fits together, how interdependent the countless species truly are.  Having outgrown the mysticism of my youth, I now understand that we humans are part of nature, just one of the latest (and more expendable) species to evolve in Nature's 3.6 billion year-old web of life.

Now, in my waning years, my focus is on enjoying nature as I did in my youth and doing what I can to protect what we humans have not yet destroyed for future generations.  Hence this blog and my rants against the religious, political and industrial forces that threaten the welfare of our natural environment. 

Surveying the Damage

As I have reported in the past, a large commercial and residential development is underway just east of the south end of South Platte Park, in Littleton.  From the adjacent roadways, it is currently a massive field of dirt, with some initial roads and structures.

Wanting to see how it is impacting the Park, my wife and I took a trail along the east side of the South Platte River.  Fortunately, a significant green belt still exists between the river and the development and wooded areas block one's view of the devastation in most areas.

Nevertheless, such a large project at the edge of what, in my opinion, is the best riverine, greenbelt park in Metro Denver is disturbing.  No doubt, access trails will lead down from the neighborhoods, dramatically increasing use of the Park by cyclists, fishermen, rafters, walkers and their dogs.  I'm sure this sounds a bit selfish on my part, a regular visitor to the Park, but natural ecosystems can only tolerate so much human activity.  Furthermore, loss of the adjacent open space, some of which was agricultural, will change the character of the refuge itself. 

Nature under Assault

For the remainder of King Trump's term, he and those who support him will assault nature in a variety of ways.  The destruction of natural habitat, the reduction or elimination of pollution controls and an inclination to ridicule (if not totally ignore) efforts to mitigate climate change will be among the more egregious.

Those of us who know that the welfare of mankind is directly tied to the health of natural ecosystems must do what we can to combat this assault.  Donating to national and local conservation organizations is among the more effective commitments; a few of these are listed in the right hand column of this blog.  Of course, voting out Conservative Republicans and climate change deniers in next year's midterms will serve to reign in Trump's anti-environmental policies.

Meanwhile, we must do what we can to minimize our own impact on the natural world.  Allowing our own property to naturalize, eliminating our reliance on pesticides and herbicides, limiting our use of gas and electric power, recycling what we can and reducing our personal consumption are among such measures.  Complaining without acting is not an option.  

Earth Day at Fifty-Five

Fifty-five years after the first Earth Day, its success has been moderate at best.  Though DDT was banned, the use of pesticides and herbicides remains widespread and pollution from plastics has become a much greater problem.

While the push toward green energy and a reduction in coal use are broadly evident, our reliance on fossil fuels has only increased.  Climate change, the result of that reliance, is spawning severe weather events across the globe yet a significant proportion of the human population continues to deny its existence.

Here in the U.S., half of our citizens voted for individuals who ridicule concerns about global warming, who intend to eliminate a wide range of environmental safeguards and who favor reopening protected natural habitat for development.  It is difficult to admit, but the message of Earth Day has been largely ignored by most Americans. 

Trump abolishes Marine Sanctuary

With the stroke of his quill pen, King Trump has opened the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument to commercial fishing.  As reported in the New York Times, the 490,000 square-mile preserve, which was established by the George W. Bush Administration and expanded by the Obama Administration, contains hundreds of atolls and seamounts that harbor rich coral beds, vital to the health of the regional marine ecosystem.  The Preserve lies 750 miles west of Hawaii.

Of course, Trump is focused solely on the economic benefits of mass-market fishing, not on the health of the marine environment.  As long as he remains in power, we can expect many more of these sudden and dramatic attacks on conservation programs and protected natural habitat.

Having destroyed our economy, our alliances and our civil rights, he is moving on to Nature herself.  That is a battle he cannot win.  

Stranded Turtles at Eagle Bluffs

Returning to the dried out Conservation Area this morning, I found that almost all of the waders, waterfowl and shorebirds had fled Eagle Bluffs as the shallow pools continue to shrink.  Indeed, sighting highlights, what few there were, involved purely terrestrial species: deer, a northern harrier and a wild turkey, among others.

One sad observation were scattered "bales" of aquatic turtles, clustered along the stagnant pools or half buried in muddy channels, some a long way from any significant body of water.  While they might be able to tolerate periods of drought and are known for their ability to locate ponds or streams, they have just emerged from their winter hibernation and I doubt they have much physical reserve.

The human-imposed drought at Eagle Bluffs has certainly disappointed local birders and regional visitors but our personal welfare has not been threatened.  Seeing those turtles, stranded in the cracked mud, one easily understands the impact that our species has on less adaptable creatures.  Of course, this phenomenon is occurring across the globe as we destroy natural ecosystems and, in the process, threaten our own welfare. 

The King benefits Nature

King Trump is not a naturalist.  He intends to slash environmental regulations and increase fossil fuel production.  He wants to severely reduce protected habitat in this country and to expand "development" wherever possible.  He is all about personal consumption, upscale recreation and a lavish lifestyle.

Yet, the King's rabid use of tariffs may benefit nature.  Individual savings are falling, prices are rising and a trade war is underway.  A tanking economy will greatly diminish corporate investment, personal spending, travel and recreational activity.  In a nutshell, human consumption may greatly fall in this country and across the globe.

Such a reduction in personal consumption is the major way by which all of us can do our part in rescuing the planet.  How ironic that the king of consumption is leading this conservation movement (not that he would admit it). 

Environmental Injustice

Today, King Trump's EPA Director announced that the Division of Environmental Justice and its many grants will be cancelled.  Established during the Clinton Administration, in the 1990s, this Division worked to ensure that low income communities are not exposed to toxic pollution from nearby industrial plants.

Explaining their decision to eliminate the Division, the Director offered more than the standard cost reduction argument.  He also suggested that the Division has engaged in reverse discrimination, funneling protection to lower income citizens (i.e. persons of color) at the expense of others (white folk).  Once again, the King's agenda is driven by racism and wealth accumulation.

One suspects this is just one of many steps that Trump and his Court will take to dismantle the EPA.  After all, they can't abide tree-hugging liberals, wringing our hands about pollution, habitat loss and climate change. 

Trump & Climate Change

Today, Donald Trump, a climate change denier, jets off to North Carolina and California to witness two of the most severe climate-induced disasters in recent years.  Whatever he proclaims at those sites, his personal concerns will certainly be disingenuous.

Upon taking office, Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord, eliminated federal support for electric vehicles and encouraged energy executives to increase oil and gas production.  This strong-man approach is mirrored in all of Trump's policies, from immigration to social programs and international relationships.

Trump could care less about the welfare of future generations.  Fortunately, energy company executives understand the risk of climate change and have fostered efforts to improve carbon capture and to expand the use of green energy sources.  Here in the U.S., the private sector must protect the environment from right-wing, anti-science zealots; that may sound naive but it is our only source of hope for the near future.