Wild Horses May Be Sold to Slaughter

Gemini Cricket · 03-09-2005, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

And for the record: I'll volunteer to start the effort to remove all eucalyptus trees. Right after I abolish all palm trees.

Thank goodness. I have one of each in my yard that needs to go. Come over right away.

Alex · 03-09-2005, 03:24 PM

An interesting article on the history of eucalyptus in California and the fight over their removal.

It has an amusing parallel in that much like the federal law that protected wild horses to the point that they became a detriment on the ecology, Santa Cruz has a law, the Heritage Tree Ordinance, that protects eucalyptus trees as an important symbol, even to the detriment of public safety (they are highly flammable and fall over a lot) and local ecology.

Most land and park management agencies advocate for the complete removal or extensive restriction of eucalyptus trees. I know the East Bay Resional Park System (Alameda and Contra Costa counties) has extensive projects in many of its parks to replace eucalyptus with native species. Eucalyptus is a main reason why there is no redwood second growth in the Oakland hills (which used to have redwood forests just as impressive as on the Mendocino coast).

Stan4dSteph · 03-09-2005, 03:29 PM

The horses are being removed because according to the ranchers they are competing with the cattle that are allowed to graze on public lands. To choose one over the other, I choose the horses.

Ghoulish Delight · 03-09-2005, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan4dSteph

The horses are being removed because according to the ranchers they are competing with the cattle that are allowed to graze on public lands. To choose one over the other, I choose the horses.

Seeing as I prefer steak to horse-burgers (well, I presume, never having had a horse burger), or cheese from cows milk to horse-cheese, I'm okay with letting the cows win. Let Alpo have a few more cans if it means that cattle farmers have reduced competition for grazing land, I say.

It's an introduced species, you can't just "let nature take its course" 'cause nature's been handed a big wild card. You gotta balance nostalgia with practicality.

blueerica · 03-09-2005, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

An interesting article on the history of eucalyptus in California and the fight over their removal.

Thanks for that link! I didn't know, really, either side of the story. I just knew that I didn't like the stinky tree outside of my house. Hehehe...

Ghoulish Delight · 03-09-2005, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueerica

Thanks for that link! I didn't know, really, either side of the story. I just knew that I didn't like the stinky tree outside of my house. Hehehe...

Seriously. Can you believe people pay for things that smell like that?

03-09-2005, 03:24 PM	#2
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	An interesting article on the history of eucalyptus in California and the fight over their removal. It has an amusing parallel in that much like the federal law that protected wild horses to the point that they became a detriment on the ecology, Santa Cruz has a law, the Heritage Tree Ordinance, that protects eucalyptus trees as an important symbol, even to the detriment of public safety (they are highly flammable and fall over a lot) and local ecology. Most land and park management agencies advocate for the complete removal or extensive restriction of eucalyptus trees. I know the East Bay Resional Park System (Alameda and Contra Costa counties) has extensive projects in many of its parks to replace eucalyptus with native species. Eucalyptus is a main reason why there is no redwood second growth in the Oakland hills (which used to have redwood forests just as impressive as on the Mendocino coast).
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03-09-2005, 03:29 PM	#3
Stan4dSteph Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: East Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,156	The horses are being removed because according to the ranchers they are competing with the cattle that are allowed to graze on public lands. To choose one over the other, I choose the horses.
	Submit to Quotes