Mapping the Threats to Prime Ranchland in Seven Western States
Because mountain ranchland is relatively scarce and offers highly valued community and ecological services - its conservation is important. Our study found that:
- Strategic ranchland at risk is concentrated in high mountain valleys and the mixed grassland areas surrounding major mountain ranges in the region.
- Prime ranchland is threatened in all seven Rocky Mountain states. Montana and Idaho contain the greatest amount of strategic ranchland at risk (over 5 million acres each), followed by Colorado (4.8 million acres).
- The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) hosts a significant portion of the Rocky Mountain region's strategic ranchland at risk. 10 of the top 25 counties fall within the GYE.
Strategic Ranchland at Risk in
25 Rocky Mountain Counties,1 2000-2020
| |
|
Strategic Ranchland at Risk |
| Rank2 |
County, State |
Acres in county |
As % of county land area |
As % of state’s strategic ranchland |
| 1 |
Gallatin, MT |
544,640 |
32 |
11 |
| 2 |
Beaverhead, MT |
512,000 |
14 |
10 |
| 3 |
Madison, MT |
481,920 |
21 |
10 |
| 4 |
Colfax, NM |
420,480 |
17 |
16 |
| 5 |
Lewis & Clark, MT |
387,840 |
17 |
8 |
| 6 |
Park, MT |
386,560 |
22 |
8 |
| 7 |
Sanpete, UT |
376,320 |
37 |
11 |
| 8 |
Pinal, AZ |
355,200 |
10 |
25 |
| 9 |
Missoula, MT |
341,760 |
21 |
7 |
| 10 |
Millard, UT |
341,760 |
8 |
10 |
| 11 |
Jefferson, MT |
341,760 |
32 |
7 |
| 12 |
Saguache, CO |
341,120 |
17 |
7 |
| 13 |
Sublette, WY |
336,000 |
11 |
13 |
| 14 |
Bingham, ID |
336,000 |
25 |
7 |
| 15 |
Park, WY |
334,080 |
7 |
13 |
| 16 |
Rio Arriba, NM |
334,080 |
9 |
13 |
| 17 |
Idaho, ID |
325,120 |
6 |
6 |
| 18 |
Duchesne, UT |
318,080 |
15 |
9 |
| 19 |
Uinta, WY |
315,520 |
24 |
12 |
| 20 |
Big Horn, WY |
308,480 |
15 |
12 |
| 21 |
Fremont, WY |
296,960 |
5 |
11 |
| 22 |
Montrose, CO |
295,040 |
21 |
6 |
| 23 |
Summit, UT |
295,040 |
25 |
9 |
| 24 |
Iron, UT |
277,760 |
13 |
8 |
| 25 |
Cassia, ID |
275,840 |
17 |
5 |
| |
Total, top 25 counties |
8,879,360 |
13 |
35 |
1 Top 25 of 263 counties in the seven-state area.
2 Ranking based on total prime ranchland area found to be threatened.
Notes: Due to data limitations, this analysis does not include ground water information in evaluating prime ranchlands and, therefore, may not show high production values on ground water dependent ranchlands. Due to data limitations and financial constraints, this analysis may classify row crop lands as ranchlands in highly integrated agricultural ecosystems.
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