Indicators

Hope, Boise Foothills, Native Plants

We call them wild horses because we love them. The truth is wild horses are not wild. They are feral.

And if feral horses were not so undeniably beautiful, we might see them differently. They make an impact, sometimes negative.

Invasive plants have taken over the Boise foothills, and sometimes people love them. Those bachelor’s buttons with their white, blue, and purple blends of color are gorgeous. But they replace our native plants, the ones that native animals rely on.

Indicator species, like the bitterbrush, rabbit brush, and sage brush, are plants I look for. When I see them, I am heartened. Here they are - an area where indicators thrive. And as much as I would love to rip out the tumbleweeds, they were just get replaced by more seeds, unless we are willing as humans to hand replace them with native plants.

The question becomes, which species is more important? And why do we value one habitat type over the other? With very little truly wild land left, a lot of these decisions are made based on the needs of commerce rather than the future of health of our planet, or conservation, or maintenance of natural resources.

As you drive into the Rocky Mountain Arsenal area now, you are hit by the marvel and awe of a beautiful prairie landscape. Landscapes like this remind us that sometimes we humans do make collectively good decisions—moments when we finally stop interfering in ways that harm the environment.

Why do we want to preserve keystone and indicator species? Because we care about life. Ecosystems can be delicate. Some invasive species are adorable: the brumbies of Australia, the non-native squirrels, goats, and bunnies. They charm us and they draw at our heartstrings. But then, they also take over consuming the resources that native species need to survive.

Feral animals like horses, bunnies, and goats can be breathtaking to watch, yet incredibly destructive to the land. We love seeing the horses running across the Owyhee. We love them so much that we call them “wild,” even though by definition they are feral. Many are eventually rounded up and auctioned to people who can domesticate them. In Australia, brumbies are so controversial that some are being culled. On certain islands, entire populations of goats have been removed to protect rare plants or endangered animals.

This incredible podcast from Radiolab outlines how the Galapagos were being destroyed by goats, and the incredible process scientists took to reduce this destruction to help others.

In Costa Rica, non-profits are partnering with farmers to connect wild lands to preserve canopy for various wild animals. This demonstration should give us hope because they are rebuilding wild lands to help animals thrive.

Are we willing to destroy one population to save another? Are we willing to adjust our commerce-driven practices to protect species? If a plant or animal exists only in one fragile habitat, while goats or horses exist worldwide, is the trade-off justified? How do we compromise between love for individual animals and responsibility to the whole ecosystem?

Arguments against culling brumbies often come down to cultural heritage. Supporters see them as part of Australia’s identity, valuable descendants of colonial horses with unique genetics. Opponents argue that their environmental impact is too severe. Brumbies erode soil, trample waterways, and threaten native species, making active and humane management necessary.

In the bigger picture, preserving ecosystems keeps the world intact. It can be hard to imagine, but entire industries exist simply to replace what nature used to do. Now we have beekeepers trucking bees across the country to pollinate farms.

There are so many different places that can give us hope about restoration. I will keep addressing the wild lands and how little is left. Here are other places to give us hope:

• The jaguar preserve in Belize

• Tidbinbilla in Australia

• The red panda sanctuaries in China, Tibet and Nepal

• Yellowstone

There is hope. Preserving biodiversity and ecosystems are not only about saving an animal, but are about saving the systems that support us all.