Tell me some thing new Oak, that looks a little far fetched, and I will have to personally look at what it is your saying, I do some of my own searches on the net, I don't like posting a lot of it, so I don't, unless news stories come across yahoo that I find interesting. Example, tell me that there is way to much general damage being done by a certain animal/group/plant to the environment. I will have to then take some time and look at it, I don't really care for the easy way out for a quick fix. Buzz and 1pointer were talking about spurge, I told them I hadn't seemed to see it to the extent they talk about. It is quite prevelent here, just not to the extent that is spoken of. I was coming back from Ogden last year, and up on the hills all around, you could see the distinct yellow/green color of Spurge, it was absolutly every where. Now I can say that what they actually say is true, is so, but for the areas they see all the time. Not the whole Western region of the U.S. as wasn't actaully said, but elluded to. Grasses that have been over mowed by cows, I have spent the last 2 1/2 years watching fence rows, along freeway's, on hills, in valley,s, any where I tend to travel with this circus I belong to, or on my own. I noticed that in some places, it is eaten right down to the dirt, Southern Idaho for example, other places, the grass at the edge of the road to the fence is a great indicator of what it should look like if left alone. It is mowed to a certain extent, but not little corners, and they sure don't let livestock onto that side of the fence to graze, so just look at both sides and use your best judgement. I take note as to the locations I see the stuff, there is a lot I can actually tell you that I see, this thread isn't long enough to tell all. I wouldn't want to boar any one with the extent of what I see any way. When I get an individual or individuals calling foul of what I say, I can either show them on a map of where to look to the contrary, or if I happen to be in the area again, can show them what I see also. Not a hard concept, but very detailed. I revel watching wild life and learning to the molecular level about nature and it's interactions. I try to stay out of just the absolute surface stuff that most tend to see. I may notice 10-20 plants on a rocky surface at a glance, just the other day, I was pointing out the fact that there were five different types of grass growing just on the outskirts of Anaconda where we happened to be taking a walk, all with in ten feet of each other. I notice the difference in a forest by looking at the tops of the trees of the speice types, age and health at a glance. Some times it drives the kids on the fire crew nuts because I will have them playing games on trying to identify all of the plants they may see while sitting, if only by difference. They alway's miss about half until I point them out. I see vibrance, health and life in it's own fashion, even in areas others only see death and decay. I love the nuances that nature has to offer, the finest detail, and the amazement that Mother Earth can over come any thing that is put her way, given a little time. Man is so very shallow, thinking that if some thing doesn't or can't be fixed with in five years, the whole system as we know it will collapse into dust. This is just not so, there is possitive in all if you just look at it.
This planet operates on cycles, they may not be exact, but are pretty close, and if observed, do have patterns that can be measured to a point, but it will never be an exact science, no matter what any one likes to say...