Re: [pct-l] Re: Horses on the trails

[Don Gennero <gennero@acusd.edu>]

At 11:42 PM 7/13/98 -0400, Dane wrote:

>... We are loosing
>our beautiful mountain meadows through fire protection. John Muir was a
>sheep herder in Yosemite and many of these meadows are the result. No more
>sheep, no more meadows, trees and weeds are taking over. 

Dane, meadows are not created by sheep.  Sheep are(were) an unnatural part
of the mountain ecosystems in the Sierra.  Horses are, too!  But that's a
discussion I don't care to get into.  One way meadows are formed is when a
lake or pond dies (through natural succession over a long period of time)
and is slowly filled up with algae, sediment, plants, wildflowers, etc.
Another way a meadow forms is where there are natural springs or low spots
where moisture collects.  Trees don't grow very well in wet places like
that.  Over time, meadows change naturally and as they dry up, trees will
grow back in them.  This is the natural, normal process.  Having sheep
eating the young tree seedlings is not!

Don.IMHO  

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