Wildlife preserve: Choosing the right partners and tactics help wildland managers protect wyoming habitat

摘要

Nature is not a static force; change is inevitable. Wyoming's big game and bird populations have survived for centuries by continually adapting to their changing surroundings, food sources and water supply. But human intervention enormously impacted the speed at which their habitat changes, and many species can't keep up with this rapid pace. Realizing that many native species are in peril, one Wyoming group is working to protect the state's natural habitat and native species. Ryan Amundson has worked with Wyoming Game and Fish as a habitat extension biologist for 11 years, focused on Region 6 in southeastern Wyoming. He's seen the landscape and wildlife populations change and survive with each passing year. But one change especially worries him. The native Wyoming grasslands have slowly transformed into one huge flammable field of invasive cheatgrass. This not only decreases habitat for native species, but during the dry season, one tiny spark can quickly destroy some of the country's most cherished wildlife habitat.