Lynn Huntsinger

Excerpt from Program:
"Public ownership is a traditional American way of conserving landscapes and ecosystems, but the costs have become forbidding. The governor of California recently shut down virtually all expansion of California's state parks--even when funded by private donations--because, as he put it, "the state cannot afford new rangers, fences, signs, and maintenance." In California, private ranchlands are undergoing a new form of natural succession, to housing developments and highways. How ranchers respond to change, and to the interest of the public in rangelands, will shape the future landscape. Rancher and public values have much common ground, but also some different values and perceptions that can sometimes lead to conflict among groups that share a fundamental interest in conserving rangelands. At the same time, who the public is, and who ranchers are, continues to change, as do the methods and opportunities for mutual investment in the contributions of ranch lands to tommorow's quality of life. How and why will the public and ranchers continue to invest in sustaining rangeland landscapes?"

Presentation Outline:

• Why I Want to Invest in Private Ranch Lands
• Rancher Investment in Landscape
• Opportunities for Mutual Investment
• Investment Returns
• Dreams for the Future: More Investment Opportunities