R SOC375 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Managed Intensive Rotational Grazing, Allan Savory, Livestock Grazing Comparison

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Rural Sociology
• Course: R SOC375
• Professor: John Parkins

Document Summary

Allan savory how to fight desertification and reverse climate change. We think we can solve all problems with technology. Desertification happens when we create too much bare ground. Only happens in arid/semi-arid areas: mostly by livestock. When you damage soil, c goes back into the atmosphere. Suggested bring down # of elephants shot 40,000 elephants to stop damage. Burning 1 ha of grasslands gives off more damaging pollution than 6000 cars. Proposed solution: use livestock to mimic natural herds, mimic nature: holistic planned grazing keep grazing animals bunched and moving, also need simple detailed planning to simulate roaming patterns of ancient herds. Can take pre-industrial levels for c if we do. Many believe too many animals cause overgrazing, but critical factor is not herd size but time. Overresting can leave plants untrampled and absence of till from soil that large, bunched herds do can leave land bare and harden the soil surface.