| Conserving habitat on private land is an essential component to sustaining Alberta's wildlife populations. The contribution that landowners can make should not be underestimated as 83% of the white area in Alberta is privately owned. Understanding the opinions and values of landowners as well as the innovation and diffusion of conservation practices will hopefully create greater support for habitat conservation by increasing environmental literacy and environmental advocacy.;A case study of private landowners' attitudes toward conservation and private stewardship initiatives in central Alberta revealed that over half of the respondents (57.7%) were involved in conservation projects. Most projects, however, were agriculturally oriented. Many landowners would only consider conserving habitat for wildlife if compensated. The majority of landowners (69.2%) did not think that the breaking and clearing of land was affecting wildlife populations. In addition, less than half of respondents (42.3%) were interested in learning about habitat improvement. An overall lack of concern and awareness seems to prevail as to the connection between wildlife and habitat. Consequently, conservation and government agencies may wish to: consolidate their efforts; target specific audiences for habitat agreements as well as soil and water conservation projects; support local opinion leaders as important sources of information and increase compensation rates. Ultimately, wildlife habitat preservation will require a change in ethics, as long term compensation will be difficult to maintain. |
