Friday, July 15, 2011

Time to stop talking, rancher says of forests

Andy Groseta said ranchers and others have spent years talking and negotiating with environmental groups about how best to manage the forests and grasslands. But Groseta, a Cottonwood rancher and the incoming president of the Arizona Cattle Growers Association, said he believes the time for all that is done. "They have had the past 10 years to collaborate," he said. "It's time for the cows and the chainsaws." Groseta was a key witness earlier this month at a hearing on forest health at the state Capitol. But in a separate interview he explained that his hard-line stance is a direct result of the devastating wildfires. "We're in a situation today because some of the actions of these organizations over the years have gotten us to this point," he said. "Are we going to sit and watch one of our most valued features of the state continue to explode, or are we going to do something about it?" Sierra Club lobbyist Sandy Bahr said it's wrong to conclude that talks and negotiations lead nowhere...more

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