Oral Presentations and Performances: Session II
Project Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Martin Nie
Faculty Mentor’s Department
College Of Forestry & Conservation
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Wildlife in the United States is publicly owned, but much of the habitat that supports these species exists on privately owned land. This creates tension for conservation, especially in the western United States where species like elk, deer, and sage grouse rely heavily on private land. While wildlife itself can create management challenges for landowners, the primary driver of habitat loss is often economic pressure rather than negative attitudes toward wildlife. Private land may be converted to agriculture, subdivision development, or other financially beneficial uses when maintaining open habitat does not compare financially. As a result, landowners may lack clear incentives to maintain or improve wildlife habitat, even when that habitat provides broader ecological and long-term public benefits. This project examines whether market-based tools such as transferable hunting permits or conservation incentive programs can encourage habitat protection on private lands without undermining the public trust doctrine that defines wildlife as a public resource. I compare landowner permit systems and conservation partnerships across several western states to evaluate how different program designs influence landowner decisions and habitat outcomes. Preliminary findings suggest that incentive-based programs can reduce development pressure when they are clearly tied to measurable conservation outcomes. However, poorly structured programs risk limiting public hunting access or raising concerns about the gradual privatization of publicly owned wildlife. This research explores how conservation goals can be balanced with private property rights by identifying collaborative approaches that support habitat protection while preserving wildlife as a shared public resource.
Incentivizing Conservation on Private Lands
UC 329
Wildlife in the United States is publicly owned, but much of the habitat that supports these species exists on privately owned land. This creates tension for conservation, especially in the western United States where species like elk, deer, and sage grouse rely heavily on private land. While wildlife itself can create management challenges for landowners, the primary driver of habitat loss is often economic pressure rather than negative attitudes toward wildlife. Private land may be converted to agriculture, subdivision development, or other financially beneficial uses when maintaining open habitat does not compare financially. As a result, landowners may lack clear incentives to maintain or improve wildlife habitat, even when that habitat provides broader ecological and long-term public benefits. This project examines whether market-based tools such as transferable hunting permits or conservation incentive programs can encourage habitat protection on private lands without undermining the public trust doctrine that defines wildlife as a public resource. I compare landowner permit systems and conservation partnerships across several western states to evaluate how different program designs influence landowner decisions and habitat outcomes. Preliminary findings suggest that incentive-based programs can reduce development pressure when they are clearly tied to measurable conservation outcomes. However, poorly structured programs risk limiting public hunting access or raising concerns about the gradual privatization of publicly owned wildlife. This research explores how conservation goals can be balanced with private property rights by identifying collaborative approaches that support habitat protection while preserving wildlife as a shared public resource.