A Book Review
by Caroline Pufalt
Although Missouri is the gateway to the west and at the start of the tallgrass prairie, most Missourians probably have little appreciation for the volatile issue of grazing on public lands
in western states. Reading The Western Range Revisited would remedy that ignorance. Debra Donahue’s book is an interdisciplinary study of livestock grazing on western public lands. The book’s subtitle, Removing Livestock from Public Lands to Conserve Native Biodiversity, summarizes her evaluation and recommendation for protecting western grasslands.
Her book will be of special interest to many Sierrans. The club recently adopted a new policy on federal public lands grazing and its recommendations closely follow Donahue’s. To view the club’s new grazing policy see: http://www.sierraclub.org/policy/conservation/grazing.asp. The club has many activists working on grazing issues in western states. Here in Missouri there are some grazing leases on the Mark Twain National Forest but that activity is minimal compared to the grazing impacts on National Forests and Grasslands and Bureau of Land Management lands out west.
Donahue focuses her attention on western public lands receiving12 inches or less annual rainfall. Her book caused a storm of criticism from western grazing interests. Her book is published by the University of Oklahoma Press, but Donhaue is a professor at University of Wyoming Law School. A Wyoming state Senator was so upset by her book that he sought to dissolve that law school. Fortunately that effort failed. Now critics still need to cope with the comprehensive and persuasive argument that Donahue makes.
She looks at the ecological impacts of grazing and the great harm that activity does to native biodiversity. She seeks to evaluate other uses and amenities that could come from a landscape
undamaged by grazing and shows that these arid lands have much to offer in watershed protection, wildfire protection and recreation. She sadly recounts the profound impact of livestock grazing and how its impacts can reach irreversible levels.
Donhaue gives a thorough review of the legal history of public lands livestock grazing through such legislation as the Taylor Grazing Act. She examines the legislative history behind attempts to study and regulate livestock grazing. Livestock grazing on public lands has always received support from powerful western Senators who have block reforms. Leases for livestock grazing are often sold below market rate and the federal government is obligated to fund projects for range “improvement” which primarily benefit ranchers but result in greater financial loss for the taxpayer. Livestock grazing on federal public lands has very minimal impact on beef supplies. Only 2% of forage for U.S. livestock comes from western public lands.
Ranchers who graze livestock on public lands may be large landowners (even absentee landowners) or small ranchers. Donhaue examines the economic impact public lands grazing has on local economies and concludes that although impacts vary, overall its contribution is much less that its vocal supporters claim.
While The Western Range Revisited may not be appropriate for everyone’s summer reading list, a
general understanding of its topic is important to anyone who cares about our native biodiversity. For those Sierrans who travel west this summer and visit a National Forest or BLM lands it would be a good idea to take note of the quality of our grasslands. For example, ask the local forest ranger where one can visit a healthy native grassland that has been free from livestock grazing. See what you can find.