Fifteen Ways to Bring Nature Indoors
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 31, 2008
Today I would like to share a special post as shared by a friend of mine. Our health and our lives are greatly enriched when we embrace the gifts of Nature. We are surrounded by too many man-made products which are made from harmful materials and chemicals. Decreasing these deadly objects from our homes and increasing that which is natural, will bring forth harmony and balance to our bodies as well as our Spirits. Let us love, honor, and respect our beautiful planet Earth.
Adapted from The Lost Language of Plants by Stephen Harrod Buhner (Chelsea Green, 2002)
In earlier times, when nature was perceived as alive, with intelligence and soul, people bonded with nature much as people bond with their pets or family now. This bonding process engendered a certain kind of attitude toward nature. It is an aspect of what Edward O. Wilson calls biophilia - a genetically encoded or innate emotional affinity toward all other life-forms on Earth. It means a deep fondness for, connection to, and love for life forms and living things.
We can begin to undo the cultural conditioning that teaches children that thinking defines their value, that Earth is dead, that other life-forms intrinsically possess less value. Bringing nature indoors is one way to begin bonding with life.
Here are a few ideas for welcoming the natural world into our homes.
Simple Solutions…
* Stones, rocks, pebbles. Placed in bowls or in a ring around a vase, heaped in a small cairn or put singly in a special place of honor, the infinite variety and solid beauty of stones add grounding and stability to our homes.
* Plants. Many potted plants need very little care, and they repay a minimum of effort on our part with so much benefit: plants filter the air we breathe and add vitality and good green energy to our rooms.
* Sunlight. Cheering, uplifting sunlight is such a necessity for the human body, mind, and spirit. Open the curtains and let it stream in.
* Windows to the elements. What do you see when you look out of your windows? If you are fortunate to live in a place where nature isn’t overpowered by buildings and concrete, consider opening up a wall to create a window overlooking a special scene. Annie’s bathtub is surrounded by windows: when she bathes, she soaks in the spaciousness of sky, the majesty of trees, and the freedom of wild birds in flight.
* Gifts from the animals. Some of us find special treasures when we walk in nature: a feather, a cast-off antler, a shred of snake-skin. Consider bringing these inside to honor the animals.
* Seasonal reminders. We can bring bare branches indoors, place them in water, and watch the new leaves emerge in Spring. In Summer, we can put a handful of lush grass in a vase to appreciate. A few nuts and colorful leaves connect us to the spirit of Fall, and pinecones and evergreens help us celebrate Winter. Find your own ways to mirror seasonal changes inside.
* Tabletop fountains. It isn’t difficult to create small water fountains for our home. The gentle sound of trickling water is soothing and the principles of feng shui say that fountains create good energy. For easy directions, see /greenliving/good-fortune-fountain-how-to.html.
* Tabletop gardens. Fill a pretty container with soil and use it to create a miniature garden in your home. These can be both seasonal and fanciful: in Winter, for instance, you could imagine a gnome garden with moss, evergreen twigs, and quartz crystals to evoke ice.
* Flowers. Flowers are an instant cheer-up, such lush reminders of the natural world. If you compost them when they begin to fade, you won’t waste them: they can help to nourish your garden. We like to choose organic flowers, since most commercial growers rely on harmful pesticides.
* Decorate with food. Many of us love to put a bowl of cheery oranges, lemons, or apples on the table, or heap a few pumpkins and squashes on the countertop in the autumn: food makes a lovely natural decoration, as long as it isn’t too quickly perishable, that connects us to what we eat. Be creative: there is so much beauty in food!
* Birdfeeders visible from your window. We may not be able to let the birds inside, but placing a birdfeeder where we can watch it from indoors makes it feel as if they are in the room with us.
* Fresh air. If the air in your area is fresh, open your windows as often as possible to let it in! And be sure to use all-natural cleaning products, furnishings and building materials so your air is fresh even when the windows are closed.
* Nature-themed artwork. The next best thing to being there is having a painting or photograph of a natural scene or wildlife on the wall.
* Companion animals. Sometimes we forget that pets are part of nature (as are we), but when we watch a cat stalking its favorite catnip-filled mouse toy, or a dog worrying a bone, we can see the wildness peeking through!
* Choosing natural materials. Using all-natural household products, bedding, building supplies, and furnishings all add up to a home that resonates with nature — and is more healthful for you and your family.
Polar Bears running out of time… Please Help!
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 29, 2008
In our fight to save Earth’s wild creatures, we are faced with many battles. I will never tire of this worthwhile cause… yet I sometimes wonder if time is our greatest enemy. Time is running out for the beautiful and wild Polar Bears in the Chukchi Sea. Yet truly time is not THE enemy of those who wish to live as Nature intended. Year after year, President Bush has called for harmful drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most important onshore denning habitats for U.S. polar bears. Earlier this month, his Secretary of the Interior approved the sale of drilling rights in the Chukchi Sea, potentially threatening even more bears with pollution, spills and disruptive activities.
What does George Bush have against polar bears?
The Bush/Cheney Administration’s own scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey say that global warming and habitat loss could lead polar bears to extinction in the U.S. by 2050. Yet, the president said little in last night’s State of the Union about what — if anything — his administration would be doing to prevent their extinction.
It is so very important to place this matter on high priority. Please visit Defenders of Wildlife and take the time to send a personalized message urging President Bush and his administration to do the following…
~ Direct the Fish and Wildlife Service to immediately list polar bears as “Threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. The decision on listing has already been delayed once. It’s time for President to act.
~ Abandon plans to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; and
~ Protect polar bears by scrapping the planned February 6th sale of leasing rights to drill for oil and gas drilling rights in the Chukchi Sea.
Our fellow Polar Bears are quickly running out of time. I am sending my own personalized message right this moment, and I strongly urge you to follow my example and Take Action Today!
Thank you so much for your support and thoughts for this important cause in helping to protect our four legged friends. We are nearly halfway there… let it be known how precious and sacred ALL Life is, and let your voice be heard!
Save the Polar Bear with us at Defenders of Wildlife
Seals, like Children, Love to Play!
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 25, 2008
When I travel to Mother Ocean, I always look forward to possibly seeing those creatures I associate with the Seas of this planet. I truly wonder how happy they are in their environment, which the Creator has designed in such thoughtful detail. Then I become sad at times, knowing man has changed this perfect balance, and in doing so has created an environment that is not as Nature intended. Can we possibly be so selfish as to think this beautiful Earth was meant for our pleasure only? This cannot be. Even as a small child I have always loved and respected Nature. Never would I have guessed everyone did not feel this way. I am no longer so naive, yet I am still appalled at times to see how widespread the acts of carelessness and outright cruelty abounds. I will continue to look for the Beauty in this Life, and pray we find the compassion in our hearts to treasure the wonderful gifts in Nature which surround and sustain us.
“In their innocence and wisdom, in their connection to the earth and its most ancient rhythms, animals show us a way back to a home they have never left.” ~ Susan Chernak McElroy
“The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci
If you would like to take a few moments out of your life to see how you can make a difference in the lives of our precious Seals, my daughter would love to guide you to a wonderful site in which Children are taking action. Kids 4 Seals is an international network of schools, students and young persons interested in OPPOSING the ANNUAL CANADIAN HARP and HOOD SEAL SLAUGHTERS that take place off the Atlantic coast of Canada each year.
If you feel like we do about all of Creation, and the Sacredness of all Life, please open your hearts to help us as we champion those unable to help themselves. They should be allowed to live and play in a safe and healthy environment, just like our own children. Our lives are short in comparison to the Life of this Planet… must we take all that is good, clean and pure, and destroy it so our future generations suffer from our folly? Or will we open our eyes and our hearts to the truth and take responsibility for our World…
Ancient foilage upon Mother Earth
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 22, 2008
These are some examples of nature persevering despite the war we have waged against her. These plants/trees are this planets oldest living companions. They witnessed Earth in her most pure form, long before the ravages of man blistered and scarred her once beautiful face. And now they bear witness to humanity as we cut down the very air we breath to build our temples and monuments. I can only hope that when the last of mankind has realized his mortality…there is mercy.
~Hiyon Zunshyne
Kings Holly:
1997; King’s Holly (Lomatia tasmanica)
Found in the rainforests of Tasmania. Scientists estimated the age of the plant using a nearby fossil of an identical plant. It was found to be over 43,000 years old! The plants appear to be sterile - incapable of producing flowers and viable seeds. Lomatia is triploid, that is, it has three sets of chromosomes instead of two. Because of this it is unable to sexually reproduce. The clonal thickets reproduce vegetatively by root suckering. Fossil leaves found in a late Pleistocene deposit may be genetically identical to present-day plants. The plant is a rare freak of nature whose origins and age are as yet unknown.
Box Huckleberry :
August, 1999; Box Huckleberry (Gaylussacia brachycera)
Researchers in Pennsylvania have discovered a living plant that is a remnant of the last Ice Age. Using the known rate of growth if this self-sterile plant, they estimated that this 1/4-acre colony is over 13,000 years old. Researchers are still trying to verify the growth rate to determine is that age is an accurate measure.
Mongarlowe Mallee:
March, 2004; (Eucalyptus recurva)
Also known as “Mongarlowe Mallee” or “Ice Age Gum” it is the rarest Eucalypt in Australia or the world, and is known from only 5 individual specimens. Scientists in Australia are undertaking analyses to determine the exact age of one specimen that is estimated to be 13,000 years old. This aging method also relies on determining the plant’s growth rate. Scientists are stilly verifying the growth and performing genetic analyses of neighboring specimens to determine if they are from the same organism.
Creosote Bush:
April, 1980; Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata)
Scientists discovered a giant, and very ancient clone of the creosote bush in the Mojave Desert in California they estimated to be between 11,000 and 12,000 years old.
Prometheus:
1964; Bristlecone Pine (A.K.A.~Prometheus)
Prometheus, an ancient Bristlecone Pine was discovered to be among one of the oldest living trees on earth by Donald R. Curry during the summers of 1963 and 1964. In a ridiculous self-serving attempt to “prove” this, during the summer the United States Congress debated and passed the Wilderness Act of 1964, he managed to reduce the once mighty Prometheus to nothing more than a dead stump. He did this with the assistance of Donald Cox, the Forest Service District Ranger! Prometheus was later determined to be 5,100 years old. The oldest known living thing on Earth at the time. One small step for science, one giant leap for human ignorance!
Methuselah:
Methuselah (estimated germination 2832 BC)
Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) in the White Mountains of California, which was 4,789 years old when sampled in 1957 by Schulman and Harlan. It is the oldest non-clonal living organism still alive, at the age of about 4,839 years old. Located in the “Forest of Ancients” in the Methuselah Grove at between 2,900–3,000 m above sea level, its exact location is currently undisclosed to the public as a protection against vandalism.
Lets hope she never falls prey to the fate of Prometheus.
I feel like hugging a Tree.. how about you?
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 16, 2008
Forests and Trees
Trees, which have been in existence for over 400 million years, are the world’s largest living creatures. The world’s biggest tree, a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) named “General Sherman,” stood over 83 meters tall, measured over 31 meters in circumference and weighed about 6,096 tonnes, when it was last measured in 1975! It grew from a seed that weighed only 5 milligrams. That’s smaller than a vitamin pill!
While “General Sherman” may be the world’s biggest tree, the world’s tallest tree is another giant sequoia named “Harry Cole.” Harry measures over 112 meters from base to crown - the height of a 37-story building!
29.6 per cent of the world’s land area is covered by forest. About 10 per cent of that is in Canada. Rain forests generate about 40 per cent of the world’s oxygen. A 30 meter tree with 200,000 leaves can suck up 43,000 litres of water and breathe it into the air in just one growing season. Medicine in aspirins originally came from the bark of a willow tree. One acre of trees can absorb over 2.5 tons of carbon dioxide in a year. Every ton of recycled paper saves approximately 17 trees and saves 4,100 kilowatt hours of electricity - enough energy to heat the average home for six months.
“We cannot win this battle to save the species and environments without forging an emotional bond between ourselves and nature as well — for we will not fight to save what we do not love.”
~ Stephen Jay Gould
Message of Hope from the Hopi & Maori Elders
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 7, 2008
Important Message~
by Larry Merculieff
What the Hopi [and the] Maori wanted us to know is that we are moving into the what they call the World of the 5th Hoop. The Navajo called it moving into the 5th World. Maybe amongst some of the elders of the Athabascan people there are similar things that are being said about this time. It is a message of hope. They know of the sicknesses that made them suffer. They know of the fights that have been going on between the organization and the villages. They know of the struggle between villages and within regions and between regions. They know about the alcohol abuse and accidental deaths due to alcohol, the suicides, the high blood pressure, failing health, heart problems, all these things that our people in Alaska have been facing. In my years working for my people, I have traveled all over the State. And it is pretty much the same everywhere… the kind of problems we are experiencing.
This message is a message of hope. They say that moving into this time, of the World of the 5th Hoop, is a time when all the four sacred powers are going to be reconnected. They are the red-white-black-yellow. They wanted me to know that, among the Hopi, they are the keepers of the sacred stone tablets for the sacred red power - that includes all of us. They wanted me to know that they have the sacred stone tablets in Tibet, in the mountains, kept by the Tibetan Monks, in the same way that the Tibetans have their sacred stone tablet with the Hopi.
There are four sacred stone tablets that were given. The sacred black color has theirs in a small village in Africa. They cannot exchange it with the sacred white color because they lost theirs. But the Hopi wisdom keepers say that they are soon to find this stone. Very soon in this time. If you look at the maps where the people of Hopi live and Tibetans live, [it] is exactly on opposite parts of the world of the Mother Earth. The Hopi word for love is the Tibetan word for hate. And the Tibetan word for love is the Hopi word for hate. The same word, but exactly opposite meanings. They say that this is necessary to help keep the balance of Mother Earth. And that there are keepers of this balance that are around the world like us.
In moving into this time of the World of the 5th Hoop, it is going to be a time of great healing. There is going to be great healing that is going to start, and the Hopi say that it is going to start in the North.
The Hopi told me that this time of great healing is going to be shown by several signs. One is when a hoop of a hundred eagle feathers is completed.
In this time of healing, the message of hope from the Hopi [and] Maori and the Stony Elders,
We know that your people believe that they have lost their culture, the cultural wisdom and their ways. We are praying to the Creator. We want you to know of the message that has been given to us
The message that they received for us is that our cultures are not dead. All the wisdom that has been collected in our cultures, since time immemorial, is being kept for us, waiting for us, to awaken in our spirits. We will awaken our spirits again. When that happens things will be revealed of the old wisdoms. Things that have been forgotten for a long time are going to be brought back; Art- Music- Song- Dance- Storytelling- Spiritual- Wisdom- knowledge, and the wisdom of how to work with Mother Earth, will all be restored.
They also want us to know that among the Hopi and Maori there are people who do nothing but pray 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, every year of their lives. That is all they do. In rotation, they pray around the clock for other people. In this prayer is where they have seen some of these things that are about to happen. The healing that is going to take place, the advice that has been given to us, is “Seek not to fight evil– do not fight it– let goodness take its place.” So when we see bad things happen and when we fight those bad things, what we do hurts everybody. Fighting evil has spiritual energies that go to the ends of universe, affects everybody in the community.
When I come into community, I can feel the energies that are created. We are all affected by it. You know, sometimes you watch little kids when a stranger walks into the room [and], all of a sudden, the child just cries. Sometimes this happens, or, they love the stranger. What they are doing is taking their God given, Creator given, way of talents, skills, gifts, to feel the spirit of the other person. Because everybody give out these energies. So we have to, they say, be very careful. This is part of the wisdom amongst the great Athabascan People and most indigenous people throughout the world. We must take care of how we think– how we feel.
The signs of this time of healing that is to start are:
When the children bring back the spirit to the village; when the young start speaking with the wisdom of the elders; when the leadership energies start shifting to the feminine side; when this hoop of the 100 eagles feathers gets completed. And when the White Bison shows up. These are all the signs of the movement from the 4th to the 5th Hoop.The center of the top of the energy entrance to the Earth Mother is here through Alaska. The spiritual leaders say that a host, hosts of angels, are coming through Alaska– spreading out throughout the world for this healing to take place.
There are some predictions in the sacred stone tablets among the wisdom keepers about what is going to happen here in this World of the 5th Hoop. Not only are we going to have this healing but the Earth Mother is going to shake in a way that it has never shook before. It is going to move in a way it has never done before. There is going to be a lot of fear because of this, and the wisdom keepers want me to convey that, when this happens, we should not be afraid. Because, what is happening is that the Earth Mother is trying to help us remove the stuff that we have stuck in our bodies, inherited from the spiritual sickness of generations and generations out. And one of the ways that we do that is to scare the life out of us. This is why there is going to be time for healers.
Healers are being called from all over.
Women are now taking their place as the original healers around the world .
Not only [will there be] the shift to the feminine side of leadership, but the women are going to start taking their place as healers.The healing ways are being revived from all the cultures. People are being woken up.
How do we start this healing? When you are quiet within yourself and you sit next to the river– ask. Do not be afraid to ask. Ask the Creator. Ask whoever you feel is your higher power, “Please help me find the way because I do not know how to heal.” “Make me your history.” And when you ask that, with humility in your heart, you will get it. You will find it. And it will be given to you, you will see this healing starting to spread like wild fire. It is just exciting. Exciting to see. And the key to it is staying here, now.
I know inside, you will recognize these words to be true. Your intuition is going to tell you what I am saying is true. The world for the last 4,000 or so years has been stuck in the male energy side. The male energy is thinking from the brain. It is a management from the top down. It is more aggressive. It does not use intuition or feelings from the heart. It is a different kind of energy. It is not a bad energy. It is just different than the female energy. Female energy is healing, nurturing, loving, caring, touching, sharing. And that the world spiritual leaders know now that these energies have been male and now have shifted to the female side.
So, that is the message that I have brought to you. This is a message of hope and a message of good wisdom. Remember, our cultures are not lost. The wisdom of it is already here with us. We just do not know it yet, because we are spiritually sleeping.The people read this information are here for a reason.
It is no accident that you are hearing this message, and it is up to you whether or not you want to use this message of wisdom that has been given by the Hopi and Maori~
~~~~~The most persistent and verifiable prophecy is the one given in ancient times by the Hopi Elders. This prophecy has been passed on through oral tradition and reference to the ancient tablets.
The Elders revealed that there would be nine Signs before the 5th World emerges. This will be a world of peace and abundance—a New Earth.According to White Feather, a Hopi of the ancient Bear Clan, the prophecy goes like this:“The Fourth World shall end soon, and the Fifth World will begin. The elders everywhere know this. The Signs over many years have been fulfilled, and so few are left.“This is the First Sign: We are told of the coming of the white-skinned men, like Pahana, our lost White Brother from the Stars. But these men will not live like Pahana, they will be men who take land that is not theirs, and men who strike their enemies with thunder—guns.“This is the Second Sign: Our lands will see the coming of spinning wheels filled with voices. In his youth, my father saw this prophecy come true with his eyes—the white men bringing their families in wagons across the prairies.“This is the Third Sign: A strange beast like a buffalo but with great long horns will overrun the land in large numbers. These White Feather saw with his eyes—the coming of the white men’s longhorn cattle.“This is the Fourth Sign: The land will be crossed by snakes of iron—the railroads.“This is the Fifth Sign: The land shall be crisscrossed by a giant spider’s web—power lines and telephone lines.“This is the Sixth Sign: The land shall be crisscrossed with rivers of stone that make pictures in the Sun—freeways with mirages caused by the Sun.“This is the Seventh Sign: You will hear of the sea turning black, and many living things dying because of it—oil spills in the oceans.“This is the Eighth Sign: You will see many youth who wear their hair long like my people. They will come and join the tribal nations, to learn our ways and wisdom—the hippies in the 1960s and 1970s.“And this is the Ninth and Last Sign: You will hear of a dwelling-place in the Heavens, above the Earth, that shall fall with a great crash. It will appear as a blue Star—the Blue Kachina Sun. Very soon after this, the ceremonies of my people will cease.”The Hopi prophecy goes on to say that the appearance of the Blue Kachina Star will initiate a time of great purification, a time during which the Earth will be purged and cleansed of negativity in preparation for her emergence into the 5th World—the 5th Dimension.It is true that the Earth must be cleansed and purified in order for the New Earth to manifest in all of her infinite perfection, but the severity of that purging will depend on Humanity. If we reclaim our natural Birthright as stewards of the Earth and invoke the assistance of the Company of Heaven to help transmute and heal the atrocities we have inflicted on this blessed planet and its people, the cleansing will occur gently with a minimal loss of Life. If we choose to ignore the Signs and continue our mindless pursuit for material gain at the expense of the Earth, the purification will be harsher with a greater potential for loss of Life.This information is being given to Humanity at this time not to instill fear but to inspire us to remember our purpose and reason for being. We are being called to a higher service on behalf of Mother Earth and all Life evolving upon her. We are powerful beyond our knowing. Each and every one of us has been preparing for aeons of time to be the Hands of God in the physical plane during this Cosmic Moment. Please do not underestimate your ability to make a positive difference. Trust yourself! Listen to your heart, and you will know how you can be the most powerful force of Light possible.Respectfully Shared by Redfoxsees
Roots & Shoots.. An Environmental Global Mission
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 4, 2008
Shall we devote a few minutes of our precious time to a mission both noble and humanitarian? Seeing as this is a program instituted through the Jane Goodall Institute, we all know it brings great value to the Environment and natural causes. I am proud to bring about awareness of a program called Roots & Shoots.
What is Roots & Shoots? The Roots & Shoots program is about making positive change happen—for our communities, for animals and for the environment. With tens of thousands of young people in almost 100 countries, the Roots & Shoots network branches out across the globe, connecting youth of all ages who share a common desire to help make our world a better place.
What is the Mission of Roots & Shoots?
*To foster respect and compassion for all living things, to promote understanding of all cultures and beliefs and to inspire each individual to take action to make the world a better place for people, animals and the environment.
What are the Goals of Roots & Shoots?
*To implement positive change through active learning about, caring for and interacting with the environment.
*To demonstrate care and concern for all animals.
*To enhance understanding among individuals of different cultures, ethnic groups, religions, socio-economic levels and nations through our global communications network.
*To help young people develop self-respect, confidence in themselves and hope for the future.
If you are interested in getting involved, and perhaps starting your own group in your area, please visit Roots & Shoots today, and see for yourself what you can do. Join tens of thousands of young people from almost 100 countries!
Wolves and Trees… the Balance of Nature
Posted by msterilinn on Dec 19, 2007
Have you ever wondered the role of the Wolf in the Balance of Nature? The Creator placed everything on this planet for a reason. There are important roles to be played out by each and every creature from the tiniest microbe and insect, to the largest mammal. As intelligent beings on this Living planet, it is our responsibility to learn and understand how to nurture this Balance in Nature, and not destroy it. The Wolf has an important role and is Sacred to the Creator. My love for wolves has led me down many paths. Most recently I found an interesting article about the relation between Wolves and Trees, and I would like to share this with you. Please note that this is simply one small example of how the Wolf fits into the ecosystem.
‘Wolves linked to tree recovery’
By MIKE STARK
Reintroduced wolves appear to be playing a major role in the resurgence of streamside trees and shrubs in certain portions of in Yellowstone National Park, according to two new studies by scientists at Oregon State University.
When wolves were absent from the park, from the 1920s until the mid-1990s, elk grazed heavily and repeatedly on young cottonwoods, aspen and willows. Since wolves have returned, the elk have been forced to be more mobile, which has meant easing up on certain feeding spots.
“Wolves are the top of the food chain,” Bill Ripple, an OSU forestry professor who has been studying aspen and other species in Yellowstone since 1997, said Tuesday. “Wolves affect elk and elk affect species like aspen.”
In recent years, young cottonwoods and willows have been especially robust in areas where elk may have once browsed but now feel the threat of wolves, including places where they have few ways to escape, Ripple said.
“If they’re boxed in against a canyon wall or a cutbank on a river — those seemed to be the places which are showing more growth,” Ripple said.
Meanwhile, low-risk sites for elk are still being consumed and show little growth, according to the studies.
The findings of the studies were recently published in the journals Ecological Applications and Forest Ecology and Management.
The idea behind the studies is to examine the effect that wolves are having in the Yellowstone ecosystem beyond simple predation on elk and other prey.
“With the restoration of wolves in Yellowstone, for the first time we have the full suite of top carnivores,” Ripple said. “That is a grand experiment for us to take notice of what the connections are between different animals and plants.”
Ripple acknowledged that the results of the studies are still “somewhat preliminary” because wolves have only been back in Yellowstone since 1995. Still, researchers say it’s hard to ignore the hypothesis that there’s a strong connection between the return of wolves and the revival of certain plants and trees.
“The data show a clear and remarkable linkage between the presence of wolves and the health of an entire streamside ecosystem,” said an announcement from OSU about the studies.
In some areas on wintering range for elk, researchers found hundreds of short cottonwood seedlings among cottonwoods that were 70 years old or older, but very few trees that had not been chewed off before they passed the seedling stage.
“Long-term elk browsing has been preventing any seedling from getting taller,” Robert Beschta, a forestry professor emeritus at OSU, said about one area along the Lamar River.
Scientists said they were able to see a clear connection between the removal of wolves in late 1800s and early 1900s and a decline in species such as cottonwoods and aspen.
“I considered a variety of potential reasons that might explain the historical decline of cottonwoods that began in the 1920s and have continued up to the last couple of years,” Beschta said in a statement Tuesday. “I looked at climate change, lack of floods, fire suppression, natural stand dynamics, and numbers of elk. But none of those factors really explained the problem. Ultimately, it became clear that wolves were the answer.”
Without fear of wolves, the elk were allowed to browse anywhere they liked for decades, the scientists said. Killing off cottonwoods, willows and other streamside shrubs allowed for increased erosion and effects on birds, insects and other wildlife, they said.
“Before the wolves came back, it was pretty clear that in some areas we were heading toward an outright extinction of cottonwoods,” Beschta said.
Streamside shrubs and cottonwoods in places such as the Lamar Valley have rebounded since the reintroduction of wolves, growing taller and becoming more prevalent, the scientists said.
“There’s this domino effect from wolves to elk to trees,” Ripple said.
The OSU researchers caution that their studies aren’t an encompassing look at Yellowstone and the effects of wolves, but it is an indication that the wolves appear to have stopped a major decline in the survival rates of cottonwoods and willows.
“One point that should not be missed is this is actually great news for the potential recovery of cottonwood trees and mature willows in Yellowstone National Park,” Ripple said. “We now have a pretty good idea why they were in decline and the return of wolves should help pave the way for their recovery. Even though it may take a very long time, for a change it looks
like we’re headed in the right direction.”
Please Visit Defenders of Wildlife to learn more facts about the Wolf and how you can help
Adopt a Wolf.. a wonderful Gift!
Posted by msterilinn on Nov 20, 2007
No matter the season, a gift from the heart to help those in desperate need brings such a great feeling. As I live and breathe my goals each day are to do something worthwhile to help the Earth’s wild creatures. There is a great danger to our four legged friends, the Gray Wolf. If we do not put a stop to aerial gunning in Alaska, these beautiful creatures will soon only be found in the books of History. This is very sad indeed, as these animals have a right to share this Earth alongside us, as part of the great Balance. Who are we to question Creation in deciding what may live and what we must drive into extinction? Has man lost all sense of honor and can no longer tell right from wrong? This is so obviously wrong to me, and my heart goes out to the Wolf, among many others suffering through human greed. There is no honor in killing animals in this way. Unless they have gone rogue, and are causing harm to others, they have every right to live just as you and I. Should we begin hunting humans because there are simply too many of us, and we no longer wish to share the land? As that would be abominally wrong, so it the senseless hunting of those struggling to survive in the rapidly dwindling natural world.
All Life is Sacred!
I am asking people to look into their hearts and consider adopting a Wolf. Or perhaps another animal of your choice. If this is something you feel drawn to, please visit the Wildlife Adoption Center to Adopt a Wolf.
Adopt a Gray Wolf Family and you’ll receive a big 17”, super-cuddly plush wolf toy, a personalized Certificate of Adoption with an attractive 5″x7″ wolf photo and a fact sheet full of great information about these magnificent animals. You can also choose to receive a Kids Wildlife Activities book for that special young person in your life.
As mentioned on the Wildlife Adoption Center adoption site, here is how things stand among the Wolf Family…
Once virtually eliminated from the lower 48 United States, wolves have made an incredible comeback since Defenders and others successfully fought for their re-introduction into Yellowstone National Park in 1995.
But these and other wolves in America face a highly uncertain future, as plans are readied to remove vital protections and clear the way for the massacre of hundreds of wolves in the Greater Yellowstone area and the American Southwest.
In Alaska, a state-sanctioned slaughter from the skies continues as aerial gunners shoot wolves from aircraft, or chase them to exhaustion, land and shoot wolves at point-blank range.
In the Greater Yellowstone region, one of the greatest conservation victories in decades could be destroyed as federal officials plan to lift critical protections for wolves — and turn over management duties to states that want to massacre hundreds of wolves within their borders.
In the Southwest, fewer than 60 wolves struggle to maintain a foothold in the wild as anti-wolf forces rally to eliminate their very existence.
But by Adopting a Gray Wolf Family, you’ll support our work to save these magnificent animals. We’re urging Congress to pass vital legislation to put an end to Alaska’s aerial gunning program — and prevent programs like it from spreading to states like Idaho and Wyoming.
We’re fighting to keep critical federal protections in place for gray wolves in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Rockies region so that wolves will be protected for future generations. We’re on the ground in Arizona and New Mexico, countering anti-wolf misinformation to ensure that wolves have a future in the Southwest.
But our work doesn’t stop there. We continue to work with ranchers to compensate them for livestock losses attributed to wolves and to find ways to prevent conflicts between wolves and livestock before they occur.
Whether you Adopt a Gray Wolf Family, Adopt a Gray Wolf, Adopt a Gray Wolf Pack or Adopt a Gray Wolf Mom & Pup, you can take pride in knowing you’re doing your part to protect America’s majestic wolves for future generations to cherish.
Visit the Wildlife Adoption Center Today!
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“A new business opportunity can become a good future investment plan if not started on loans. Try and abstain from unnecessary use of your creditcard too.”
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