I recently learned that the US Fish & Wildlife Service has issued a removal order of a Mexican Gray Wolf currently on national forest lands in Arizona that includes killing the endangered species, if necessary. The reason? For allowing the wolf to live its natural life as a predator while not expecting owners of introduced species to provide protection for their own animals. The bare-bones facts are that a few private individuals are making personal profit on public lands and expect our tax dollars to support them when their non-native animals are victims of natural processes. Now, I love to garden and grow my own food. Why doesn’t the Forest Service allow individuals to conduct permaculture practices on public land and then reimburse us when rabbits and elk eat our carrots and cabbages? And I would also expect the FS to fence my garden and provide me with a well so I can sell food and make a living. There is no difference in this scenario; this is how the cattle industry is supported. So, let’s all join in on the bounty and garden on public land! And to top it off, the US Fish & Wildlife Service has actually killed and continues to kill endangered species to protect private profit. This is absurd, inexcusable, unconscionable, and morally wrong. Please contact your US Forest Service District Rangers and let them know we all want to profit on our public lands just as the ranching industry is successfully doing.

Carol Ann Fugagli
Silver City, NM