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Show "IT’S A WORKING RANCH, DUDES.’ BY BILL BOYLE As part of The Zephyr’s continuing effort to encourage discussion about the Cows versus Condos Debate, we offer these remarks by Bill Boyle, editor of The San Juan Record in Monticello, Utah. Bill spoke at the Nature Conservancy's celebration of the purchase of the Dugout Ranch in 1998. Since then, countless acres of agricultural land in SE Utah have been consumed by the “amenities economy.” (See the latest in Grand County on page 7). His comments deserve serious thought by environmentalists who want to eliminate public lands ranching but who fail to acknowledge the consequences...JS As a San Juan County resident who grew up in these beautiful canyons and rugged mountains, I am delighted to welcome the Nature Conservancy. in this endeavor to preserve the Dugout Ranch. lapplaud the Nature Conservancy for using market-based, non-confrontational means to preserve this remarkable ranch and to support the local economy. Ata time when the overwhelming majority of growth in this area is related to tourism, I am particularly glad that this spectacular area will remain a working cattle ranch. I emphasize the word working, for the cowboy heritage is based upon the principles of hard work, rugged individualism, teamwork, honesty and sticking with a job through thick and thin. These were the principles that were used to settle The ultimate irony is that too many of these transient recreationists feel that a weekend or two playing in these canyons somehow gives them a pre-eminent say on how these lands should be protected. All too often, they lead the charge against the mining and ranching that characterize rural economies. The result of too much tourism is that production and responsible stewardship is replaced by single-use recreation. The work place is replaced by the play ground. OF COURSE WE REALIZE FHAT TOURISM IS NEEDED...HOWEVER, THIS COUNTRY WAS BUILT UPON THE PRINCIPLES OF HARD WORK Se COW BO Pines. AND NOT UPON THE CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION OFATRANSIENT RECREATIONIST. this area. They did not tame the wilderness, but created a delicate balance between man and nature, a responsible stewardship that has been the hallmark of the ranching tradition. The local agriculture-based economies that are built upon these principles— and that have preserved these remarkable places for more than 100 years — are in recent years besieged by well-meaning but misled people. The quest for preservation — a quest shared by rural communities — is all too often replaced by a war on rural economies. For political expediency, the rural resident is painted as the bad guy. It is clear to me that the greatest threat to the remarkable western lands is not from ranching or mining, but from visitation: an ever-growing horde of weekend watriors who are recreating this land to death. Pr oe Of course, we realize that tourism is needed and take great pride in the fact that people from throughout the world have come to appreciate the spectacular beauty of these lands. However, this country was built upon the principles of hard work — the cowboy ethic — and not upon the conspicuous consumption of a transient recreationist. The way to have healthy and stable rural economies is to have a balance between tourism, mining and agriculture. Once again, I applaud the Nature Conservancy for understanding these principles, for using market-based, non-confrontational means to preserve this remarkable ranch and to support the local economy. WES T 7) ORCHARD TERRACE ESTATES CONDOMINIUMS & HOMES Starting at $149,999 Only DAD? WHY DO THEY CALL IT (REDUX) SEVEN Two & units Three FINANCING AVAILABLE! By JIM STILES "MOBVILLE’S VANISHING VOCABULARY" WELL, SON... BEFORE THEY BUILT ALL THESE HOUSES AND CONDOMINIUMS, THERE USED TO BE AN ORCHARD HERE. ORCHARD TERRA‘ CONDOMINIUMS & Starting at $149.999 Only Two SEVEN uni FINANCING AVA Pee | PAGE4 BDRMS. left! WHAT'S AN ORCHARD? iy |