The spectacular red rocks surrounding Sedona, Arizona, were once rimmed by grasslands like those shown above. Then, in the mid 1980s, cattle ranching was halted in much of the area to “protect” it and make it “natural” (by reducing human use of the area — remember that’s the definition of “natural” — protected from use by humans). That strategy reduced the grazer-grassland-herder synergy that had been sustained in this area by ranchers and cattle and had dated back to the days of bison, Indians, wolves, and more.
Click the following video to see what happened and to learn the new name this area has earned.
(Can you think of a better name?)
