In the final decade of the twentieth century, the American West was at war. Battle lines had hardened, with environmentalists squarely on one side of the fence, and ranchers on the other. By the mid-1990s, debates over the region's damaged land had devolved into political wrangling, bitter lawsuits, and even death-threats. Conventional wisdom told us those who wanted to work the land and those who wanted to protect it had fundamentally different - and irreconcilable - values.In "Revolution on the Range", Courtney White challenges that truism, heralding stories from a new American West where cattle and conservation go hand in hand. He argues that ranchers and environmentalists have more in common than they've typically admitted: a love of wildlife, a deep respect for nature, and a strong allergic reaction to suburbanization. The real conflict has not been over ethics, but approaches. Today, a new brand of ranching is bridging the divide by mimicking nature while still turning a profit.Westerners are literally reinventing the ranch by confronting their own assumptions about nature, profitability, and each other. Ranchers are learning that new ideas can actually help preserve traditional lifestyles. Environmentalists are learning that protected landscapes aren't always healthier than working ones. White, a self-proclaimed middle-class city boy, has learned there's more to ranching than grit and cowboy boots.The author's own transformation from conflict-oriented environmentalist to radical centrist mirrors the change sweeping the region. As ranchers and environmentalists find common cause, they're discovering new ways to live on - and preserve - the land they both love. "Revolution on the Range" is the story of that journey, and a heartening vision of the new American West.
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By the mid-1990s, debates over the region's damaged land had devolved into political wrangling, bitter lawsuits, and even death-threats. Those who wanted to work the land and those who wanted to protect it had fundamentally different values. This book challenges that truism and argues that ranchers and environmentalists have more in common.
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781597261746
Publisert
2008-05-01
Utgiver
Vendor
Island Press
Høyde
229 mm
Bredde
153 mm
Aldersnivå
G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
248

Forfatter

Biographical note

Courtney White is cofounder and executive director of The Quivira Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building bridges between ranchers, conservationists, public land managers, scientists, and others. A former archaeologist and Sierra Club activist, White now devotes himself to land restoration.