Guest Opinion: East Crazy Inspiration Divide Land Exchange Can Improve Rangelands Management

Checkboard landownership has created challenges for private and public land management since the railroad grants in the 1880s. One hundred and forty years later, the problems remain. The current checkerboard of private and public land creates problems for wildlife, recreation, public and private stewardship and livestock management. Simply put, habitat fragmentation is bad for both wildlife and resource functionality.

The Crazy Mountains pose a distinctive challenge due to the current mix of private and public lands. Checkerboard ownership disrupts wildlife behavior and habitat. The East Crazy...