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Statement from the Rancher Stakeholder Group to the City Workgroup Meeting by Tom Mobley
11/30/06
The organizers of these
proceedings have aptly categorized us as “stakeholders” for we are truly
engaged in a game of chance. But every stakeholder here, except the
ranchers, acquired their stake at little or no cost. Your stake, your
investment, is your passion, perhaps the most formidable force on earth.
The rewards from your stake will be idyllic, a sense of nobility, a sense
that you have saved the wonders of nature from destruction. These are
rewards that fall into the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
That is something to be respected and not ridiculed. And yet your losses,
if any, in this game of chance will be nil.
Ranchers, on the other
hand, have a stake that was acquired at great financial cost and years of
work. The rewards from our stake cross the entire spectrum of the
hierarchy of needs. From the stake we have in our ranches we derive the
basest to the highest of needs—food and water, security, our family and
friends, our sense of achievement, and our belief that we will leave our
lands better for our having been here. We stand to lose all of this if
you and we fail in the task before us.
During the course of
these proceedings you will be told that the proposals for Wilderness and
National Conservation Areas will not adversely affect ranchers. You will
find comfort in that notion because you are good people and you don’t want
to do harm to an industry and a way of life that is a part of the heritage
of Dona Ana County.
You will be told that
there will be no curtailment of grazing rights due to Wilderness
designation. We will show that in spite of provisions in the law,
livestock numbers on Wilderness allotments have been reduced by greater
percentages than non-Wilderness allotments under similar conditions.
You will be told that
ranchers will be able to maintain existing range improvements and perform
most ranch operations using motorized equipment. We will show that on
existing Wilderness allotments, ranchers have, for the most part been
relegated to practices characteristic of the 19th century.
You will be told that
National Conservation Areas are less restrictive on ranching than
Wilderness designation. We will show that in some instances National
Conservation Areas are more restrictive.
You will be told that
only Wilderness and NCA designation can preserve and protect our federal
lands. We will show that the preservation of the open character of
federal lands and the retention of its natural features are in no small
part due to the existence of actively managed cattle ranches, and that
there are alternatives to Wilderness and NCA for providing needed
protection.
You will be told the
public’s ability to use and enjoy the federal lands can be preserved only
through Wilderness and NCA designation. We will show that those rights
will be diminished in many instances by Wilderness and NCA designation.
You will be told that
ranchers do not have property rights with respect to federal lands. We
will show the basis of our property rights and will object to efforts to
diminish those rights.
It is our intention to
approach these proceedings with open minds and a desire to understand the
ideals and the objectives of each stakeholder. To the best of our ability
we will attempt to reach decisions that will mutually benefit the rights
of all stakeholders that do not infringe on other rights. We ask that
each of you do the same.
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