Greedy ranchers; livestock pushing out fish and wildlife. How about a year end donation?

Do you want to really put your $20 to $2-million to work?

At this time of year every charity and conservation organization sends out pleas for a year end donation. Given the condition of the economy, most of them really need it. On the other hand, you want to make a cost/effective donation.

Only a few conservation groups expend much going after public land grazing. Maybe it doesn’t sound sexy. Foundations are risk-aversive to giving in a way that would offend our precious landed nobility in the West. Many conservation groups rely very heavily on the good will of these foundations. They are encouraged one way or another to play smileyface with these posers of the “Tradition of the West.”

A few groups do not. As a result they need more income from private donations to make up for the relative lack of foundation giving. If you are irritated enough to give some money, I’d suggest the Western Watersheds Project, Advocates for the West and the Buffalo Field Campaign.

This doesn’t mean there are not other groups, especially smaller ones, that merit a donation. I like the low overhead, high output, uncompromised efforts by these groups.

Nevada: Rancher greed has no limits

They even resent wildlife guzzlers–

“Members of the [Nevada] state Board of Agriculture argue that as their numbers increase, guzzlers are altering the landscape and taking precious resources, whether water or forage, from ranchers. They want to stop the Nevada Department of Wildlife from constructing any new guzzlers and are exploring possible legal challenges. Some ranchers say they are ready to sue over infringing wildlife.”

Guzzlers gouge rift between Nevada state agencies. By Sandra Chereb.- Associated Press Writer.

They are so greedy they oppose the direct collection of rainwater and snow by guzzlers.

– – – –

Added.

John Ralston is the most important political commentator in Nevada.

It’s not just greedy ranchers in the state.

Commentary: Marveling at the conflicts of interest, corruption tolerated in this state. By Jon Ralston. Las Vegas Sun

Idaho Senators try to pressure Tester to remove an area from his “wilderness bill”

Idaho snowmobile interests “own” the Idaho side of the Centennial Mountains, yet still want Mt. Jefferson on the Montana side removed from bill-

Conflicting Interests. Written by Mark Menlove. Backcountry Magazine.

I see that conservation groups who support Senator Tester’s  “Forest Jobs and Recreation Act (FJRA)” (a.k.a. “wilderness bill”) are waging a campaign to keep the area in the bill. The Idaho-based Blue Ribbon Coalition is using the Idaho senators to try to get Tester and Baucus to fold.