I am intrigued by Ed Marston’s statement (HCN,
12/26/94) that “There have been a bunch of studies of this new
economy by environmental groups and their economists; almost all
welcome it.” The economy of the New West is not necessarily better
– just different. It brings with it new opportunities but also new
problems.
Our analysis of the economy of greater
Yellowstone, The Wealth of Nature, found that a new economy had
emerged that was very different from people’s ordinary perceptions,
much of it driven by the region’s quality of life. We also were
quick to point out that amenity-based growth brings with it a whole
new set of problems, foremost among them the subdivision of land
for residential development, and increasingly, a growing gap
between the rich and poor.
In the Yellowstone
region, for example, we found that over one-third of all private
lands have been subdivided into plots no longer suitable in size
for agriculture. Wilderness Society research on the economy of the
West has uncovered these basic themes:
* It makes
no sense for public-lands managers to try to stimulate “community
stability” by supplying communities with a steady flow of raw
materials from public lands. This form of central planning has
never worked. Even if it were possible to manipulate natural
systems to produce a steady and predictable flow of grazing,
mineral, energy and timber resources, it is unlikely that the
economy of “dependent” communities will remain
stable.
* Subsidies encourage a much larger
development of public-land resources, like logging, ski hill
development or gold mining, than would occur in the absence of such
subsidies. Most importantly, these subsidies do not create more
jobs. Subsidies act as a powerful incentive to not change to global
economic conditions. They anchor communities in the past,
encouraging the development of 19th-century working skills in a
21st-century, knowledge-based economy.
* Much of
the economic development in the West is stimulated by community,
environmental and social factors rather than traditional economic
ones, such as access to raw materials. The success of the Western
economy no longer depends solely on what we can dig up or chop
down. Instead, it depends on the skills and ingenuity of the people
and the quality of life of our communities. Environmental quality
and economic well-being are therefore complements, not
substitutes.
* The amenity-based growth taking
place throughout the West helps diversify the economy of some rural
communities, but it also puts more pressure on private land and it
increases the tensions between the “newcomers’ and “old-timers.”
Land-use planning is the most pressing social and environmental
issue in the West today. Communities need to learn that, if growth
occurs, they can tap into it and guide it in a way that helps
preserve the values of the community.
*
Education, both formal and hands-on skill development, is an
important determinant to individual success in the economy. Without
it, old-time residents will be unprepared to stake a claim in the
New West, and they end up serving hamburgers to newcomers from the
cities who do have those skills.
With regard to
studies that show Montanans as angry and threatened by recent
changes, they are probably right. Over the last 20 years Montana
has added over 150,000 new jobs, yet not one of those jobs has been
in agriculture, mining, energy or lumber and wood
products.
The relevant questions facing Montanans
are: Who is getting the new jobs? Are they newcomers from the city
or are they native Montanans? How secure is the new economic makeup
of the state? What role does quality of life play in people’s
decision to keep a business in the state, or for new firms to move
to the state? What role does education and training play in making
Montanans competitive in a global workforce?
The
economic challenges facing the West today are enormous. Politicians
and studies by organizations that perpetuate the myth of a cowboy
economy do not help. Rural Westerners today must line up with the
rest of the world for a job. Competition is keen, and the skills
needed to survive are more and more technical in nature. The sooner
we realize that, the sooner we will be able to adapt and compete
effectively. If we don’t, we’ll end up sacrificing our towns to
recent escapees from the city. Above all, now is the time for all
of us in the West to learn how to work together for the common goal
of an equitable economy and a healthy
environment.
Ray
Rasker
Bozeman,
Montana
The writer is an
economist for the Wilderness Society in its Northern Rockies
regional
office.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Tips for surviving in the New West.
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