How a good eco-system could turn into a bad eco-system?

Very thought provoking story of Zion National Park, Utah. Zion Canyon first settled by ranchers in 1862. When ranchers abandoned the canyon in 1918 it was established as a national park and became popular among visitors. A large number of visitors scared the wildlife animals like Cougars(Puma), hence the Cougars population started to decline. Since Cougars are the natural enemies of mule deer, mule deer population started to increase. The natural food for deer in the park was cottonwood plants on the banks and this eroded the banks which over-widened the channels which caused the abundance of wildflower plants taking away the natural beauty of the park.

 

Many organisations experience the similar change of eco-system where a gradual change in working environment and bad decisions by top executives brings discomfort in it’s loyal and intellectual people which they initially try to rectify the situation and eventually leave and this brings a vicious cycle where many of these good people leave in a short period of time. Looking from outside you might feel that a sudden change in the organisation has caused this but like Zion National Park, most of the time this is the result of a gradual change.

Sources

Impact of a cougar decline on Zion Canyon, Zion National Park 

http://www.nature.nps.gov/ParkScience/index.cfm?ArticleID=318

and Forrester Research.



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