Coming into the country: New owners of ranches in the Sierra Valley, California

Current research reveals a high rate of ownership change on ranchlands across the American West. Underlying each transaction is the inflated cost of ranchlands---sold at prices far above their agricultural production value. Changes in land tenure introduce new types of owners whose presence has important implications for the West's social and ecological landscapes. While new owners vary in length of ownership, economic investment, goals, introduction of new practices, and attachment to ranching, they are generally not dependent on income from their ranch however, livestock production is often still a critical factor in their relations with the land and the rural community. This case study used in-depth interviews with a small sample of new owners (1970s to 1990s) in the Sierra Valley, California, to explore how their ideas of nature, access to knowledge and resources, and practices reshape the West's landscape. The Sierra Valley indicates that continuity in land management and social relations can persist even as ownership changes hands, but that turnover increases the possibility of further turnover, which holds the potential for future changes in the land and community.