Rangelands for Snowboarding? Think about it!

Rangelands are important for many different reasons, there is a vast variety of products produced from the production of rangelands. Not only are rangelands used for production, but they are also used as a great outdoor recreation service for society.

My personal favorite service provided by rangelands is, the open space recreation activities that rangelands create. To be more specific, my personal favorite open space activity is snowboarding! Note: Rangelands are defined as less than 10% tree cover. The reason rangelands are essential for they sport of snowboarding is because, rangelands provide the open space used for creating ski resorts. If rangelands did not exist, the sport of snowboarding would not exist, this is because the open space provided by rangelands, creates enough open land away from obstacles such as trees, giant boulders, and steep mountain cliffs, so that rangelands can be used as ski resorts.

In addition not only do mountainous rangelands provide the means for me to be able to snowboard and in turn create feelings of excitement and adrenaline, but I also generate feelings of appreciation, relaxation, and exuberance due to the appreciation I feel when I get to admire the true beauty of mountainous rangelands. In addition the different topography of mountain rangelands creates different types of mountain slopes which very in steepness and length, the different variations of mountain slopes are what snowboarders use to challenge themselves.

In conclusion the amazing challenging sport of snowboarding would not be possible without mountainous rangelands!

This blog was written by Sean Ellyson, student at Santa Rosa Junior College in the Range Management class which is taught by Dr Stephanie Larson, Livestock and Range Management Advisor for Sonoma & Marin counties.