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jeffreyi

(2,200 posts)
27. I was hiking the other day on a mountain range east of here
Sun Nov 24, 2024, 01:31 PM
Nov 24

and encountered a huge resource project, cutting Utah junipers out of aspen stands and sagebrush steppe, and piling the slash. These juniper trees are 80-100 years old; they have established and expanded because of fire exclusion, grazing, and changing climate which has been going on for decades. There are millions of acres of public land in this condition in the Intermountain West. The effects are basically a loss of diversity and ecological function and wildlife habitat, including sage grouse. So it's very interesting to me when a project like this happens; the crews are cutting junipers out of the scarce aspen stands as well as the uplands in several drainages. The vegetation and soils and wildlife response will be interesting to follow. I learned that this project is 3300 acres. The work is all hand work, guys with chain saws. I have done this on my little personal postage stamp acreage, and the work is brutally hard. At least my 72-year old body thinks so. Anyway, my friends and I finally found the work crew, and visited with them. They were all Latinos from Mexico and Honduras. They are working under a federal contract, so by law they are making decent wages. These guys reminded me of Sherpas on Everest, they are that strong. There is no way in hell any volunteer people in this country that I am aware of could or would do that work. I think for the crew members to work under a federal contract they have to have green cards. But I wonder if they are in the deportation cross hairs anyway. I bet a bunch of them don't stick around to find out come Jan 6. There is so much work to do on our rangelands and forests just to get the fuels down to a non-catastrophic level, much of it hand work, and 90% of the American population can't or won't do the work. I personally think that if people from other countries want to come here and work for a decent period of time on our public lands, they should have a pathway to citizenship. Assuming they want it. They very well might not these days.

Recommendations

9 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

This is one of Musk/Trump/Putin goals. Degrade and destroy the federal workforce, Irish_Dem Nov 24 #1
This needs to be shared widely Tesha Nov 24 #2
The TSF voters need to understand why they should care (and yes they should) RandomNumbers Nov 24 #11
Even if mainstream media published this, Trump voters would not believe it. Lonestarblue Nov 24 #15
The Fascists do not want to pay one penny in taxes. magicarpet Nov 24 #3
Eye-opening post! More folks need to get informed about what is going to happen on the ground level jmbar2 Nov 24 #4
Elon and Vivek have no real power Trish6521 Nov 24 #39
Republicans have wanted to USS_Dauntless Nov 25 #45
What? Brenda Nov 26 #59
I don't blame you. yardwork Nov 24 #5
Kudos to you! Sounds like you've got a more exciting future mapped out for yourself! PortTack Nov 24 #6
Department of Energy? Aviation Pro Nov 24 #7
DoD DenaliDemocrat Nov 24 #13
Former cold warrior and IC here Aviation Pro Nov 24 #30
Good luck to you. What they're doing to us is just criminal. Liberal In Texas Nov 24 #8
In his first term TFA tried to undo every Obama accomplishment Zorro Nov 24 #9
My friend works at DownriverDem Nov 24 #10
A few extra dollars SickOfTheOnePct Nov 24 #25
My best wishes for your future LittleGirl Nov 24 #12
That's What I Constantly Say To People Deep State Witch Nov 24 #26
Good point: the guy put in charge of government efficiency paid $44 billion for Twitter. surfered Nov 24 #14
And he (muskrat) broke the world's record in loss of assets, estimates range from $182 billion to $200 billion... SWBTATTReg Nov 24 #34
My path is different, but! MaineNative Nov 24 #16
Yep Aviation Pro Nov 24 #31
I'm with you, Denali! COL Mustard Nov 24 #17
Going to affect lots of State level employees HighFired49 Nov 24 #40
Me too Puppyjive Nov 24 #18
The Forest Service jeffreyi Nov 24 #19
Evangelicals are always saying that markodochartaigh Nov 24 #20
I was hiking the other day on a mountain range east of here jeffreyi Nov 24 #27
Cutting down trees, even with a chainsaw, markodochartaigh Nov 24 #42
Excellent post jeffreyi Brenda Nov 26 #58
I was a fed who was able to retire in 2017, 2 weeks after he was inaugurated the first time BumRushDaShow Nov 24 #21
Best wishes for you in your future. . . . h2ebits Nov 24 #22
I hear you & don't blame you - TBF Nov 24 #23
I'm One Of The COVID Retirees Deep State Witch Nov 24 #24
Thank you for your service... Dem4life1970 Nov 24 #28
That's what's happening to my sister-in-law at Walmart who is a cake decorator. cstanleytech Nov 24 #29
Tell me more about FEMA and Helene stollen Nov 24 #32
Who says . . . AverageOldGuy Nov 25 #46
FEMA did just fine DenaliDemocrat Nov 25 #47
Thanks for the explanation stollen Nov 26 #55
Everyone the storm affected that live in the stollen Nov 26 #54
K&R spanone Nov 24 #33
I don;t blame you LogDog75 Nov 24 #35
That's their plan. For people to leave and not be replaced IronLionZion Nov 24 #36
Yes there's a prevailing thought that bureaucrats just sit around all day doing nothing underpants Nov 25 #51
It's not just Fed workers Nigrum Cattus Nov 24 #37
27th year in and 6 more years to go. Smackdown2019 Nov 24 #38
Trump and Muak are COUNTING ON THIS. WarGamer Nov 24 #41
Post removed Post removed Nov 24 #43
Republican voters won't know what hit them! Aussie105 Nov 24 #44
The Republican goal was always to drown government in a bath tub. Historic NY Nov 25 #48
Thank you for your service! And I don't know about you, but I fucking hate Republicans LymphocyteLover Nov 25 #49
Eight years as an Army Civilian - 4 under Bush and 4 under Obama. SomewhereInTheMiddle Nov 25 #50
I certainly don't blame you Mike 03 Nov 25 #52
If you defer retirement, it might not be there at all in four years biophile Nov 25 #53
Good for you Denali. Brenda Nov 26 #56
What??? What??? You're a fed who's a member... LAS14 Nov 26 #57
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