Beauty and the Beast-or how the economy/environment debate is killing the Colorado Plateau

The Colorado Plateau, an area covering roughly 130,000 square miles in southwestern Colorado southeastern Utah, northwestern New Mexico, and northeastern Arizona, is under siege by changing economic, social, and environmental factors. These changes have divided institutions and communities in a battle over economic development and environmental protection. The resulting loss of trust has too often led to gridlock and stagnation. Community-based decision-making is needed to guide the region toward an ecologically and environmentally sustainable future. This process requires increased cooperation among communities, land management agencies, and the region\u27s land-grant universities