USGS WLCI Fact Sheet 5: Rancher and Farmer Quality of Life in the Midst of Energy Development in Southwest Wyoming

Rancher and Farmer Quality of Life in the Midst of Energy Development in Southwest Wyoming

By Leslie Allen, Jessica Montag, Katie Lyon, Suzanna Soileau, and Rudy Schuster

Abstract

Quality of life (QOL) is usually defined as a person’s general well-being, and may include individual perceptions of a variety of factors such family, work, finances, local community services, community relationships, surrounding environment, and other important aspects of their life, ultimately leading to life satisfaction. Energy development can have an effect on QOL components for rural residents. Southwest Wyoming is a rural area with a history of ranching and farming which continues today. This area has also seen a “boom” of increasing wind, solar, oil and gas energy developments over the past decade. Wyoming Department of Agriculture, as part of the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI), sponsored research to examine the effect of energy development on ranchers’ and farmers’ quality of life.

First posted September 9, 2014

Report PDF (2.21 MB)

For additional information contact:
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
U.S. Geological Survey
2327 University Way, Suite 2
Bozeman, MT 59715
http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/

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Suggested citation:

Allen, Leslie, Montag, Jessica, Lyon, Katie, Soileau, Suzanna, and Schuster, Rudy, 2014, Rancher and farmer quality of life in the midst of energy development in southwest Wyoming: WLCI Fact Sheet 5, 4 p., https://pubs.usgs.gov/wlci/fs/5/.