Ranchland subdivision

[Deb]

What do you all think of this? I do not think we would like to see the east slopes of the Rockies in Alberta turn into housing developments like in Colorado.

Has this been discussed before here? Stuff like national park buffer zones, conservation easements, tax breaks, tourism, regional landscape planning, and the like - has this been discussed already?

[cakadu]

No Deb it hasn't really been discussed in any great detail at all. How about leading us off with your thoughts and I'm sure you will find many to join in the discussion.

These are things that concern all of us and we need to have a well-balanced approach when it comes to dealing with them.

Looking forward to your response.

[cakadu]

There are several groups in Southern Alberta that have formed to preserve the land on the eastern slopes of the Rockies as they don't want to see productive rangeland going to residential development.

Southern Alberta Land Trust Society (SALTS) has been formed to protect ranchland and it's cultural values. There is also the Prairie Crocus Ranching Coalition, to name just two of the groups.

It has been pointed out in another topic area that perhaps this is an issue that needs to take in all parties and their thoughts. It's a huge issue and is going to get even bigger in the future.

[Deb]

I am going to the Land Use conference in Edmonton tomorrow so I will have lots to say later in the week.

In my tourist mode, I want intact ranchland so that I have a nice open view of the foothills with the mountains behind them.

In my nature lover mode, I want to know that the bears, cougars, and elk, can migrate where they need to go, through ranchland, to find food and shelter. This requires intact ranchland.

In my meat-eating mode, I want cow-calf ranches to survive and use that grass to produce steaks for me.

In my romantic cowgirl mode, I want to know there are still cowboys and cowgirls and cattle in them thar hills. I want to know that they will always be safe from million-dollar mansions, loose dogs, gates left open, etc.

In my environmentalist mode it just occured to me that if subdivisions are built and streets paved, and soil cultivated, then the foothills ranchland will lose its ability to act as a sponge and hold moisture for when it is needed.

In my social science mode, I wonder how we can encourage interest in the topic in a public that is busy with everyday life and cannot deal with issues that don't diretly affect them at that moment. However I also understand the desire of city-folk to escape to the hills from whence will come their salvation!

In my spiritual mode, I worry that destroying the last garden of Eden in Alberta will piss God off completely!

[ValueChainFX]

Deb:

Your words are so true, however, like most things that get done in this country the process is sometimes over everyone's head. Some of these land use changes have been discussed years in advance and some seem to all of the sudden just happen!

I have sat as a caucus member to discuss Canadian National Parks and learned a lot about issues for land use I had no idea could be imagined. The interest groups are over whelming and the issues can be as plentiful as those in the agriculture business.

I enjoyed your little dittums about how you saw the issues in your minds eye through the several personalities that you enjoy in your life style. These short visions magnified ten fold probably do not even come close to all the issues to discuss.

One thing we do know, if we just sit back and let the government do what it wants, then we deserve what they give us. If the issue is a concern strong enough to you then go for it girl, I'll be right behind you )))))

[nakodo]

another great thinker, Plato, said: “The punishment that wise men get for not participating in politics is that they will be ruled by fools.”

[nakodo]

That would have to be especially true of Saskatchewan.