trust is far from dead. This could have a tremendous impact on our outlook 

 of land ownership. 



We must recognize, in addition, the increasing demand on rangeland. 

 These again are not new to you. Subdivisions, strip mining, highways and 

 recreation (hunting, fishing and vacationers) are all encroaching on the 

 range resource. In the last few years, good rangeland is being broken up 

 and put into cropping. You have all seen it happening. Undoubtedly, this 

 is the result of applying short-term economics. Today we have section upon 

 section being torn up that is undoubtedly going to have to go back to grass. 

 Do we know how to put this land back to grass in a rather fast fashion? I 

 am afraid we have a lot to learn. 



In general, Montana's rangelands are in relatively good shape, but we 

 still have a long way to go before we reach maximum potential production. 

 As an important step in further improvement, we must work to get people to 

 appreciate the range as a valuable resource and try to eliminate the attitude 

 that it is a resoiirce that is "good for nothing else". 



Dr. Johan Asleson , who presented this speech at the Governor's Conference 

 on Montana Rangeland, is Dean of Agriculture at Montana State University in 

 Bozeman, Montana. 



Dr. Asleson received his PHD in Soils from the University of Wisconsin 

 in 1957. 



Dr. Asleson served with the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station 

 from 1 954-65 • He left the MAES as Director and accepted the position of 

 Dean of Agriculture at M.S.U. 



Some of Dr. Asleson' s assignments are: Advisory Committee for Agricul- 

 tural Stablization and Conservation Service for Montana, Administrative Ad- 

 visor to three Western Regional Research Committees and the Executive Com- 

 mittee of the Great Plains Agricultiiral Council. 



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