Check out Mike Hudak’s book Western Turf Wars for more information about the environmental destruction you’ll see in this photo gallery.

     Western Turf Wars.




Riparian Areas

Riparian zones, vegetated areas surrounding streams and other bodies of water, comprise less than 1% of the western states, but are essential to healthy wildlife populations. In Arizona and New Mexico, for example, approximately 75% of the vertebrate species depend on riparian habitat for at least a portion of their life cycles. Unfortunately for individuals of these species, between 85% and 90% of the riparian areas throughout the western states are degraded, primarily from livestock grazing or from livestock-related agriculture. Many riparian dependent wildlife species are now federally listed as threatened or endangered.