Economic Impacts of Wilderness in Nevada's Rural Counties
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-2001 Challenges for the New West: Economic impacts of wilderness in Nevada's rural counties Lesley Regina Argo University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Argo, Lesley Regina, "Challenges for the New West: Economic impacts of wilderness in Nevada's rural counties" (2001). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 1309. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/h3uf-jcn9 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm m aster. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may b e from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submltlod. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough. substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Photographs included in the original manuscript have t>een reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" t)lack and white pttotographic prints are availat)le for any ptratographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional ctiarge. Contact UMI directly to order. ProQuest Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 UMÏ Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHALLENGES FOR THE NEW WEST: ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF WILDERNESS IN NEVADA’S RURAL COUNTIES by Lesley Regina Argo Bachelor of Arts University o f New Mexko 1995 A thesis submitted m partial ftilfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science Degree Department of Environmental Studies Greenspun College of Urban Aflairs Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas December 2001 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 1409019 Copyright 2002 by Argo, Lesley Regina All rights reserved. UMI’ UMI Microform 1409019 Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17. United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copyright by Lesley Regina Argo 2002 All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Thesis Approval The Graduate College University of X'evada, Las V'egas November 14 ■ 2001 The Thesis prepared by Lesley Regina Argo Entitled Challenges for the New West; Economic Impacts of Wilderness in Nevada's Rural Counties _______________________________________ is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science __________ ____ L k A A A i ? ' Exiiiitiiiiitioit Ci’iiiiititUr Chair D ean of the Graduate College Examination Committee Member Examination Committee M ^ ber ualejCollege Facmty ftepresentative I PR 1017-53, 1-00 u Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Challenges for the New West: Economic Impacts of WIidemess on Nevada’s Rural Counties by Lesley Regina Argo Dr. Helen NeilL Examination Committee Chair Associate Professor of Envvonmentai Studies University o f Nevada, Las Vegas Public lands designated as part of the National Wildemess Preservation System are removed from mukiple-use management for protection of their natural condition. Opponents argue that “locking up” the natural resources on these lands through designation will undermine the rural economies in the west that are dependent upon extractive industries such as mining and logging. Proponents argue that the “Old West” reliance on extractive mdustrfes is declming and, in the “New West”, wildemess promotes economic development in rural communities by preserving the amenity values that draw populatfon and employment to the region. Characteristics of Nevada’s econ om y, population and land challenge the ideas of the New West. This thesis examines the economfe unpact of wildemess on rural counties m Nevada. These potential impacts are studied utilizing a simukaneous-equations model, based on Duf^- Deno (1998), to test for determinants of populatfon and employment growth for the period from 1990 to 2000. in Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................üi UST OF TABLES............................................................................................................... v LIST OF nOURES ............................................................................................................. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..................................................................................................vü CHAPTER I WILDERNESS AND THE ECONOMIC DEBATE.................................1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................1 The Natfonal Wilderness Preservatfon System ...............................................................3 The Economic Debate ......................................................................................................9 The New West ................................................................................................................11 CHAPTER n THE NEW WEST IN NEVADA ............................................................ 16 History of Wilderness in Nevada .................................................................................. 16 New West in Nevada ..................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER m EMPIRICAL MODEL...........................................................................27 CHAPTER rV DATA AND METHODS.......................................................................32 CHAPTER V EMPIRICAL RESULTS....................................................................... 38 Population Growth. ........................................................................................................ 38 Employment Growth .....................................................................................................40 Conqxarison of Nevada’s Counties ............................................................................... 44 Limitations .................................................................................................................... 46 A nalysis.........................................................................................................................47 CHAPTER VI CONCLUSION.......................................................................................49 APPENDIX I List of Acronyms ......................................................................................51 APPENDIX n List of Variables and Sources ...................................................................52 APPENDIX m Permissfon to Publish ............................................................................. 54 REFERENCES................................................................................................................... 55 VITA................................................................................................................................... 60 IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. U ST OF TABLES Table 1 Agency Administratfon of the NWPS .................................................................. 8 Table 2 Designatfons in the Nevada Wilderness Protection Act (1989) ........................ 17 Table 3 Addhfons to the NWPS in Northwest Nevada in 2000 ...................................... 18 Table 4 The Relative Importance of Metal Mining in the West, 1990 ...........................20 Table 5 Largest Industries by County in Nevada from 1988 to 1998