A little bit of perspective

I've been wanting to do something for a while to give a sense of the geographic expanse of Pine Ridge reservation, of the beautiful rolling hills, grasslands, and badlands, and of the challenge the tribal government faces in providing services to such large region. So here it is, a cutout of Pine Ridge reservation to the same scale as a cutout of the state of Massachusetts. [If you are a wisconsin-ite and the Massachusetts comparison doesn't mean much to you, then know that the length of Pine Ridge Reservation is about the same as the distance from Mt. Horeb to Milwaukee.]

Imagine trying to organize trash collection and disposal for 26,000-ish people over such an area. Or deliver water. Or get out emergency relief. And just imagine how hard these people are hit by recent fuel prices when they have to commute to work or the hospital or the grocery store over such distances (there are plans in the works for a bus system but nothing exists yet). Food for thought...