Transcript Fragmentation, Subdivision, and Open Space

The Human Footprint &
Open Space
Ranching in the New West
TODAY
“Western Family
Ranch”
Fragmentation/
Preservation
Bioregionally Planned
Working Landscapes
“New Ranch”
Corporate Ranches
Demand for “open space”
“natural areas both in and surrounding localities that
provide important community space, habitat for
plants and animals, recreational opportunities,
farm and ranch land, places of natural beauty and
critical environmental areas.”
- Smart Growth Network
http://www.smartgrowth.org/
Demand for “open space”
OUR MISSION...to conserve natural, cultural and agricultural
resources and provide public uses that reflect sound resource
management and community values. Boulder County Parks and Open Space
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gzdL1m9OhM&feature=relmfu
Multiple stakeholders = Multiple values

The more complex the community, the more
complex the management challenge
Mill Creek Pkwy (Moab, UT, pop.
5,100)
Lagerman Reservoir (Boulder County, CO, pop.
293,000)
What is “Open Space” to you?
 Agricultural?
Cultural
& Historic Resources?
Wildlife habitat?
Undeveloped Wildland?
Parks & Recreation Areas?
Wilderness?
Vacant lot?
Working
landscapes?
The “Chicago Wilderness” controversy
To many of our neighbors, prairies seem foreign and unattractive, second cousin to
the trash-filled vacant lot. The Midwest's sea of grass — a rich mosaic of prairies,
oak woods, and marshes — was virtually eradicated within the span of a single
human lifetime. Because there is so little left, it's not easy to know the prairie, and
thus not easy to love it. – Debra Shore
Sources of conflict in open space
management




Agriculture – Which activities? Who benefits?
Restoration – Of what? For whom?
Recreation – Doing what? By whom?
Wildlife habitat – When do we get too much
of a good thing?
What values must be integrated into
management (based on project goals)?










Agricultural legacy
Multi-functional landscape
Economic sustainability of tenants
Protection of cultural/historic artifacts
Wildlife habitat (structural attribute)
Movement corridors (functional attribute)
Improved vegetation and wetland health
Natural species (weed control and eradication)
Recreation opportunities
Educational and interpretive opportunities
Do citizens value open space?


Between 2004 and 2006, state and local voters
nationwide approved 75% of 217 open space
ballot initiatives
Since 1994 – when Great Outdoors Colorado
awarded its first grants – through FY 2008,
GOCO had committed approximately $650
million for more than 3,063 projects throughout
the state
Preserving Open Space
- the case of Rural Subdivision

Ecological Impacts of Subidivision

The amount of land affected by
sprawl & development = 3% per
year

Since 1978, Colorado ranchland
has decreased by 90,000 ac/yr

In the last 30 years, 16-23% of the
land in the counties adjacent to
Yellowstone-Tetons has been
platted for or converted to
ranchettes (20-40 ac parcels)

Intermountain West is only region
US where rural counties are
growing
Is Subdivision Good or Bad?







Fragmentation
Population Density
Roads
Fences
Predators
Exotic Species
Wildlife Generalists/Specialists
The New Ranch House?
Changes 1957 to 1994
Landscape Attributes Of Subdivided
Ranches. by J.E. Mitchell, R.L.
Knight, and R.J. Camp. 2002.
Rangelands 24(1):3-9.
Intact Ranch # 1
Intact Ranch # 2
Subdivided Ranch #1
Subdivided Ranch #2
Rural Subdivision
Road
Density
(mi./sec.)
1957
Intact
Ranch
Sudivided
Ranch
No. of
Buildings
(no./sec.)
1994 1957
No. of
Rangeland
Patches
1994 1957
1994
0.84
1.08
0.8
0.5
35
49
0.41
4.55
0.7
9.5
55
411
Mitchell, Knight & Camp. 2002.
Landscape Attributes of Subdivided Ranches
Rural Subdivision - affect
on weeds
80
70
Plant Cover by Management Regime
a
a
a
% cover
60
50
40
30
y
y
Native
Non-Native
z
20
10
0
Ranchette
Ranch
Reserve
Maestas, Knight, and Gilgert. 2002.
Cows, Condos, or Neither?
Rural Subdivision - affect on wildlife
Some species Benefit
 Black-billed magpies
 Brown-headed cowbird
 European starlings
 Dog & cats
Some species Harmed
 Black-headed grosebeaks
 Blue-gray gnatcatchers
 Orange-crowned warblers
 Coyotes & foxes
Photo: www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov
Photo: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov
Photo: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Photo: www.fws.gov
Working Ranches as Open Space

Jim Winders

“We feel that economic activities… must be
subordinate to the needs of a healthy ecosystem”



Ecosystem protection
Recognize public goals
Produce healthy foods
Author of the “New Ranch – Can Jim convince
others that his ranch is of value as open
space?