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A Comparative Political Ecology of Exurbia pp 51–82Cite as

Divergent Perspectives and Contested Ecologies: Three Cases of Land-Use Change in Calaveras County, California

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Abstract

Amenity migration and associated exurbanization are changing the ways that rural areas are viewed, used, and managed, shifting the landscapes and social norms of places along the rural–urban interface. As such, exurbia, that particular form of growth or development that occupies the edges and borders between rural and urban spaces and places, is significant not just for its spatial patterns, but also for its characteristic social, cultural, and political dynamics. The functional shifts to land and society occurring in exurbia make understanding environmental management regimes both challenging and critical as the implications for land-use change in the exurban context are multiple and profound. In an effort to guide and frame these ongoing analyses, I develop and apply the concept of contested ecologies, wherein disagreements over the meaning, values, and/or function of land or resources lead to contrasting perspectives of a particular place, environment, or landscape. In this paper, I present three cases of land-use change in Calaveras County, California, and their contested ecologies, focusing, in particular, on the policy and political dimensions of the case of the Trinitas golf course. The cases serve to demonstrate the ecological consequences of various land-use debates. I conclude with an evaluation of the significance of divergent environmental and ideological perspectives for land-use decision-making and environmental management in the context of contested ecologies along the rural–urban edge.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    There are numerous takes and discussions of how time and space are interconnected and socially mediated, making the perception of space and time vary from place to place, time to time, and from person to person (see, for example: Harvey 1996; Massey 1999; Massey 2001; Harrison et al. 2004; Merriman 2012).

  2. 2.

    For a counter argument of the utility of the program see Roberts (2011).

  3. 3.

    The Williamson Act was defunded in 2009, and, although it remained in effect, counties were no longer reimbursed for lost property tax revenue (Network 2009). As such, the viability of the program came into question. Funding was restored, but then removed again in 2011 before the program was refunded through 2016 (Campbell 2011). The details of the program changed slightly over the past several years as the program was virtually defunded and then restored twice, but the fundamental elements have remained: Tax relief in return for leaving land in agriculture for a specified time with a rolling annual contract (Adler 2011; Campbell 2011; Department of Conservation 2007a, b).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA

    Colleen C. Hiner

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  1. Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Laura E. Taylor

  2. Environmental Studies, Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, USA

    Patrick T. Hurley

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Hiner, C.C. (2016). Divergent Perspectives and Contested Ecologies: Three Cases of Land-Use Change in Calaveras County, California. In: Taylor, L., Hurley, P. (eds) A Comparative Political Ecology of Exurbia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29462-9_3

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