On the Ground

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Researchers have studied human dimensions of rangelands since the earliest days of US rangeland science, usually focusing only on white, male, English-speaking ranch owners.

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To address questions of rural prosperity and collaborative management, social scientists and the Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network must turn their attention to the perspectives, practices, and experiences of indigenous, non-Anglo, female, and “new rural” rangeland stakeholders as well.

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Social science researchers can learn from scholars in related fields whose work is less often consulted in rangeland science, including those working internationally with pastoral communities and in the United States with rural youth.

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Understanding these communities is likely to require broadening our conceptions of what constitutes “knowledge,” with a greater focus on seeking just outcomes for the full range of people who depend upon rangelands and rangeland communities for their lives and livelihoods.