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Show Researcher's Tropic Survey Reveals Negative GSENM Opinions And Impact Sean Daley, a Ph.D. candidate, candi-date, instructor, and researcher from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Connecticut, has spent the past three summers in the Bryce Valley area speaking with residents resi-dents in the area on a wide variety vari-ety of subjects most of which relate to ranching, the federal government, environmentalists, and land use. The information he gathered will be used for a book he is Writing on the cowboys and cowboy culture of Bryce Valley. Daley says that about nine rnonths ago he was having a conversation with a Bureau of Land Management official from southern Utah about his research. During the conversation conversa-tion he mentioned the fact that rnany people in the Bryce Valley area seemed not to be in favor of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. He says that the official told him that for every person in the area .who Was opposed to the monument there was a person who was in favor of it. Puzzled, and questioning ques-tioning the accuracy of the BLM official's statement, Daley draft- I ed a survey which he sent to every post office box holder in Tropic to attempt to verify the official's statement. Of the 160 surveys mailed out, 69, or approximately 43 percent, were completed and returned to him. All responses were anonymous, but many respondents indicated they would like to know the results of the survey, so Daley has released the information contained con-tained in them. The average respondent age was 56; 70 percent were male, 30 percent female, arid there was a wide array of occupations among those completing the surveys. Among those replying. . 98 percent were LDS and 2 percent per-cent Christian or no reply. Sixty percent were born in Garfield or Kane County, 24 percent elsewhere else-where in Utah, and 16 percent outside the state. The average number of years lived in Tropic was 35. Below are the questions from the survey, as well as the responses. 1.) The Grand Staircase-Escalante Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) has: improved the quality of life in Tropic. (1.4 percent); not improved the quality qual-ity of life in Tropic. (34.8 percent); per-cent); hurt the quality of life in Tropic. (60.9 percent); no comment com-ment (2.9 percent) 2. ) The GSENM was established: estab-lished: in a fair and equitable fashion. (1.4 percent); in an unbiased, middle of the road fashion (2.9 percent); in an unfair and inequitable(63.8 percent); per-cent); no comment (2.9 percent) (89.9 percent); no comment (1.4 percent). 3. ) Access to grazing land (See SURVEY on page 4A) Daley Survey Prrm Prrn t Pa ap on the GSENM: has not changed since the establishment of the monument. (2.9 percent); has changed slightly since the establishment of the monument. (30.4 percent); has changed greatly since the establishment of the monument. (63.8 percent); per-cent); no comment (2.9 percent). 4. ) Access to other resources, such as timber, on the GSENM: has not changed since the establishment of the monument. (0 percent); has changed slightly since the establishment estab-lishment of the monument. (8.7 percent); has changed greatly since the establishment of the monument. (89.9 percent); no comment (1.4 percent) 5. ) I believe grazing rights on the GSENM are: going to continue as is. (0 percent); going to continue, but with further restrictions. (35.8 percent); will soon be stopped. (64.2 percent); no comment (0 percent) 6. ) I believe access to other resources, such as timber, on the GSENM are: going to continue con-tinue as is. (0 percent); going to continue, but with further restrictions. (13.4 percent); will soon be stopped. (85.1 percent); no comment (1.5 percent) 7. ) I believe the GSENM has: helped the local economy. (7.5 percent); hurt the local economy. (65.7 percent); neither helped, nor hurt, the local economy. econ-omy. (26.9 percent); no comment com-ment (0 percent) 8. ) I would like to see the GSENM: enlarged in size. (0 percent); kept the size it is. (3 percent); reduced in size. (97 percent); no comment (0 percent) per-cent) 9. ) I would like to see the GSENM: kept as a national monument. (26.9 percent); turned into a national park. (1.5 percent); neither (68.7 percent); no comment (3 percent) 10. ) Overall, I am: in favor of the GSENM. (13.6 percent); not in favor of the GSENM. (69.7 percent); neither in favor of, nor opposed to, the GSENM. (10.6 percent) ;no comment (6.1 percent) 11. ) Environmentalists and environmental groups have: helped save and preserve the local environment. (1.5 percent); per-cent); done little to save and preserve pre-serve the local environment. (33.3 percent); have caused harm and damage to the local environment. (60.6 percent); no comment (4.5 percent) 12. ) Recently, the U.S. federal fed-eral government has: ;helped save and preserve the local environment. envi-ronment. (8.8 percent); done little lit-tle to save and preserve the local environment. (44.1 percent); (See SURVEY on page 7A) Survey From Page 4A caused harm and damage to the local environment. (44.1 percent); per-cent); no comment (2.9 percent) 13. ) The atomic testing programs pro-grams in Nevada during the 1950s and 1960s have had:; a major impact on the local economy. econ-omy. (31.8 percent); little impact on the local economy. (21.2 percent); per-cent); no impact on the local economy. (28.0 percent) ;no comment (18.2 percent) 14. ) The atomic testing programs pro-grams have had: a major impact on Tropic residents' health. (55.9 percent); some impact on Tropic residents' health. (38.2 percent); have had no impact on Tropic residents' health. (4.4 percent); no comment com-ment (1.5 percent) 15. ) Illnesses such as thyroid thy-roid cancer and leukemia in Tropic: were most likely caused by the atomic testing programs. (58.8 percent); may have been caused by the atomic testing programs. (35.3 percent); were not caused by the atomic testing programs. (1.5 percent); no comment (4.4 percent) "The surveys," said Daley, "clearly show that the vast majority of people who responded respond-ed are not in favor of the monument, monu-ment, confirming my many conversations con-versations with people from Tropic, a feeling expressed time and time again." Daley said he will discuss the survey's topics with anyone interested. He can be reached by email at sean.daleyuconn.edu |