Private Forestlands in South Carolina: Motivations for Implementing Conservation Practices

Abstract

This study aims to understand the conservation practices taking place on private forestlands in South Carolina, United States. Much of the forestlands in the eastern United States are privately owned, and landowners can elect whether to implement conservation practices. A questionnaire was distributed to South Carolina landowners to elicit information on land tenure, the type of conservation practices they use, and the best methods for increasing the use of these practices. We specifically focused on prescribed fire because of its importance to management regimes and the debate that surrounds this practice. Results from our questionnaire that was randomly distributed to South Carolina forest landowners showed that many landowners use at least one conservation practice or are interested in implementing one or more practice. Our Logit regression analysis showed that certain factors including land size and belonging to an environmental group were significant and associated with increased implementation of prescribe fire. From the model and statistical analysis of the landowner responses, we inferred that educational and financial resources are two crucial factors for encouraging landowners to implement conservation practices and retain landowners already involved in the cost share programs. Furthermore, helping landowners with implementation of prescribed fire through their inclusion in prescribed fire organizations and funding opportunities would most likely increase adoption and contribute to conserving ecosystem services in South Carolina and other states with large areas of land in private ownership.