Synopsis
Welfare Ranching: The Subsidized Destruction of the American West tells the story of a vast region, sparsely populated by people but tragically battered by an activity many of us have mistakenly believed is benign. In fact, the production of livestock is incompatible with the ecological health of much of the lands in the West. Aridity is chief among the factors limiting compatible uses of western landscapes. Over decades, the placement of exotic, water-hogging, ill-adapted livestock on western lands has changed diverse native plant communities into monocultures of weeds: turned perennially flowing creeks into dry stream beds: relegated large predators such as wolves and grizzly bears to only the most remote wilderness areas: and forced many wildlife species to the edge of extinction.
This book shows the real West, not the one seen in postcards or imagined from romantic movies and novels. With photographs and essays, it shows not only the most shocking cases of overgrazing, but also the subtle changes that signal ecological disruption on a massive scale. Welfare Ranching explains the cultural and historical causes of the wasting of the West and offers a vision of the renewal that is possible if citizens are willing to demand that their government shift land management priorities to serving the public and natural good, rather than facilitating private gain. Ultimately, this book points the way to the greatest opportunity yet remaining for ecological restoration and wildlife protection in this country.
Reviews
Whereas the effects of urban sprawl and clear-cut logging are readily apparent, the far-reaching and devastating consequences of large-scale livestock production are less obvious to the untrained eye. In this excellent overview of the ecological and economic consequences of ranching in the arid Western United States, natural historian and photographer Wuerthner and environmental activist Matteson present a collection of impassioned essays by scientists, conservationists, and economists. As writers like Edward Abbey, T.H. Watkins, and Carl Bock point out, livestock grazing has caused irreversible damage: it has degraded water quality, eroded the soil, introduced invasive plants, and endangered countless native plants and wildlife. Although the West accounts for less than three percent of U.S. meat production, livestock grazing occurs there on an enormous scale (a single cow uses one acre in Mississippi but 250 acres in Nevada). To provide enough space, three million acres of public land are being used by private ranchers with the help of government subsidies a consequence of the ranching industry's political power. This oversized book has 175 full-color photographs plus a resource directory and a bibliography. Although rather costly, it is highly recommended for both academic and public libraries and is particularly suitable for environmental and Western collections. Ilse Heidmann, Olympia, WA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Most Americans know little about the state of our precious public lands. The designations national park, national forest, and national wildlife refuge would seem to indicate that such places are free of industry, but in the arid West many are the province of large corporations. Following in the footsteps of Fatal Harvest [BKL My 15 02], a powerful inquiry into industrial agriculture, the contributors to this equally revelatory volume document in picture and word the dire ecological consequences of government-subsidized cattle grazing on 300 million acres of public land. Scientists from various fields, historians, economic and governmental policy experts, and earth-loving writers, including Edward Abbey, examine the cattle industry from an array of viewpoints, and explain how cattle ranching causes soil erosion, water pollution, the spread of invasive species, and an ever-increasing roster of endangered species, while photographs of cow-damaged versus livestock-free landscapes drive the message home. This eye-opening and discussion-starting volume should spark more conspicuous public debate (after all, "this land is your land") and a demand for the rescue of public lands. Donna Seaman
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