Mexican gray wolf F837

The US Department of the Interior released a report this month with data reflecting that  recreational use of public lands creates more jobs and more money than public lands ranching.  Recreational use is also better at preserving natural habitat.  Ralph Maughan of The Wildlife News points out that, “despite the staggering disparity in economic value of these competing land uses, the Bureau of Land Management continues to manage public lands to benefit public lands ranching above and beyond all other uses.” A great portion of the Mexican Wolf Recovery area in the southwest consists of public lands. If more of the southwest’s “land of many uses” was set aside for recreation and the restoration of a disappearing species, we would need not worry about conflicts involving livestock and perhaps the economic value of the land could increase.  Please click here to read more of Maughan’s compelling article.