Private Land Conservation

Conservation Easements. Private land provides valuable ecological and cultural resources while also supplying open space and scenic views. Private land is also vulnerable to development and subdivision, presenting a need for conservation on private lands. Conservation easements (CEs) emerged as a popular approach to private land conservation in the 1980s. A CE is a legal agreement between a landowner and an eligible organization, such as a land trust or government agency. CEs are attached to the property deed meaning that significant conservation values of a piece of land can be permanently protected. When a landowner decides to place a CE on their property, they continue to own the property, but agree to limit uses and/or management practices that would negatively affect conservation values. CEs are a powerful conservation tool that allow land to remain in private ownership; however, they are also voluntary tools that require willing landowners.

Whychus Creek at Deschutes Land Trusts’ Camp Polk Meadow Preserve

Photo Credit: Deschutes Land Trust/Russ McMillan

Private Landowner Attitudes and Interest in Conservation Easements

Whychus Creek Watershed, Deschutes County, Oregon

by Ashley Vizek

My thesis research explores landowners’ perceptions of conservation easements (CEs) to better understand how CEs can be further utilized in private land conservation. More specifically, the objectives of her research project were to:

Determine private landowners’ familiarity with and attitudes towards CEs;
Understand the advantages and risk that landowners perceive to be associated with CEs;
Evaluate the role of community and social connections in developing an awareness of and interest in CEs;
Identify private landowners’ likelihood of placing a CE on their property.

In order to address these research questions I implemented a mixed-mode mail and web-based survey during the summer of 2015 in the Whychus Creek Watershed (Deschutes County, OR). 257 responses were received, yielding a response rate of 41.5%. On average, respondents were older than 50 years of age and, in comparison to the general population, had a higher level of education and above-average income. Most survey respondents specified that they use their property as a primary residence and live on their property more than nine months out the year. There was a wide range of property sizes ranging from less than one acre to greater than 2,000 acres. The attached report summarizes the survey responses from this sample of landowners.

The Summary Fact Sheet provides a condensed overview of the key findings highlighted in the more detailed Summary Report. My thesis provides in depth analysis of my research and more conceptual background.

Report abuse