Think like a mountain

This quote is from Aldo Leopold's 1949 conservation classic A Sand County Almanac, specifically the essay "Thinking Like a Mountain".

What did he mean by that? Without wolves, there are too many deer, which puts a heavy strain on the vegetation. Trees, grasses, and shrubs can no longer stabilize the soil, leading to erosion. Rainwater is washed down the mountain slopes without being able to seep into the ground slowly enough. Instead, the water carries away precious soil, washing it into rivers, lakes, and the sea. As a result, drought sets in and the last of the humus is blown away by the wind.

This is where Water Cycle Restoration Practitioners come in today; we slow the water down again so that it can sink into the ground and slowly make its way through the land. Vegetation can thus take root again. The soil is thereby rebuilt and becomes more fertile with each passing year. Wolves are welcome helpers in this process!