Dear HCN:
One topic not dealt with
in your recent special issue on development in the West: the
transformation of the private-land component of public-lands
ranches to ranchettes.
The proliferation of 10-
to 40-acre ranchettes with their accompanying traffic, paving,
fences, sewer systems, dogs and horses decimates winter range,
degrades groundwater quality, accelerates runoff and upsets
seasonal patterns of wildlife migrations. As much bad publicity as
public-lands ranchers have received for degradation of public
rangelands, the decimation of habitat and quality of life by
retirement, second-home and recreational development of property is
a far worse option.
While studying the effects of
increased grazing fees on public rangelands in Okanogan and Ferry
Counties in eastern Washington in 1991, we were informed that in
the previous two years, not one sale of private ranch land in Ferry
County had been for ranching purposes. On a return to the area last
summer, the trend towards development of ranchland had accelerated,
and Ferry County was having groundwater quality problems associated
with ranchette development.
It is becoming clear
that the alternatives to traditional economies in the West are not
as benign as they have been advertised. Subsidies to public-lands
ranches should be evaluated with an eye toward supporting an
economically healthy industry to maintain healthy ecosystems
encompassing both private and public
property.
Hans
Geier
Department of Resources
Management,
University of Alaska Fairbanks,
Fairbanks,
Alaska
David Holland
Department of Agricultural
Economics,
Washington State University,
Pullman, Washington
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Ranchers, not ranchettes.
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