Baker guards gate for Great Basin NP by Mark LaPointe, Outpost Staff In this package: Cloistered oasis is treasure Grab Highway 50 kit Park claims long history Visitors escape stress No seasonal boundaries An eye on the future   The tiny town of Baker, Nev., with a population of slightly more than 50, serves as the gateway to Great Basin National Park. In addition to working on the local cattle ranches, many Baker residents work both within the park and within the community providing services for the many visitors. A couple of hotels and one service station struggle at times to meet the demands of the visitors, whose numbers dwarf those of the town's residents. Park official Becky Mills sees the relationship between Great Basin and Baker as symbiotic. "We are all part of one community," she says. "There are differences of opinion and strong views on how the park should manage visitor services, and we communicate together in various forums about this." Park staff also live within the community, have children in the local school and work to provide Cattle ranching remains a key part of Baker's existence. Photo by Jim LaRue emergency medical and fire services to the local area. Local resident and cattle rancher Dean Baker seems to agree, if begrudgingly. "The park has a tremendous problem with grazing," Baker said in a 1995 interview with High Country News. "It's putting a square peg into a round hole for them. And since they have a problem, we have a problem." The problem is slowly finding solution through multiple channels. For example, the Toiyabe chapter of the Sierra Club is working with U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan of Nevada and others to raise funds that will buy out grazing permits at a cost that is accessible while remaining fair to ranchers. This, and other compromises seem to be creating a better atmosphere for residents, visitors, environmentalists and park officials. Next   copyright 12/10/97 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost Nevada Outpost is produced by students at the Reynolds School of Journalism, University of Nevada, Reno Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost  TOP