Around a hundred protestors gathered over the weekend at Point Reyes National Seashore to demonstrate against the ranchers who’ve operated in the area for decades, some for even a hundred years or more.
According to the protesters, the 34 ranchers with thousands of cattle in the park contaminate the environment, which was founded 59 years ago last week as a nature preserve.
"The acrid smell of cow manure, fresh creek beds destroyed by cattle and bulldozers" one demonstrator called out, to which others responded, "No!"
The issue has been ongoing for years. As recently as three years ago the park service proposed reducing the nunber of ranches in the park. But in 2020, bowing the political pressure, the service agreed to renegotiate property leases, a process which is still underway.
"The ranchers have shown that they cannot conduct their business in a way that’s consistent with the values of the National Park’s Service," said one demonstrator Kate Wing.
It’s not just the environment itself that has the protesters riled up.
Demonstrators were also unhappy with what they claim is mismanagement of tule elk which inhabit part of the park, many of whom have died in recent years, and recent droughts are likely to worsen conditions further.
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