A Cow Horse I Once Knew

He seemed to think it was part of his big-sky-cow-horse persona to buck; even at his ripe old age of 26

Arctic Blast

A temperature drop of 80 degrees in less than 48 hours: That’s what most of Wyoming experienced early this week. It was a balmy 60 degrees late Sunday night, and a klondike-like 16 degrees below zero Tuesday morning. I can’t help but wonder how the local flora and fauna survive these extremes. The range plants…

Hostile to Large Carnivores

I won’t go into a long (boring) post about my lack of blogging. A move, new job, new home, kids in a new school are the reasons. I thought I’d jump back into blogging with something controversial. There’s always plenty of fodder when it comes to wildlife management in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem (GYE). The…

Revegetation Efforts Should Focus on Native Plant Species

Propagating native plants in volumes large enough to produce commercial quantities of native seed is not always an easy, or inexpensive task, but using native plant species in revegetation efforts on federal and state lands should be the norm, not the exception.  This National Forest in Michigan is taking the needed long range approach to…

Cacophony Unheard

After crossing Togwotee Pass, the first glimpse of the Teton Range is full of impact. The view of these  ‘young’ mountains then goes out of site, only to hit you at closer range. The Tetons are massive, and their size is emphasized by their abrupt rise from the plains containing the sinuous, meandering Snake River. The…

Bighorn River Then and Now: “The land is all good…”

I’ve been reading Granville Stuart’s account* of the early days in Montana (1870’s and 80’s). At one point in the book he is traveling around Montana looking for range for 5,000 head of cattle. This is just before the big herds from Texas started to arrive in that part of Montana, and there was plenty…

Finally, a Little Snow

Finally, a little more snow in central Wyoming today. We’ve only had one other snow event giving a paltry few inches. We were up on Casper Mountain Saturday and I commented that it looked like the average October dusting, not what we hope to see at the end of January. Powder Pass in the southern…

Patches of Native Plants Increase Crop Pollination

Using large mango farms as a case study, a group of researchers representing Britain, South Africa, and the Netherlands, recently reported the results of a study in the Journal of Applied Ecology which “show that the presence of small patches of native flowers within large farms can increase pollinator-dependent crop production if combined with preservation…

Join Governor Mead to Discuss Wyoming Energy Policy

Wyoming Governor Matt Mead’s website states, “Wyoming needs an energy plan that balances development with the environment—that incorporates open space and clear skies with jobs and economic progress.” Governor Mead has drafted over 70 energy strategy initiatives covering four main themes: Economic Competitiveness, Expansion and Diversification; Efficient, Effective Regulation; Natural Resource Conservation, Reclamation, and Mitigation;…

Coal Industry Roundtable Discussion

There’s no doubt coal is a big part of Wyoming’s economic base. It is also foundational to the availability of electricity in the US with over 42% of the US electricity generated by coal. The burning of fossil fuels is surrounded by controversy. If you are interested in the future use of coal, you might…