Viewpoint: The importance of range science to federal grazing policy
Citation
Czech, B. (1997). Viewpoint: The importance of range science to federal grazing policy. Journal of Range Management, 50(3), 326-328.Publisher
Society for Range ManagementJournal
Journal of Range ManagementDOI
10.2307/4003738Additional Links
https://rangelands.org/Abstract
The value of science to policy design is questioned by many, including political scientists. Critics view scientific expertise as subject to monopolization by an elite technocracy; a process with antidemocratic consequences. Science has been influential in the development of federal grazing policy by creating the Clementsian paradigm, by affecting the policy agenda, and by defining terms of discussion. Science has been less influential in the implementation of grazing policy. In contrast with many policy issues, science is important to sound grazing policy, because western rangelands are isolated from the thought process of the general public by geographic, demographic, and temporal features. In America, good policy is that which solves important problems and fosters democracy. Democratic forums in which grazing policies are born are enlightened by the disciplined competency of science. More than any other form of knowing, science represents concentrated, devoted study of a topic. Range science should provide the basis of public information and opinion that is converted, via the political process, into federal grazing policy.Type
textArticle
Language
enISSN
0022-409Xae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.2307/4003738