With Euro-American settlement, conversion of grasslands to cropland, and eradication programs, the black-tailed prairie dog population has been reduced by over 90% in the U.S. Great Plains. In western Kansas' Logan County, a war pits a group of ranchers and environmental organizations which support maintaining prairie dogs for the animals' keystone role in the ecosystem against neighboring ranchers and local officials who poison prairie dogs seen as destroying pasturelands. This paper investigates prairie dog tourism development in this conflicted setting by utilizing two Larrys from Logan County: 1) Larry Haverfield, a rancher who values the animals for their role in creating wildlife habitat and wildlife watching and hunting opportunities; and 2) Larry Farmer, who owns Prairie Dog Town, the county's largest tourist attraction, which is the home to the world's largest (concrete) prairie dog and a captive colony of real-life prairie dogs.
Conference proceeding
The two Larrys of Logan County: a prairie dog paradox
CAUTHE Conference 2015 : rising tides and sea changes : adaptation and innovation in tourism and hospitality : proceedings of the 25th Annual CAUTHE Conference, pp.423-427
Council for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE 2015) : Rising Tides and Sea Changes : Adaptation and Innovation in Tourism and Hospitality, 25th (Gold Coast, Queensland, 02/02/2015 - 05/02/2015)
2015
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25 Record Views
Abstract
Details
- Title
- The two Larrys of Logan County: a prairie dog paradox
- Creators
- Deborah Che - Southern Cross UniversityTed Cable
- Contributors
- Erica Wilson (Editor of compilation) - Southern Cross UniversityMieke Annemarie Witsel (Editor of compilation) - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- CAUTHE Conference 2015 : rising tides and sea changes : adaptation and innovation in tourism and hospitality : proceedings of the 25th Annual CAUTHE Conference, pp.423-427
- Conference
- Council for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE 2015) : Rising Tides and Sea Changes : Adaptation and Innovation in Tourism and Hospitality, 25th (Gold Coast, Queensland, 02/02/2015 - 05/02/2015)
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University, School of Business and Tourism; Gold Coast, Queensland
- Number of pages
- 423-427
- Identifiers
- 1564; 991012821262802368
- Academic Unit
- School of Business and Tourism; Office of the PVC (Academic Innovation); Faculty of Business, Law and Arts; The Hotel School
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding