Abstract
Solutions to sustainability transitions tend to be applicable for specific regions but not the whole of society. Limitations on what may be sustained also exist, and preferences will vary among people in different places. Because of these differences, there is a need for better understanding of the perceptions and experiences of local community members and the challenges they face in the transition toward sustainability to promote realistic and effective decision-making. As a region with significant natural resource protections, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has been known to researchers for decades as an ideal location to study human-environment interactions. The objective of this study was to determine the challenges to sustainable community development and natural resource management identified by residents of communities surrounding Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Thirty-two key informant interviews were conducted with decision-makers, with a focus on the communities of Red Lodge and West Yellowstone, Montana, and Jackson, Wyoming. Findings suggest that primary challenges include the seasonality of the tourist industry, disparities between agricultural and tourism-dependent priorities, and the implementation of stated sustainability goals. Challenges differ based on communities’ socio-economic conditions, dependence on tourism and recreation-based industries, and the influence of local and extra-local institutions.
Highlights
The American West has been in the midst of a fundamental transition for several decades
The national park areas are managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and the national forests are managed by the US Forest Service (USFS); other public lands make up parts of the region
The high proportion of responses related to tourism and the economy is indicative of community dependence on the NPS and USFS for economic viability in gateway communities
Summary
The American West has been in the midst of a fundamental transition for several decades. Parts of the region have shifted to a service-based economy with low-skilled tourism and recreation-based jobs, and high-tech/professional industries based on telecommuters and “lone eagles” [1]. Catalysts for these changes have included declining commodity prices and a globalized economy; the consequences have been sometimes profound shifts in local economies and socio-cultural characteristics [2]. It is unclear whether the new economic foci will be sustainable over the long-term; we must be cognizant of the challenges we face on our transition toward sustainability, including the potential effects of change and our ability to mitigate and cope with change [3,4,5,6]. Goals, and objectives may be similar across a region, consideration of local contexts affecting perceptions provides valuable understandings that may inform sustainability
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