Conserving Working Rangelands: A Social–Ecological Case Study from Northeastern Colorado
2021
Jasmine E. Bruno | Stephen J. Leisz | Jake S. Bobula | María E. Fernández-Giménez
Land changes in rangeland systems cascade through interconnected social and ecological spheres, affecting both humans and the environment. This study applied a multi-method approach to examine the causes and consequences of change in two rangeland communities in northeastern (NE) Colorado. First, this study used a Random Forest supervised classifier to analyze 36 years of land-cover data and create a land-cover/use change classification model. Second, the research team analyzed transcripts of interviews with 32 ranchers, examining how ranchers&rsquo: adaptive strategies influence land-cover change trends. Lastly, the analysis integrated the quantitative and qualitative data, constructing a social&ndash:ecological rangeland change conceptual model. This study found that the cultivated area decreased in both study sites from 1984&ndash:2019, with 16.0% and 18.7% of each site transitioning out of the cultivated area. Moreover, 10.3% and 18.4% of each site, respectively, transitioned to herbaceous/grassland cover from 1984&ndash:2019. The qualitative analysis identified the role of conservation policies, such as open space programs, on land change. Also, despite the relatively small area that transitioned to developed cover&mdash:1.83% and 0.183% of each site&mdash:participants emphasized that the associated demographic and cultural shifts drive land-use change. This study highlights that while rangelands are undergoing social&ndash:ecological change, land-use decisions and land conservation programs can help mitigate the global trend of declining rangeland and grassland cover.
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