Poster Abstract Details

Author(s):
Megan Lupek, Wayde Morse

Affiliation:
Auburn University

Presentation Type:
Poster

Topic Area:
The relationship(s) between land-use policies and ecological processes/disturbances along urban-rural interfaces

Abstract Text:
Landowner cooperation in conservation efforts is essential to the preservation of valuable land, as the majority of critical habitat for conservation purposes lies in the hands of private landowners. Conservation easements are one means of promoting the preservation of private land. Under these contracts, specific property rights are voluntarily transferred to a government agency or non-government organization, allowing for the application of conservation practices. The property remains in the possession of the landholder, who receives benefits, often in the form of tax breaks. Land trusts are major facilitators of conservation easements. These organizations are numerous and range in the specific priorities they pursue. Examples include watershed protection, habitat preservation, and assisting privately owned forests or farms. Due to their varied interests, land trusts often differ in their activities and it has been suggested that some programs are better suited to different situations. The characteristics and objectives of an institution reflect the types of individuals it will attract. Thus, organizations should have a solid understanding of the values held by their participants. In addition, it is necessary for these institutions to understand their members’ perceptions on the benefits their land provides, as there is often a disconnect between what landowners consider sustainable and actuality. Further investigation of governmental agencies and land trusts is needed to determine if the values they believe their members have are actually maintained. This study compares the mission statements of 16 land trusts operating in Alabama to gain an understanding of the goals of the organizations. It was found that despite the diversity in size and interests, there are common themes among these land trusts including the concepts of looking to the future, education, providing benefits to the public, and protection through preservation. These results provide the preliminary work for a more extensive project examining the views land trusts and government agencies have regarding the perceptions their participant landowners maintain regarding the benefits their properties provide. Data from this study will be used to gain insight on the motivations and goals of each land trust, which will be supplemental to interviews conducted with representatives from the organization and compared to interviews with landowners involved in the land trusts.