LOGGING DEAD TREES | SALMON CAMP HOUSING CRUNCH | SEX, DEATH AND SPAGHETTI High Country ForN people whoews care about the West Line of Descent Management missteps and turf wars have left endangered Mexican wolves dangerously inbred — and desperate for new blood | By Cally Carswell August 8, 2016 | $5 | Vol. 48 No. 13 | www.hcn.org 13 48 No. | $5 Vol. August 8, 2016 CONTENTS FROM OUR WEBSITE: HCN.OR G Editor’s note Multimedia Trending Can this shotgun #BlackLivesMatter protests marriage be saved? across the West What can we In July, white police officers fatally shot two learn from You don’t expect a report from black men — Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Ed Abbey? the Interior Department’s Then, during a Dallas protest, a sniper shot Writer Edward Abbey inspector general to be and killed five police officers. Although the died on March 14, interesting, let alone insightful, events didn’t take place in the West, Western 1989. Several recent but the newly released communities, both urban and rural, grapple with books take on his Investigative Report of the racial justice and policing. That was made even environmental legacy clearer as people protested across the region in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s and his difficult the following weeks. LYNDSEY GILPIN views on other issues, Mexican Wolf Program manages MORE: hcne.ws/week-of-protests particularly women to be both. The 17-page report was ordered by U.S. and minorities. Rep. Steven Pearce, R-N.M., on behalf of Catron All the Wild that County, to investigate alleged misconduct by federal Remains: Edward staff overseeing the recovery of the endangered Abbey, Wallace Mexican wolf. It reads like the transcript of a Stegner, and the marriage mediation session — one that failed. American West seeks Catron County’s ranching community plays the insights for today, as unhappy wife, who never wanted to have Mexican forces like climate change threaten the wolves in the first place. She believes her husband, two writers’ beloved Fish and Wildlife, only loves her for her habitat, landscapes. Finding and has deliberately ignored the danger wolves Abbey: The Search pose to people, concealed information about their for Edward Abbey whereabouts, clandestinely removed evidence of and his Hidden wolf-killed livestock, and failed to compensate her for U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell visits ancient cli dwellings in McCloyd Canyon near Blanding, Desert Grave is losses. Oh, he’s also a bleeding-heart animal lover, Utah, during a tour of the area that includes the proposed Bears Ears National Monument last Sean Prentiss’ quest Brooke, aka F1472, a 5-day-old Mexican wolf pup born at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago in April, gets a neonatal whose staff and volunteers “were seen crying when month. Jewell also attended a public hearing in Blu, Utah. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR for posthumous exam before being tucked into a carry-on bag and flown to Arizona, where she and her brother, Blaze, will be one of the wolves in the program had to be killed.” advice on how to live a life that is “cross-fostered” with the Elk Horn Pack. CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY The husband claims that he has bent over Emotions run high over Bears Ears meaningful. And backwards to accommodate his wife’s extreme Abbey in America: A FEATURE On July 16, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell visited monument would attract more people and result lupophobia. There are no documented cases of Bluff, Utah, for a public hearing on a proposal in more environmental and cultural impacts. Philosopher’s Legacy wolf attacks in the Southwest, he says, and he’s from five regional tribes to designate the Others fear the designation would cut off access in a New Century 14 On the cover Line of Descent only withheld information to protect the wolves Bears Ears National Monument. The proposed to tribal land and traditional piñon-gathering offers an anthology Management missteps and turf wars have left endangered Mexican wolves from possible abuse. As one federal leader told monument is intended to increase protections on areas. Approximately 70 people spoke during of perspectives on Zana, a 4-year-old Abbey. Mexican gray wolf, dangerously inbred — and desperate for new blood By Cally Carswell investigators, “Some staff might have been 1.9 million acres of federally managed canyons the three-and-a-half-hour hearing, with members apprehensive about speaking with ranchers they and mesas, land that is archaeologically rich and of the public chosen by lottery to give input. BY ANDREA CLARK tends to her 1-month- MASON considered ‘mean.’ ” considered sacred by many Native Americans. Just about everyone who spoke clearly cared old puppies at CURRENTS Chicago’s Brookeld The report seems to lead to one conclusion: Hundreds of people began lining up to comment about the landscape in question and wanted it more than three hours before the hearing began. to be protected to some degree, even those most You say Zoo. Two pups from 5 Due to irreconcilable differences, this partnership Forest fatalities California has an epidemic of dead trees. Despite worries about potential flare-ups, the passionately opposed to the monument. Jewell the same litter were But should those trees be logged to reduce fire risk? is doomed, and so is the Mexican wolf. But that’s JANET MOENCH removed in April to be hearing was impassioned but largely respectful. largely refrained from comment. It’s not clear “His credentials in 5 not what contributing editor Cally Carswell finds The divides between critics and supporters when a decision on the monument will be made, “cross-fostered” with The Latest: California water tunnels reporting this issue’s cover story. The wolves are too regard to wilderness the Elk Horn Pack in are blurry: While the monument, which would but, with the end of President Barack Obama’s are impeccable; 7 closely related, and without new blood, they could Arizona. Will a Colorado compromise end a water tug-of-war? be partially managed by tribes, has received term looming, it’s likely to be in the next several other than that, he substantial Native American support, many months. CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY Controversial deal for trans-mountain diversion project faces scrutiny eventually struggle to reproduce. Unfortunately, is simply another tribal members are resistant. Shirley Clarke, a 7 The Latest: Navajo uranium mine cleanup some of the most genetically diverse individuals JONATHAN THOMPSON human, warts and have been killed because of conflicts with ranchers. Navajo living in Blanding, Utah, worried that a MORE: hcne.ws/bears-ears-hearing all.” 8 Columbia River ‘shadow tribes’ face housing crisis Wolves raised in contained breeding facilities Feds promise lodging at fish camps — but don’t deliver sometimes have trouble adapting to life in a vast MIKE ZOBBE “He inspired me to 11 Seeds of change Seed storage project takes new approach landscape — especially one filled with cows. Despite this, some progress is being made Quoted stand up for the to tracking plants’ response to climate change to reduce tensions: The Mexican Wolf/Livestock natural world, but he Coexistence Council, which includes ranchers and (Congress must) immediately pass was a bit of a bigot.” conservationists, was formed a few years ago, DEPARTMENTS LYNN JACKSON and, though underfunded, is helping by better universal legislation providing the timely 905 3 FROM OUR WEBSITE: HCN.ORG Number of signatures “Great writer, deep compensating ranchers for livestock losses. But the “and orderly mechanism requiring gathered on a White thinker. But I wish relationship clearly needs a fresh start. Complete access 4 LETTERS House petition calling he had romanticized to subscriber-only In April, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the federal government to convey for the firing of some place other content 12 THE HCN COMMUNITY Research Fund, Dear Friends committed to publishing new vows in the form of National Park Service than Moab. I put a a revised recovery plan by November 2017. That’s Director Jon Jarvis. great deal of what HCN’s website 21 MARKETPLACE certain federally controlled public good news, biologist Mike Phillips told Carswell, but Jarvis is under scrutiny has become of Moab hcn.org 24 WRITERS ON THE RANGE steadfast implementation will be even more critical, lands to the states. for not taking swifter (little of it good) squarely on old Digital edition Sometimes, the West must defend itself against itself By Adam M. Sowards along with “a willingness to accept that no matter —The 2016 Republican Party platform draft as it read, in part, action to address hcne.ws/digi-4813 charges that the Cactus Ed’s writings what you do, some people are going to be frustrated going into the Republican National Convention in July. The 2012 26 BOOKS agency has a culture of about the place.” about this, some people are going to be frustrated platform had similar, but” slightly more nuanced, language: Reviewed by Ben Goldfarb sexual harassment and Follow us The Ancient Minstrel by Jim Harrison. about that. You’re the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; “Congress should reconsider whether parts of the federal MORE: hcne.ws/ government’s enormous landholdings and control of water in the employee misconduct. 27 ESSAY that’s the way it is.” It will never be a perfect edward-abbey and West could be better used for ranching, mining LYNDSEY GILPIN Facebook.com/ By Michael Baughman People on Twitter posted protests from around Gone fishing marriage, but there’s still a chance to save it. or forestry through private ownership.” MORE: hcne.ws/ highcountrynews --Paul Larmer, executive director/publisher the West, including tweets from @highcountrynews 28 HEARD AROUND THE WEST By Betsy Marston @BLMLA, @JanetRWeil and @bethnakamura.