Place-Based Identities of Landowners: Implications for Wildlife Conservation

Abstract

In private land dominated landscapes, the landowners’ role identities may affect land management behaviors that, in turn, can dramatically influence native biodiversity. We conducted a mail survey of landowners of >40 ha properties in the Gulf Coast Prairie of Texas, categorized them, identified characteristics that varied among them, described their wildlife-beneficial management practices and role commitment. Hierarchical clustering produced 5 landowner role identity types (Working Place, Entire Place, Amenity, Lifestyle, and Conservation) based upon their self-representations. Working Place and Entire Place landowners had the highest place-based motivations and were the most numerous and active land managers, while Conservation landowners engaged in fewer management practices despite holding pro-conservation motivations. Lifestyle landowners had the highest proportion of retirees, and employed the fewest management practices. Our work describes landowner role identities and how these can help more broadly inform the strategies that are used to target and engage landowners in wildlife-beneficial management.