Northern Great Basin: A Region of Continual Change

There are many controversies and conflicts surrounding land management in the Great Basin. The conflicts often revolve around the maintenance of native plant and animal communities. This paper outlines some of the historical aspects of plant community change and some of the unanticipated impacts of policies applied to the Great Basin during Euro-American exploration and settlement. This narrative provides readers with some background on the turbulent history of the Great Basin, and suggests the need for a coordinated vision for future Great Basin land management.