This page last updated February 11, 2005

T Lazy S Allotment & Denio Allotment Bureau of Land Management Disclaimer: The locations of photographs in  this album have not been determined through survey. Due to the intermingled nature of land ownerships throughout much of the west, some photographs where the context or caption imply or otherwise indicate government ownership may actually be located on intermingled or adjoining private lands.

Received from an anonymous source, January 16, 2002

We are all frustrated at the lack of responsible management of the public lands in Nevada. This past summer and fall was one of extremes and heartbreak. I normally like taking good photos with good light and composure but when I looked back, I didn't take many good ones of the deplorable range conditions that existed in the areas that I personally hunted in for birds and antelope. I am sending you three photos.

The first one is called erode1. I almost didn't send it because it is nothing special. This photo is identical across Nevada at thousands of other spring heads where cattle hammer the vegetation and eventually create waterflow problems at the source preventing water flow for wildlife in future years. It is so common that we all think it is the way it should be. It is an unnamed spring in the T Lazy S BLM Allotment in northern Eureka County.

The second photo, erode2, is of Bob's Creek, also in the T Lazy S allotment. Again, nothing earth shattering only because it is so common place to see bank erosion, exotic plants such as cheatgrass, mustard species, halogeton, and others that the cattle won't even forage on. As you can see the area was badly burned through the many range fires we have had over the last 3 years. But heaven forbid the area would be rested to allow the natives to recover. There actually is great site potential for native forbs and grasses but they never get a chance to flourish because of the intensive and poor timing of cattle grazing.

The third photo, erode3, is a spring on the Denio BLM Allotment in northern Washoe County. Not much to say here. What is sad is this is in the heart of sage grouse habitat. Though agencies hate to see bunny huggers misuse the endangered species act, when you look at this spring and many others in the adjacent Home Camp Allotment, you begin to tell yourself, maybe a hammer needs to drop on the permittees to prevent this raping of public land that undoubtedly has long-term impacts on the viability and sustainability of sage grouse populations.

Awareness is the first step in turning things around. It sounds like you're the man to help make that awareness happen. Hope you can use these toward a beneficial end.