Enviro Show Still on the Rocks

Greetings Earthlings. As the title says, we are still looking into all those rock formations out there, this time with Peter Waksman who blogs at https://rockpiles.blogspot.com/.

Our Critter of the Week segment has some good old news from David Foster: "Wolves are becoming well established across mainland Denmark, are reproducing, and are expected to increase substantially. Through ongoing immigration from Germany and native breeding since 2019, the population now stands around 78 animals, comprising at least eight breeding pairs, six packs, 23–28 wandering individuals, and 35 pups born in the country in 2024. What makes this phenomenon so astonishing is how ill suited this countryside appears for wolves. That is, unsuited by conventional thinking, the kind that suggests that moose could not adapt to southern New England; that bears would not situate around the cities of western Massachusetts; or that coyotes, beavers, and fishers would not saturate these same landscapes. As I explored the dynamics of wolves in Denmark, I reflected on the ongoing return of native wildlife to the much more heavily forested landscape of New England and asked—Why not here?" Glad you asked, David. One reason is the cowboy mentality from days of old. We've talked about that on the show for years, just recently Glen spoke of Aldo Leopold's "Sand County Almanac" and the author's epiphany regarding this keystone species.

And that brings us to our Quote of the Week:

The cowman who cleans his range of wolves does not realize that he is taking over the wolf’s job of trimming the herd to fit the range. He has not learned to think like a mountain. Hence we have dustbowls, and rivers washing the future into the sea.

- Aldo Leopold.

The Enviro Show on WXOJ-LP (103.3 fm) and streaming at www.ValleyFreeRadio.org from Florence, MA every other Tuesday, 6:00 to 7:00pm. rebroadcast Thursdays at 2pm. in MA. Also, we are on air at WMCB, (107.9fm) streaming at http://wmcb.net/Listen.html in Greenfield, Monday at 8am & Wednesday at 7am & Friday at 8am, and at WMNB-LP 107.1fm Wednesdays at 6pm. Also Tune-in at https://tunein.com/radio/Valley-Free-Radio-WXOJ-LP-1033-s50205/. > "The best antidote to despair is action!".