Trauner: Protecting Wyoming’s Special Places

By Gary Trauner, 6-20-07

My family and I went to the airport last night to meet a group of Russian delegates who are visiting the United States to learn more about how we care for our natural environment, wildlife and “special places.” We volunteered to host one of these delegates at our house for the next week, and are excited to learn more about our new friend’s country, home and culture.

Our guest (I’ll call him Valdimir, not his real name) is a wildlife biologist who specializes in the study of birds.  As one can imagine, on the drive back to our house through Grand Teton National Park, Vladimir (in his halting English) had numerous questions about Wyoming, our economy and how we manage and protect our wildlife and natural environment.  In return, we asked him similar questions about his homeland.  Our discussion got me thinking about Wyoming’s struggle to balance energy and economic development with conservation and resource protection.

We all know that development of Wyoming’s abundant fuel sources, including coal, natural gas, and oil is a central component of Wyoming’s economy. Primarily, this development provides tax revenues to the State and local entities that help pay for education and a host of other government-sponsored programs.  These severance taxes keep our individual and personal tax burdens low as well.  Energy also provides jobs, although these jobs tend to be more transitional in nature, and many of them have historically been taken by transient out-of-state workers who do not permanently settle in Wyoming once the boom has ended.

On the other hand, energy development has costs, including ones that are hard to measure such as effects on health, effects on ranching, hunting and other aspects of Wyoming society, and the cost of increased air and water pollution.

In my travels around the state, one thing seems clear: the majority of people who settle down here after moving from other places may come for jobs or perceived economic prospects, but they stay due to the quality of life and abundant recreational opportunities that Wyoming has to offer. We work hard here in Wyoming, but the real fun begins when we have free time and can head to the great outdoors to hunt, fish, hike, bike, sled or just have some time to ourselves surrounded by natural wonder.

In talking with Valdimir and listening to him describe the strict protection of “special places” in his native country, my thoughts turned to my children’s future.  When my family hikes and bikes, and as I watch my boys learn to hunt and fish, I wonder what it would take to make sure my children can enjoy the outdoors like so many Wyomingites before them.

So it seems to me that our elected officials, business leaders and ordinary citizens like you and I have a responsibility to ensure that Wyoming remains a place where these natural resources and recreational opportunities are there for future generations. We must always respect and provide for the interests of sportsmen, ranchers, water users and all other users of our public lands. 

And while economic development is obviously incredibly important, there is nothing that says we cannot responsibly build our economy while at the same time protecting our “special places” like the Wyoming Range, Adobe Town and the Jack Morrow Hills, among others.  Sure, let’s do our part for secure energy development, but let’s not allow our government or private business to treat Wyoming’s underground resources as simply a balance sheet asset on their books.  We who love Wyoming will be here long after these “assets” are extracted and depleted, and we will be left to deal with the impacts on our game herds, clean air and running water.

Protecting our way of life takes strong political will.  It is difficult for everyday folks to standup and be heard in a culture where political access and power accrue to those with the most money.  However, it can be done.  In the last few months, awareness of the impacts of development on the Wyoming Range have mobilized citizens groups and politicians alike, and we are well on the way to ensuring that the forests, lakes, creeks and wildlife of the Wyoming Range are there to be enjoyed not just by my children, but by their children’s children as well.

So when Valdimir’s son one day comes back to Wyoming to visit, my boys can show him why Wyoming is still one of the last, best places on earth.

Gary Trauner is a family man, businessman and entrepreneur who moved to Wyoming 18 years ago and lives in Wilson with his wife Terry and their two young boys.  He ran for Wyoming’s lone seat in Congress in 2006, narrowly losing to a 6-term incumbent. Gary writes a regular guest column here on NewWest.Net. You can read archives of his column at www.newwest.net/garytrauner.