Conserving tradition, not life

Published On: 8 September 2010Last Updated: 17 January 2017By Charleen Angle

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Perfectly good tax-payer park land being used to promote outdated, harmful, selfish, and destructive practices. I get their game- "preserving historic farms." But, at what expense? How about the lives of animals?

The Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Countryside Conservancy has leased land to an individual who will raise animals for slaughter on the property. Laura DeYoung will practice ”sustainable farming and environmental stewardship,” as she raises “free-range” chickens and sheep for wool and meat. Darwin Kelsey, the conservancy’s executive director, said, “raising gourmet lamb was appropriate for that site.”

Perfectly good tax-payer park land being used to promote outdated, harmful, selfish, and destructive practices. I get their game- “preserving historic farms.” But, at what expense? How about the lives of animals? Clean water? I understand this is no CAFO DeYoung is running here, but does it make it any less horrible? Just because my neighbor isn’t Monsanto, he’s still poisoning the Earth when he sprays his sidewalk with his one bottle of Roundup.

DeYoung has a doctorate in environmental planning and claims to have “fallen in love” with sheep during time spent in England. What’s she got against American sheep? Where’s the love gone? And why are universities teaching that proper environmental planning can include little bits of destruction here and there?

What’s worse, is that she hopes to pass on this inadequate education to the youth,

DeYoung hopes to sneak in a little education about ‘sustainable farming and environmental stewardship,’ ‘If I get people out here to see the cute little lambs or the border collies, then maybe we can get them to listen to some issues.’

Yes, if people will come see the cute little lambs (“gourmet meat”) she intends to slaughter, she will tell them how it is all good for the environment and stuff.

To add insult to injury, her fundraising efforts include her “lease-a-sheep program-” for $250, one can sponsor a ewe, which allows visitations to see her shorn, and also includes a blanket made out of her wool. What a great way to teach our children the value of life- pay money to see an imprisoned, frightened animal restrained and shaven.

Sheep are animals, like we are- not commercial items.