EPIC monitors livestock grazing on public lands. Because of historic abuse of grazing leases on lands held in the public trust, EPIC will continue to pursue legal action and other measures to ensure that these lands be protected from undue harm.
After assessment of the lake Earl Wildlife Area's grazing areas, EPIC's Wendell Wood sent a detailed letter to the California Department of Fish & Game outlining several key questions we would like answered.
According to the Lake Earl Wildlife Area grazing leases, they require that "livestock will be rotated between pastures when grass is removed to an approximate height of three or four inches."
Instead, cattle are allowed to consume the grass that was supposed to be provided for the geese.
With the exception of "light" goose use in 1997, Aleutian goose use has not been reported here since 1980 according to Calif. Coastal Conservancy funded study Aleutian Cackling Goose Agricultural Depredation Management Plan Del Norte County 2005- 2006.
The south pasture is contained within the "Del Norte Habitat Conservation (recovery) Area for the federally listed Oregon silverspot butterfly, as designated in the USFWS's 2001 revised recovery plan.
While claiming to be providing short grass for Aleutian geese, the Lake Earl Wildlife Area has effectively eliminated public access in many areas of the Lake Earl Wildlife Area.
In contradiction, the grazing leases however state: "It should be noted that grazing units will not be restricted from public use and recreation."
