The Use of Financial Incentives, Stewardship, and Public Information to Promote Wildlife Habitat Conservation on Private Lands | Posted on:2013-06-07 | Degree:Ph.D | Type:Dissertation | University:North Carolina State University | Candidate:Rodriguez, Shari Lynn | Full Text:PDF | GTID:1459390008971080 | Subject:Agriculture | Abstract/Summary: | PDF Full Text Request | In the US, most wildlife species rely on private lands for habitat, which makes private lands critical for wildlife conservation. Despite this, efforts to conserve wildlife habitat in have historically focused on public lands. My dissertation explores three methods used to motivate private landowners to conserve habitat for wildlife on their land: financial incentives (Chapter 1), stewardship (Chapter 2) and public information (Chapter 3).;Chapter 1: Conservation incentive programs promote private lands conservation with financial assistance to landowners in exchange for specific land management activities. While many conservation incentive programs exist, few focus on endangered species. Consequently, little information exists regarding landowner interest in programs focused on endangered species. To address this issue, we conducted a case study of North Carolina Farm Bureau (NCFB) county board members in all 100 counties in North Carolina (NC) with an in-person survey administration between March and October, 2009. Our objectives were to: 1) compare respondent interest in conservation easements versus contracts; 2) gauge respondent interest in a endangered species habitat conservation contract to restore and maintain endangered species habitat; 3) assess respondent preferences for agreement durations and enrollment acreage; and 4) determine socio-demographic predictors of interest in PES contacts for endangered species habitat conservation. In total, 735 NCFB county board members participated in the study (78% compliance rate). Results show preferences for contracts (57%) over easements (39%), and preferences for shorter-term conservation contracts and permanent easements. About half of respondents (45%) indicated they would place two-thirds of their land (91 acres) in a contract to restore and maintain endangered species habitat, and indicated preference for 10 year contracts. Younger landowners who had previously participated in conservation programs, who perceived endangered species conservation as important, and who individual property rights orientations were more likely to be interested in endangered species habitat contracts. These results have been published in the Wildlife Society Bulletin..;Chapter 2: Although payments are often used to promote conservation, there simply is not enough funding available to pay all private landowners to conserve wildlife. Thus, it is critical to find alternatives to PES for motivating habitat conservation on private land. Private land stewardship is thought to influence landowner willingness to adopt environmentally sustainable land management practices without financial incentives, and therefore may represent a viable alternative to payments. To be effective at persuading private landowners to conserve without payments, conservationists must first understand landowner views of stewardship. We used the aforementioned survey to address three objectives:1) determine if respondents self-identify as stewards of the land; 2) determine what motivates respondents to be stewards of the land; 3) determine what activities/behaviors respondents associate with private land stewardship; and 4) determine what socio-demographic characteristics predict stewardship motivations and activities/behaviors. Nearly all of our respondents self-identified as stewards of the land (97%). Respondents associated stewardship with maintaining property (87%) and indicated that their responsibility to act as a steward was owed to future generations (87%) and family (77%). The importance of soil conservation and past participation in conservation programs were found to be important predictors of stewardship activities and motivations.;Chapter 3: Providing the public with information regarding the benefits of native plant landscaping may influence wildlife habitat conservation in urban areas. Although residential landscapes typically consist of maintained lawns with some exotic trees, and shrubs, alternative designs that benefit wildlife are possible. Literature suggests public information may influence landowners’ preferences for landscaping choices. We used case study of Raleigh, North Carolina residents to 1) determine how much landowners will change their landscaping preferences after learning of the benefits of native landscaping to birds, and 2) what socio-demographic variables predict their landscaping preferences for native landscaping. One hundred seventy-nine surveys were administered in-person in 4 randomly selected census blocks in Raleigh between February and March, 2010. A total of 179 responses to the survey were received (40% response rate). Prior to being given information on the benefits of wildlife-friendly native plant landscaping (treatment), residents showed preference for 0% and 50% native plant landscaping coverage. After providing information regarding the benefits of native plant landscaping to birds, preferences shifted to the 50% and 75% coverages. Regression analysis showed that home ownership and ethnicity were the only predictors of change in landscaping preferences. | Keywords/Search Tags: | Land, Conservation, Habitat, Private, Wildlife, Stewardship, Public information, Financial incentives | PDF Full Text Request | Related items |
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