Theses and Dissertations Collection

Land use conflict in the western US is becoming predominantly a social issue. The influx of new land users is resulting in a new naturework. This study focused on the social construction of working rural landscapes and rural communities. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into how and why ranchers are adapting to social and ecological changes within their community. Using a semi-structured interview process, ranchers from three Southern Idaho counties revealed rancher adaptation strategies in four major themes: technology, economics, and farm density; farm succession and changing population; dissatisfaction and miscommunication about grazing policy; and ecological uncertainty and program success. Change, respondents recognized, is an uncertainty faced by every generation of rancher. The implications of this research is for resource managers and policymakers to recognize rural traditionalist knowledge as different, but not invalid.