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November 15, 2009

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Letter: Burros not best thing for desert

Thursday, June 17, 1999 | 9:49 a.m.

Bill Constantine relates in his recent letter that he is upset with the reduction in burro numbers up in the Red Rock area.

He wants us to provide them water and food so he can drive by in his car and show them to out-of-towners.

The Red Rock area is not a zoo. It is the Mojave Desert in all its glory, but it's not going to last.

The burros change the way that the desert functions. Burros change soils such that they keep native plants from re-establishing and they promote the introduction of non-native species.

The ability of native plants to regenerate their populations and maintain some degree of natural functioning is critical for the long-term sustainability of the Mojave Desert.

If all we want are a bunch of burros we can look at from a passing car, then let's set out some water and feed them all we can.

However, if we're interested in showing our future generations a glimpse of the Mojave Desert, in a fairly untouched condition, we better start doing something about it.

Removing some burros is a good start.

TRAVIS E. HUXMAN

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