Government Land Preservation and Communication Policies in Fast-Growing Counties of the United States of America

Abstract

Most US counties undergoing rapid population increases rely on traditional land-preservation techniques (zoning, direct purchase, development regulations) to control land use and on public meetings to communicate with the public. Yet some of these rapidly growing counties also use tax incentives, conservation easements, and other innovative preservation methods; they also use the mass media to communicate. These innovative counties tend to be more populous, affluent, and located in states with stronger environmental protection programs than counties that rely on traditional techniques.