Friday November 6, 2009, 8:08 pm
Really? That's how they spun introducing cattle to a wildlife preserve? That happened here in the US, after Bush passed a multi-purpose use law in recreational areas. I recall, trail erosion and tip-toe-ing through cow paddy corrals (no corrals tho), plus getting stared down by two big bulls, that was pretty intimidating and probably dangerous during mating season. In Bush's case tho...he wasn't just dishing bullshit, he literally wanted us to walk through it.

Saturday November 7, 2009, 2:43 am
If people can adhere to rules, there wont be a problem, but then you do get the few ignorant humans. Good comment Roseann. I appears to me that not many people approved of the Bush regime.

Saturday November 7, 2009, 6:42 am
What have cows and wildlife have in common... these two should not be introduced together.. in the same way we cannot put zebra's and horses together as the zebra pass on African horse sickness to horses... surely the wildlfe could do the same to the cows... These two are like oil and water they do not blend well

Saturday November 7, 2009, 12:29 pm
I hope it works!

Saturday November 7, 2009, 12:57 pm
Noted !!

Saturday November 7, 2009, 1:58 pm
Definitely having dogs roam the fields would be detrimental to nesting birds, but it does appear that there could be a better alternative than introducing livestock. Cattle could just as well walk on or lay down on a skylark nesting site.

If grazing indeed will improve the habitat, I would suggest introducing a more nimble wild herbivore like deer, but since the ranger's last name is Herd, I s'pose he prefers a 'herd' of cattle.

Saturday November 7, 2009, 2:54 pm
Here in the UK many of our wildlife reserves include livestock (normally rare breeds), which are a minimal threat to ground-nesting birds because the sitting bird can scare off an approaching beast and return to the nest quite happily. The cow is just very surprised, and moves away to carry on grazing and doing a good management job. Dogs are completely banned, even with leads!

Saturday November 7, 2009, 6:44 pm
Well if it is truley a wildlife preserve dogs should NOT be allowed...

Big Gorilly Hgs

Saturday November 7, 2009, 9:20 pm
Well, one must choose and frankly Dogs on or off leash have no place there. The cows are a different matter, growing rural I have seen growd birds do very well in deed at keeping cows in their place and away from their nests and young, dogs on the other hand are an activ threat to the birds, their eggs and young. Good luck!

Sunday November 8, 2009, 1:28 pm
thanks for the info Marie! it sounds like experience talking.hope it continues to work!!thank you Katie

Sunday November 8, 2009, 2:29 pm

Marie G and Lloyd H are cottect. This area was a former farm. Very probably far too small and with improper cover for deer and too wet for lamas. These cattle have had hundreds of years to adapt to living with nesting birds. Even in the US, more recently introduced dairy or beef cattle do not significantly bother ground nesting birds. Dogs and cats are very dangerous to such ground nesting birds.

Sunday November 8, 2009, 3:29 pm
The area may have been a former farm, however Cows are NOT native to the United States as are the Buffalo. Cattle were brought here by the Spanish and later by the English. We have enough problems, not to mention enough cows for many lifetimes, without allowing them in a Nature Preserve or to in any way pretend they are part of Nature... they are not. They are domesticated for milk and meat production. The sickening way we have treated our fellow creatures is further made worse when we fool ourselves into thinking they can get along in the "wild". Please keep the cow in the barn! or better yet free All Creatures from the sentimental thinking that they are in any way having a more pleasant existence by wandering around in a way that in no ways resembles their real Homes.

Sunday November 8, 2009, 5:32 pm
The dogs can have an aggressive behaviour against the birds. Cows as they are vegetarian, are more compatible with wildlife.