From: shawn@ut-emx.uucp (Shawn Boyd)
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry
Subject: Re: Cows at 12,000 Feet.
Date: 10 Sep 92 21:27:09 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, Texas

In article <1992Sep5.205343.26094@midway.uchicago.edu> bjr@oddjob.uchicago.edu (Bernie Rauscher) writes:
>I just got back from a rather pleasant few days packing around the
>Sangre de Cristo Mountains of NE New Mexico. 

 Yes, that's a beautiful range.  I come from the Western District of Texas,
 El Paso in fact, and have spent many pleasant hours in New Mexico, and 
 some of that time on that range.  I particularly enjoy the day hikes you 
 can make in the Albuquerque region, where on the Western exposure of the
 range you can look down over semi-arid regions, turn around and see an 
 Alpine forest on the other side.

 New Mexico is truly a beautiful state.

>(1) Before entering the National Forest/Wilderness Area, I read all the
>usual signs about "leave no trace", use a stove, don't start a campfire

 [deletions...] Good for you.  There was a time... oh well, never mind.  Sigh.

>Imagine my surprise, therefore, to arrive at a small forested glen at
>tree line and discover a rather large herd of cattle dropping bucket loads
>of what cattle make best into the "fragile" stream. 
 
 This has been an increasingly common sight in our National Forests.  This 
 was, at one time, more carefully regulated, but that has changed.

>right up to and into the stream ... which was the only source of water form
>miles around.

 See the thread on Guardia and water purification if you haven't already.
 All water intended for internal consumption must be purified if you don't
 want to run the risk of contracting this very uncomfortable illness.
 
>
>After a pleasant, --   but slightly stinky, night at the site I moved on.
>And ... to my surprise, what should I find eating the "delicate alpine tundra"
>that I shouldn't even *think* about walking on ... but more cows. Yes, another
>herd of cattle, this one clustered on the "delicate tundra" and pooping into
>the "delicate high alpine lake".

 I don't want to turn this newsgroup into a political forum, so I'll say this
 briefly, move on, and will not discuss the matter further in this group.
 Ask yourself who administers our National Forests and sets the rules and 
 precedents governing their use.  Are grazing rights and clear cut logging
 practices and timber farming the use we want to put these public lands to?
 Once you have answered these questions you may have added another list of 
 topics to consider when you cast your vote in this election year.  
 
>Have others run into this little problem where we humans are asked to
>leave no trace, yet the agency that makes this request leases the land
>for pasture ... with I suspect disasterous consequences that it would take
>a small village of humans to duplicate?

 Yes.  It's been going on for over a decade recently.  Land use in our Nation-
 al Forests determined by federal officials, and the policies and interpret-
 ation of those policies, the level of their enforcement and the number of
 resources committed to those endeavors changes about once every four to 
 eight years, or in this case, twelve years.

 'Nuff said, and apologies in advance for using this group as a political 
 forum.  I will not abuse the group further with my point of view on the 
 matter, and will go back to being just a casual reader of the group.

 Over and out,
 Shawn Boyd