Re: Philips Farm Activity Proposal

[Ron Force <rforce@moscow.com>]

Bob Hoffmann wrote:

> I am very disappointed that there is no mention of restoring a small
> portion of the land to original Palouse prairie vegetation.  The original
> Palouse ecosystem is also part of our heritage.  Children and adults can
> gain both education and enjoyment from the restoration and maintenance of a
> few acres of such land.  And since the prairie grasses presumably evolved
> under grazing pressures, such land could also be used for grazing livestock
> (in moderation).

Here's a question for those who might know.  I have heard that one of the
reasons that the Great Basin vegetation got hammered so hard by cattle grazing
was that it evolved without grazing herds of ungulates( buffalo).  The Nez
Perce had to cross the Bitterroots to hunt buffalo.  Lewis and Clark don't
mention much about big game hunting in this area.  Outside of small herds of
horses and some elk, I don't think that there was much grazing on the Palouse.

Ron  Force                                                   rforce@moscow.com
Moscow, Idaho U.S.A.