Christopher Cardenas
Activity 2.3.2
1. Exploratory
Jim Howell is the owner of a company Grasslands LLC. Grasslands LLC uses techniques talked about in the last activity termed “Holistic Management”. Jim Howell’s business partners identify large acres of grasslands, purchase the land and by using holistic management techniques improve the land's health and amount of cattle held in one grassland. Holistic Management works because it is a technique that mimics natural grazing patterns. Properly using natural grazing patterns on a grassland improves the grass health which in turn increases the maximum capacity for cattle and furthers the region's biodiversity.
2. Diagnostic
Humans have used livestock for generations; it was only recently that ranchers have learned and implemented holistic management into their grasslands. Due to this much of the grasslands in America has been unmanaged and overgrazed leading to the decline in grassland and loss of biodiversity all throughout the country. However by mimicking natural grazing patterns Jim Howell and Co. have found a successful way to increase cattle profits while also stimulating plant growth helping revive dying grasslands. The most important fact to learn about cattle eating the plants is that these grasslands have evolved with large herds of animals for thousands of years. Rain in a grassland is not abundant most times of the year due to this the grass goes dormant for a period. When it's time to grow again the top of the grass needs to be taken off for the new grass to grow, much of the grass in this case can even die by not having a portion of itself eaten. By not having cattle eat the grass we have taken away the grasslands greatest partner. Introducing herbivore predators increases health as cattle begin to further pack together.
3. Cause and Effect
Mimicking natural grazing patterns allows for plants and animals to return back to status quo before humans stepped in. Following these grazing patterns allows for improved grass health which increases the capacity of biodiversity. In fact even increasing the amount of grass alive in a grassland helps mitigate climate change through a process called soil carbon sequestration. From the increased animals, specifically cattle living in the area, ranchers are able to increase profits by having not just larger quantities of animals but quality as well through better quality food.
4. Priority
Jim Howell identifies how important grasslands are the best with the fact that over 40% of the world is covered by grassland and while we may tend to focus on forests the most, grasslands are just as important. Grasslands health all over are being threatened from mismanaged overgrazing and have been struggling for decades now. This is very impactful as without good health grasslands are not able to support animals losing much of its biodiversity found in the past. It is this reason why it is very important for Americans to not only know more about grassland but impactful discoveries such as the “Holistic Management”. Holistic Management fights against bad practices found in the past and improves the health of grasslands not only in America but around the world. That is why we must support this innovation, and spread the message of how we have managed to find a way of aligning the goal of financial success with our natural ecosystem.
5. Application
This applies to me in a lot of ways that I probably couldn't even imagine. For first this most likely lowers the price of milk, certain meats and other dairy products. As the world gets more expensive it is great to learn about a way that ranchers have found a way to increase the amount of cattle they raise on one piece of land. But even on a cultural level this for me demonstrates ways of sustainability and ecological responsibility, not only for me but Americans all around. Supporting environmental conservation becomes an easier cause to push to the public showing my and other shifts to valuing long term environmental health for future generations.
6. Critical
“Jim Howell – Conserving and Restoring the World’s Grasslands” real;ly helped open my eyes to the importance of ranchers. Living in the city much of my ideas, ideologies, and things I find important are found in the city. However interviews like this show me the importance of a rancher and wash away my ignorance as I get to learn about what a rancher really does, not just from a reality TV show but from an actual rancher fighting for real and positive change. It is important to learn about other careers out there as it is easy to question the legitimacy of someone's lifestyle. Today was a good reminder that there are people in industries and walks of life that feel like entirely different worlds from me, demonstrating to me the great work they do for our nation.
Work cited
Roberson, E. (Host). (2016, May 26). Conserving and restoring the world’s grasslands [Audio podcast episode]. In Mountain & Prairie Podcast. http://mountainandprairie.com/jim-howell/
1. Exploratory
Jim Howell is the owner of a company Grasslands LLC. Grasslands LLC uses techniques talked about in the last activity termed “Holistic Management”. Jim Howell’s business partners identify large acres of grasslands, purchase the land and by using holistic management techniques improve the land's health and amount of cattle held in one grassland. Holistic Management works because it is a technique that mimics natural grazing patterns. Properly using natural grazing patterns on a grassland improves the grass health which in turn increases the maximum capacity for cattle and furthers the region's biodiversity.
2. Diagnostic
Humans have used livestock for generations; it was only recently that ranchers have learned and implemented holistic management into their grasslands. Due to this much of the grasslands in America has been unmanaged and overgrazed leading to the decline in grassland and loss of biodiversity all throughout the country. However by mimicking natural grazing patterns Jim Howell and Co. have found a successful way to increase cattle profits while also stimulating plant growth helping revive dying grasslands. The most important fact to learn about cattle eating the plants is that these grasslands have evolved with large herds of animals for thousands of years. Rain in a grassland is not abundant most times of the year due to this the grass goes dormant for a period. When it's time to grow again the top of the grass needs to be taken off for the new grass to grow, much of the grass in this case can even die by not having a portion of itself eaten. By not having cattle eat the grass we have taken away the grasslands greatest partner. Introducing herbivore predators increases health as cattle begin to further pack together.
3. Cause and Effect
Mimicking natural grazing patterns allows for plants and animals to return back to status quo before humans stepped in. Following these grazing patterns allows for improved grass health which increases the capacity of biodiversity. In fact even increasing the amount of grass alive in a grassland helps mitigate climate change through a process called soil carbon sequestration. From the increased animals, specifically cattle living in the area, ranchers are able to increase profits by having not just larger quantities of animals but quality as well through better quality food.
4. Priority
Jim Howell identifies how important grasslands are the best with the fact that over 40% of the world is covered by grassland and while we may tend to focus on forests the most, grasslands are just as important. Grasslands health all over are being threatened from mismanaged overgrazing and have been struggling for decades now. This is very impactful as without good health grasslands are not able to support animals losing much of its biodiversity found in the past. It is this reason why it is very important for Americans to not only know more about grassland but impactful discoveries such as the “Holistic Management”. Holistic Management fights against bad practices found in the past and improves the health of grasslands not only in America but around the world. That is why we must support this innovation, and spread the message of how we have managed to find a way of aligning the goal of financial success with our natural ecosystem.
5. Application
This applies to me in a lot of ways that I probably couldn't even imagine. For first this most likely lowers the price of milk, certain meats and other dairy products. As the world gets more expensive it is great to learn about a way that ranchers have found a way to increase the amount of cattle they raise on one piece of land. But even on a cultural level this for me demonstrates ways of sustainability and ecological responsibility, not only for me but Americans all around. Supporting environmental conservation becomes an easier cause to push to the public showing my and other shifts to valuing long term environmental health for future generations.
6. Critical
“Jim Howell – Conserving and Restoring the World’s Grasslands” real;ly helped open my eyes to the importance of ranchers. Living in the city much of my ideas, ideologies, and things I find important are found in the city. However interviews like this show me the importance of a rancher and wash away my ignorance as I get to learn about what a rancher really does, not just from a reality TV show but from an actual rancher fighting for real and positive change. It is important to learn about other careers out there as it is easy to question the legitimacy of someone's lifestyle. Today was a good reminder that there are people in industries and walks of life that feel like entirely different worlds from me, demonstrating to me the great work they do for our nation.
Work cited
Roberson, E. (Host). (2016, May 26). Conserving and restoring the world’s grasslands [Audio podcast episode]. In Mountain & Prairie Podcast. http://mountainandprairie.com/jim-howell/
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