"The other point which will be taken as axiomatic is that nature and non-human animals are not part of human collectivization nor covered by any sort of natural human morality; in short, that nature is the "default" state, the resource to be consumed. In short that nature, animals and space are the "blank slate" for human action. Only humans are, for purposes of rights, considered "actors"."

Wrong. Morality is how our actions apply to others. Nonhuman animals are others. They have thoughts, emotions and actions.

It's a difference of degree of consciousness, not of kind. The kind, is the animal kingdom. Kind, kin, kingdom are all rooted int he same etymology. We are the ones that are choosing to separate ourselves from these fellow kin to justify our actions towards them. We are the ones acting. You even recognize the commonality of animal kin.

Human animals are Moral Law Causal Agents. Nonhuman animals and Causal Agents, without the moral law comprehension capacity. They cannot conceptualize a moral framework, define morality, or discuss it, because the degree of consciousness varies, yet they are the kind of our kin, animals. If they were simply property of nature to be used as we wish, there would be absolutely 0 objection to harm them in any way we see fit, and yet most sane people would regard this as invalid behavior to our fellow kin. People justify one form of action to harm them based on a lower consciousness fear of survival. Survival and choice does does not dictate what is moral. They are choices we make to survive. Morality is not based on the whims of our choice. It is objective and is to be applied regardless of what we are conditioned to do to live, to survive and persist in existence. The choice is ours to recognie this or remain entrenched in a myopic view of comprehending objective morality in favor of our subjective conditioning in consciousness based on our environmental and social programming to live a certain way, to create a certain condition in existence.

It's hard to break free from the conditioning, influence, and impositions of our current way of life, how we currently live, how we have previously lived, to objectively detach from ourselves and look at this issue with 100% honesty. There are many cognitive barriers that prevent an honest assessment of our behavior towards others. But it can be done, if we Care for Moral Truth/Law enough to understand moral objectivity and out our subjective conditioned habits, behaviors and actions aside to learn the objectivity or Moral Truth/Law.

Take care . Peace.