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Ranches, rodeos…and public land. This is the story of a surprising battle raging in the American West, and the unlikely coalition it’s forged.

Nearly half of all land in the West of the United States is owned by the federal government. Some people are trying to change that; they argue that part of it should be used for housing, amid a nationwide shortage. But this debate about land and development has touched a nerve in the Western psyche - tapping into bigger fears that the old way of life is under threat. It’s about identity, trust, and the growing popularity of cowboy culture - driven in part by the TV series ‘Yellowstone’.

In an increasingly polarised United States, this debate about public land is uniting cowboys, environmental activists, conservatives, and progressives. Ellie House reports from Montana - a state where the prospect of a public land selloff is deeply unpopular, and where people feel like their cultures and traditions are at stake.

Producer: Josephine Casserly
Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Gemma Ashman
Mix: Rod Farquhar
Series editor: Penny Murphy