Pinedale, WYOMING (Enviro Snowflake Brief)— In a stunning reversal by the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the federal government will terminate local rancher grazing rights in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Patagonia is authorized to fund the Upper Green River Area as a wildlife refuge for the next hundred years- no domestic sheep or cattle allowed.
Rob Hoelscher, district ranger for the Bridger Teton National Forest, who previously approved the controversial Upper Green grazing allotments explains, “We now realize most Americans are disgusted with how we continuously cater to welfare ranchers mooching off the government to graze their livestock on all Americans public lands for pennies on the dollar, and then these bloodsuckers have the audacity to demand another government agency kill any natural predators sniffing their cattle.”
“Grazing is an inappropriate use of the national forest, and it benefits only a small business group, who frankly could not survive without government subsidies,” Hoelscher surprisingly added.
A truly stunning reversal by Hoelscher and the Forest Service, and surely a dismaying one for his local rancher “poker night” buddies.
The most grizzly bear deaths of anywhere in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem happens in the Upper Green River Area rangeland to protect ranchers, The feds, before reversing course and handing over the area to Patagonia, planned to kill 72 more endangered grizzly bears over the next ten years.
Patagonia released a statement saying, “The new Patagonia Upper Green Wildlife Refuge includes all 267 square miles of Wyoming Upper Green River Area, which is some of the best Yellowstone habitat for endangered grizzly bears. Our agreement with the Forest Service and USFWS sends a message to all Americans that their public lands will be prioritized for wildlife not livestock in the coming years.”
Andrea Santarsiere, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, who along with the Sierra Club, had filed a lawsuit to stop the killing of grizzlies in the Bridger-Teton National Forest says, “Removing cattle on public lands makes sense, and we are shocked, but thrilled to see the federal agencies align with science and the public in this case.”
“These treasured bears deserve better, and Patagonia, through working with multiple organizations on this project, will make a positive impact for years to come.”
(ESB-NOT REAL NEWS)
