Set-aside Land Research Articles

التمدد العمرانی على الأراضی الزراعیة فی محافظة الغربیة

This study focuses on the evolution of urban encroachment on arable land in Egypt. There are three forms of encroachment on arable land. The first type is the removal of the fertile topsoil of agricultural land for the main purpose of bricks manufacturing. The second type is the setting aside of arable land and letting the land go unproductive for long time periods. The third type is the permanent conversion of arable land to buildings. The total acreage lost to encroachment the January 25, 2011 revolution till November 18, 2018 is about 85 thousands feddans of fertile land. The first type of topsoil removal constitutes 7.7 percent of the total lost acreage. While setting aside of arable land constitutes 35.5 percent and the conversion of arable land to buildings constitutes 57.8 percent of total land lost to encroachment. Rapid population growth is the main driver for accelerating encroachment on arable land in Egypt. This is especially evident in the governorates that are not endowed with desert backyard. Gharbeya governorate is a good example of densely populated regions with no desert backyard that could be used for urban expansion. The study reveals that population in Gharbeya grew during the period 2006-2017 with an annually rate of 2.1 percent. While arable land and cropping land declined with an annual rate of 1006 feddans and 2992 feddans respectively during the same time period. The continued encroachment on agricultural land is a major threat to Egypt’s food security due to the limited base of arable land in Egypt. In fact per capita share of arable land is declining very rapidly over the years. For example, the ratio of population to arable land increased from 10.4 in 2006 to 15.4 in 2014. The country is attempting to make up for the lost land through reclamation of desert land. Unfortunately, reclamation of desert land is very expensive endeavor and requires major investment in basic infrastructure such as roads, irrigation networks, power grids, and social infrastructure. Therefore it is of utmost importance for the government to pay due attention to the problem of urban encroachment on old arable land and devise policies and legislations that would put a brake on this phenomena.

Change in species composition of vegetation on various-aged set-aside lands of the Volga Delta

The object of the present research is set-aside lands of various ages. The study was aimed to identify the main biological groups of weed growing on set-aside lands of the Volga Delta, which were removed from production in different years. Within the study, species composition of set-aside lands’ vegetation was defined, which amounted to 28 species and 16 families. The plant community of set-aside lands includes such large families as Asteraceae (5 species), Poaceae (4 species), Brassicaceae (3 species). It was observed that quantitative species composition of set-aside lands’ flora has been changing depending on its age: the older a set-aside land is, the less species grow there. In spring and summer seasons, ephemeral, annual and biennial weeds prevailed, while in autumn perennial plants did: the latter were estimated of 75-80%, their wet weight amounted up to 70-92% of total weight due to the plentiful growth and development of a perennial rhizome plant named Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steudel. The research has lasted for 10 years and allowed observing a 14-32% increase in a number of plants belonging to a xerophyte group on longstanding set-aside lands with low level of soil moisture. Agro-ecosystems of various-aged set-aside lands hosted the development of flora having different vegetative weight that is capable of accumulating solar energy. Significant amount of accumulated energy reduced the entropy of the environment and improved its ecological state. On an old-aged set-aside land, corps of perennial plants vegetating for a long time have been maximally accumulating energy and gained 25712.42 MJ/ha.

Elkhorn: Evolution of a Kentucky Landscape by Richard Taylor

Reviewed by: Elkhorn: Evolution of a Kentucky Landscape by Richard Taylor Nancy O’Malley (bio) Elkhorn: Evolution of a Kentucky Landscape. By Richard Taylor. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2018. Pp. xii, 312. $35.00 cloth; $35.00 ebook) Richard Taylor’s new book, Elkhorn: Evolution of a Kentucky Landscape, is part memoir, part history, part geography, and part narrative storytelling. His multidisciplinary approach is an appealing way to investigate his subject, the Elkhorn Creek drainage, through various lenses of perspective. Taylor grabbed my attention right away with his introduction that opened with his and his wife’s purchase of an old house and the ensuing restoration, an endeavor that will resonate with anyone who has undertaken the resurrection of a historic structure. But the house is really metaphor for what comes in the following chapters—a deep dive into the past that illuminates exactly what his title promised, an evolutionary tale. Following the author’s note and introduction, the book is divided into ten chapters and closes with an epilogue, acknowledgements, and four appendices. The text is well referenced with detailed [End Page 197] endnotes, expansive bibliographical references, and a good index. Except for chapter one, which opens with a poem, the stage for each subsequent chapter is set with a narrative vignette that Taylor calls “embroidered facts” and selected quotations. (p. xi) His versatile background as a poet, English professor, and writer of fiction and nonfiction is amply demonstrated as he weaves together fact, speculation, lyrical observation, and personal experience. Taylor’s kayaking excursions enabled him to weave geography inextricably throughout the book. Even if the reader has never visited the Elkhorn, the book gives a good a sense of what it is like to paddle down the creek and what you will see as you go. The descriptions in the first chapter made me want to jump into a canoe and experience it for myself. The author reaches far back in time with chapters two and three to discuss the prehistoric occupants, both human and animal, of the Elkhorn drainage. Dipping into paleontological and archaeological research as well as myth, the wooly mammoths of the glacial age spring to life followed by a summary of what archaeology tells us about some of the Native American people that called Elkhorn home. For the remainder of the book, Taylor turns his attention to events and people who are intimately connected to the history of the Elkhorn drainage. His subjects are not people and events of national renown but fascinating examples of how Kentucky was settled, who came here, how they made a living, and what happened to them. Consider those hardy men who penetrated the land known as Kentucke in the late-eighteenth century to survey land claims for permanent Euroamerican settlement. Their forays were dangerous for many reasons; the most compelling being that their surveys were not officially authorized and, in fact, trespassed on land set aside for Native American people. Native people understandably viewed the surveyors as intruders and thieves and continually tried to thwart their efforts. Chapter five examines Judge Harry Innes, a well-known and influential man in his own time but is, as the author asserts, “hardly [End Page 198] a household name” today (p. 69). His life spanned the transition from the tumultuous years of Kentucky’s historic settlement punctuated by Native American attacks (including one on the Innes homestead) to the establishment of the state’s civil society for which he served as one of the architects. Taylor’s research reclaims Innes’ little-heralded but significant role in Kentucky’s development. Chapter six is devoted to a gruesome event that took place in 1792, nearly ten years after the official close by treaty of the American Revolution. Known as the Cook Massacre, the event underscores the state of danger that persisted in parts of Kentucky as Native American tribes continued to attack the Kentucky frontier even after their alliance with the British during the Revolution ended. The hydrology of the Elkhorn Creek is ideal for water powered milling. Chapters seven and eight focus on papermaker Hiram Stead-man and grist miller A. W. Macklin. As a longtime researcher of the milling industry...

Makkasan Train Factory: an attempt to preserve Bangkok’s urban heritage

The Makkasan Train Factory, opened 110 years ago, is the first industrial estate in Thailand and used to be the biggest hub for train production in Southeast Asia. Nowadays, this huge land of 80 hectares, with direct access from the Savarnabhumi airport rail link, is considered a golden land right in the business center of Bangkok, that attracts real estate investors. A third of the land set aside at the end of last year for the development of a mixed use commercial project as a part of the High Speed Train project. As this land is the last big area of public land in the capital, civic groups for urban heritage conservation and the environment tried to point out its tangible and intangible heritage value hoping that there would be a proper master plan to preserve these values for future generations.

THE URBAN SPRAWL ON AGRICULTURAL LANDS IN GHARBIA GOVORNORATE

This study focuses on the evolution of urban encroachment on arable land in Egypt. There are three forms of encroachment on arable land. The first type is the removal of the fertile topsoil of agricultural land for the main purpose of bricks manufacturing. The second type is the setting aside of arable land and letting the land go unproductive for long time periods. The third type is the permanent conversion of arable land to buildings. The total acreage lost to encroachment from January 25, 2011 revolution till November 18, 2018 is about 85 thousands feddans of fertile land. The first type of topsoil removal constitutes 7.7 percent of the total lost acreage .While setting aside of arable land constitutes 35.5 percent and the conversion of arable land to buildings constitutes 57.8 percent of total land lost to encroachment . Rapid population growth is the main driver for accelerating encroachment on arable land in Egypt. This is especially evident in the governorates that are not endowed with desert backyard. Gharbeya governorate is a good example of densely populated regions with no desert backyard that could be used for urban expansion. The study reveals that population in Gharbeya grew during the period 2006-2017 with an annually rate of 2.1 percent. While cultivated area and cropped area declined with an annual rate of 1006 feddans and 2992 feddans respectively during the same time period. The continued encroachment on agricultural land is a major threat to Egypt’s food security due to the limited base of arable land in Egypt. In fact per capita share of arable land is declining very rapidly over the years. For example, the ratio of population to arable land increased from 10.4 in 2006 to 15.4 in 2017. The country is attempting to make up for the lost land through reclamation of desert land. Unfortunately, reclamation of desert land is very expensive endeavor and requires major investment in basic infrastructure such as roads, irrigation networks, power grids, and social infrastructure. Therefore it is of utmost importance for the government to pay due attention to the problem of urban encroachment on old arable land and devise policies and legislations that would put a brake on this phenomena .

Land‐sharing/‐sparing connectivity landscapes for ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation

Abstract The land‐sharing versus land‐sparing debate recently stagnated, lacking an integrating perspective in agricultural landscapes as well as consideration of ecosystem services. Here, we argue that land‐sharing (i.e. wildlife‐friendly farming systems) and land‐sparing (i.e. separation of high‐yielding agriculture and natural habitats) are not mutually exclusive, as both are needed to balance management needs for the multifunctionality of agricultural landscapes. Land‐sharing promotes ecosystem services in agricultural settings, thereby allowing for environmentally friendly production. Land set aside in protected areas by land‐sparing is crucial for conservation of those species that are incompatible with agriculture. Importantly, as species move throughout the landscape and exploit different habitats, increased connectivity between environmentally friendly managed and protected areas is needed to (a) promote spillover of ecosystem service providers from land‐sharing/‐sparing measures to agricultural production and rescue service‐providing species from extinction in hostile areas, (b) to facilitate immigration and counteract possible extinctions in spared habitats and (c) to conserve response diversity of species communities for ensuring resilience of ecosystem services in changing environments. In conclusion, the successful management of multifunctional landscapes requires the combination of context‐specific land‐sharing and land‐sparing measures within spatially well‐connected landscape mosaics, resulting in land‐sharing/‐sparing connectivity landscapes. A plain language summary is available for this article.

Bringing the neighbors in: A choice experiment on the influence of coordination and social norms on farmers’ willingness to accept agro-environmental schemes across Europe

This paper aims to shed light on the challenges and opportunities of promoting farmers’ participation in agro-environmental programs at reasonable monetary cost in intensively used agricultural landscapes. On the one hand, the study assesses the costs of coordinating farmers for the implementation of the programs, as a complement or alternative to increasing the amount of land set aside for said programs. On the other hand, the paper responds to recent calls about the need to identify incentives other than monetary payments to promote farmers participation. Methodologically, the study consists of a choice experiment exploring the willingness of farmers in Germany, Switzerland, and Spain to participate in a tree planting measure. According to our findings, the resistance of farmers to participate in coordinated programs is not insurmountable and has to do with transaction costs as well as beliefs about other farmers’ behavior. Similarly, having conservation programs recommended by farmers can encourage other farmers to participate. Finally, different conservation framings can affect the resistance of farmers to participate depending on the emphasis put on the environmental benefits that farmers obtain from the programs. Overall, the findings illustrate the interest of further integrating farmers in the design of agro-environmental schemes and, further testing the feasibility of coordinated schemes in light of the influence of both monetary and social incentives.

Field-level characteristics influence wild bee functional guilds on public lands managed for conservation

Throughout the Midwestern US, many public lands set aside for conservation engage in management activities (e.g., agriculture) that may act as stressors on wild bee populations. Several studies have investigated how wild bees respond to large-scale agriculture production; however, there has been limited assessment of how wild bees may be impacted by agricultural activity on public lands or how local variables may influence bee communities in these same areas. In this study, we assessed the abundance and richness of wild bee floral and nesting guilds at 30 agricultural field margins located on five Conservation Areas in Missouri. Generally, regardless of guild, bee abundance and richness was greater in field margins with more floral diversity and taller vegetation. Bee guilds responded negatively to agricultural production in Conservation Areas with fewer soil- and cavity-nesting bees collected in margins adjacent to annually cropped fields. Although fewer diet specialists were collected, specialist bee abundance and richness was greater in margins near fields that were uncropped (i.e., vegetated, but not row-cropped) during the previous year. Overall, the percentage of trees and shrubs within 800 m of study fields (i.e., “woodland”) was negatively associated with abundance and richness of bees, but specifically, reduced richness of soil-nesters and diet specialists. Our findings indicate agricultural management activities on public lands may lead to decreased abundance and richness of wild bee guilds. If public lands are to be managed for species diversity, including wild bees, maintaining diverse plant communities with taller vegetation (>100 cm) near cultivated fields and/or modifying agricultural production practices on public lands may greatly improve the conservation of local bee communities.

Comparisons of Reptile Assemblages in Two Subdivisions of the Sonoran Desertscrub Biotic Community

Anthropogenic disturbances can have negative effects on species assemblages. This study was established to form baseline data on the environmental structure and reptile assemblages within a planned energy corridor in Pinal County, Arizona, prior to construction. We emphasized evaluating the differences in reptile assemblages in two subdivisions of the Sonoran Desertscrub, the Lower Colorado River Valley (LCV) and Arizona Uplands (AZU). Surveys were conducted on 50 sites (LCV = 15; AZU = 35) along the proposed 67.1-km long energy corridor through environmental surveys and 50 drift-fence trapping arrays with 400 box funnel traps. Vegetation height, number of burrows, and percent rock, ground cover, and coarse woody debris were significantly higher in the AZU than in LCV. Eighteen reptile species (n = 995 captures) were detected on the energy corridor including 8 lizard species (n = 952 captures) and 10 snake species (n = 43 captures). Species richness, evenness, and capture rates were not significantly different between the LCV and AZU; however, species diversity was significantly higher in the LCV. Reptile abundance (LCV = 281; AZU = 714) differed in the two subdivisions, yet rank-abundance curves revealed no difference in dominance of species. Post hoc examination revealed that the geographic separation of sites within the LCV and the location of the study area (along the ecotone) may have contributed to our results. We conclude that both subdivisions are equally important to the maintenance of local biotic diversity and recommend that any future land set-asides consider both subdivisions.

Impacts of shaded agroforestry management on carbon sequestration, biodiversity and farmers income in cocoa production landscapes

Conversion of shaded agroforests to unshaded monocultures endangers the resilience of tropical landscapes. Landscape-scale impacts of alternative shade managements have rarely been assessed. This study explored plantation- and landscape-level impacts of different shade management strategies on aboveground biomass, functional group diversity, and economic potential of cocoa production in northern Ecuador. We simulated several cocoa shade management scenarios, using the dynamic forest model LANDIS-II: (i) ‘baseline’ projections representing the current mosaic of traditional agroforests, planted agroforests, and unshaded monoculture plantations; (ii) ‘traditional’ agroforestry shaded by native fruit and timber trees; (iii) ‘planted’ agroforests shaded by planted fruit trees; and (iv) ‘monoculture’ unshaded plantations. The impacts of setting aside 20, 30, and 40% of cocoa plantations for natural regeneration was tested for the monoculture scenario. Traditional agroforests shaded by native trees stored up to 7% more aboveground biomass and had higher abundances of rare functional groups compared to monocultures after 50 years of simulation. Smaller effects were found for planted agroforests. Shaded plantations and land set aside for natural regeneration reduced forest fragmentation at the landscape level. The estimated yield gap for monoculture and shaded plantations could not be compensated by additional revenues for carbon storage at current carbon market price. Improving payment-for-ecosystem services and certification schemes are needed to incentivize smallholders to maintain substantial non-cocoa tree cover that may provide an environmental-friendly way to improve economic potential and food security for smallholders, while supporting biomass and functional group diversity at the landscape level.

Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Miscanthus Crop for Sustainable Household Heating in Serbia

This paper investigates the environmental impacts and energy benefits of the cultivation of Miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deu.), in order to initiate its use in sustainable household heating in the Republic of Serbia. Based on the analysis of available data regarding the use of agricultural machinery in Serbia, a Miscanthus supply chain is constructed and examined in detail, scrutinizing all relevant operations—from planting of rhizomes to thermal energy production. Results of the life cycle assessment identify the briquetting process as the most environmentally burdensome operation due to high electricity consumption and low productivity. It is concluded that an average yield of 23.5 t dry matter (d.m.) year−1 obtained from 1 ha of chernozem soil would have energy output:energy input (EO:EI) ratio of 51:1, and would release 365.5 gigajoules (GJ) of heat during combustion in a boiler. With this amount of energy, around 383 m2 of a free-standing family house in Serbia can be heated annually. The same amount of energy is obtained by the combustion of 22 t of lignite or 23 t of wood logs. The substitution of lignite and wood with Miscanthus briquettes would lead to significant reduction of CO2 equivalents (eq), SO2 eq, P eq, N eq, 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4-DB) eq, Non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC), PM10 eq and U235 eq emissions. This designates Miscanthus as a more sustainable energy solution for household heating. In instances where more modern agricultural machinery is used, emission reduction is higher, except for CO2 eq due to higher emission factors predicted for more powerful engines. Depending on Miscanthus’ annual yield, the replacement of set-aside land with Miscanthus plantations result in carbon (C) sequestration from 0.08 t C ha−1 year−1 to 0.91 t C ha−1 year−1. In a modern machinery scenario, C sequestration is only attainable when maximal Miscanthus yield is obtained. The combined use of machinery with different engine power is the best option for Miscanthus cultivation in Serbia.

Precision conservation meets precision agriculture: A case study from southern Ontario

Meeting future food demands for 9 billion people in the next 30 years will require either agricultural expansion or intensification to increase production. However, agriculture is already a major driver of biodiversity loss, as well as freshwater withdrawals, nutrient inputs, and greenhouse gasses, among other pressing environmental issues. In this paper, we look for solutions to this production-conservation challenge at the subfield scale. We use precision agriculture yield data from three farms in Southern Ontario and convert them into “profit maps” that show which regions of a field have management costs that exceed the market value of the commodities produced. We analyse the profit of three farms over time and identify areas that consistently show low or negative profit and thus constitute a compelling case for taking these areas out of production. We find, for example, that up to 14% of farmland can result in money loss and even more than 50% of the land might still not meet minimum revenue expectations. Further, we assess the economic feasibility of conservation strategies on these set-aside lands and find that investing in environmental benefits (even minimally) can often times be inexpensive when compared with economic losses due to failed harvests. We argue that profit mapping can serve as a management tool for farmers that will allow them to identify optimal crop areas, optimize nutrient inputs, plan for ecological intensification, and avoid economic loss all while providing ecosystem services at the local scale.

Biodiversity conservation and armed conflict: a warfare ecology perspective.

The activities involved in preparing for, executing, and recovering from armed conflict are globally pervasive and consequential, with significant impacts on natural systems. Effects on biodiversity are predominantly negative, produced by direct and indirect battlefield impacts, as well as the general breakdown of social, economic, and governance systems during wartime. Certain conservation opportunities do occur, however, particularly on lands set aside for training exercises, buffer zones, and peace parks. Here, the relationship between armed conflict and biodiversity is reviewed using the temporal framework of warfare ecology, which defines warfare as an ongoing process of three overlapping stages: preparations, war (armed conflict), and postwar activities. Several themes emerge from recent studies, including a heightened awareness of biodiversity conservation on military lands, the potential for scientific and conservation engagement to mitigate negative biodiversity impacts in war zones, and the importance of the postwar period for incorporating biodiversity priorities into reconstruction and recovery efforts. Research limitations and knowledge gaps are also discussed.

The greenhouse gas impact of bioenergy in developing economies: Evidence from Taiwan

Greenhouse gas emission induced global climate shift is an immediate threat to the world because of increased likelihood of the occurrence of extreme events. Expanding bioenergy production on currently set-aside land is an attractive option being considered by Taiwanese policymakers to reduce potential damages. This study investigates the impact of pyrolysis-based bioelectricity and ethanol on the greenhouse gas emission using a two-stage dynamic semi-parametric model. The results show that the bioelectricity generation has a significantly positive impact on the emission reduction. It encourages Taiwan to place more public resource on bioelectricity generation. This study is extended to forecast the emission reduction for 2015 to 2017. The quarterly emission reduction forecasts vary between 214,806 and 239,497 tons, which is less than 3% out of total emissions. It implies that the Taiwanese government could move the policy supports from biofuel production to bioelectricity production to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Rule of Law and Avoided Deforestation from Protected Areas

Global efforts to protect biodiversity and slow deforestation rely heavily on the establishment of protected areas; land set aside that cannot be deforested or developed. This paper studies the macro-level relationship between rule of law and variation in avoided deforestation from protected areas. Using recent global satellite data from 2000 to 2012, I estimate the country-level avoided deforestation of protected areas established in this period via nearest-neighbor matching. I then use weighted least-squares regressions to explain country-level variation in estimated avoided deforestation as a function of a country’s governance characteristics as well as other country-level controls. Across 71 countries in this study period, protected areas were more effective in countries with higher levels of corruption control and protection of property rights, protected areas were more effective in more democratic countries, and there appears to be no relationship between political stability and avoided deforestation from protected areas.

Landowner participation in forest conservation programs: A revealed approach using register, spatial and contract data

Incentive based voluntary conservation programs have gained prominence as a regulation mechanism to protect ecosystem services on private land either through the set-aside of land for reserves or by altering land management practices. A crucial challenge for voluntary approaches is however to ensure private landowner involvement and get the ecosystem services delivered where they are most demanded by society. To promote participation and ensure an instrumental design of voluntary initiatives that is coherent with this, there is a need to understand the motivations of the landowners and determinants of their participation choice. We investigate landowners’ willingness to participate in protecting oak scrub sites in Denmark. Combining contract data of the landowners’ actual choices, GIS information on area specific characteristics and detailed individual level register data, we develop and implement a framework for analysing revealed choice of private landowners’ in voluntary conservation programs. We find that both the physical characteristics of the property and the sociodemographic characteristics of landowner in question matter, along with the information flow provided from the regulator. Results provide impetus into the design of future conservation policies, in terms of how, to whom and where to target efforts.

Farmers’ Perspective on Sociological and Environmental Issues of Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture: A Case Study from Western and Southern Regions of Sierra Leone

The paper examined and brought to the fore the typical characteristic of urban and peri-urban farmers in Freetown and Bo communities which serves as major source of supply of agricultural products into the cities’ markets. The social and environmental aspect and perception of producers involved in urban and peri-urban agriculture was examined. Descriptive statistics and pictograms were used to analyze and present the data. Results indicate that 56.34% never went to formal school and mostly dominated by women, showing that farming became the alternative means of livelihood support for those groups. Crops grown are purely influenced by market orientation—demand and cost, as is evident in Gloucester (lettuce, cabbage and spring onions). Potato leaves were commonly grown in almost all communities, reason being that it serves as common/major sauce/vegetable cooked in every household in Sierra Leone. Maize and rice were featured in Ogoo farm—government supervised land set aside purposely for growing crops to supply the city. Findings also revealed that majority of the farmers are resource poor, judging from calculation about their monthly income earning and available household assets and amenities. About 70.4% of the lands the farmers grow their crops on is leased for production. Except for Gloucester community, when costs of production will be summed, minimal benefit seem to be realized from the farming activities. Even though some of these farmers are engaged in organization, many have limited access to micro financial organization that would probably loan them money to upscale production.

Which Factors Contribute to Environmental Behaviour of Landowners in Southwestern Ontario, Canada?

Loss of natural heritage is a problem that is particularly prevalent in areas of high population density. We used a survey to understand the factors that drive environmental behavior of landowners in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The survey, which contained questions about environmental attitude, pro-environmental behavior and demographics, was mailed to 18,090 rural route addresses, and we received 3256 completed surveys (18% response rate). Two types of environmental behavior, namely voluntarily increasing the area of land set aside for conservation, and enrollment in a conservation stewardship program, were significantly correlated with a positive attitude towards conservation. Financial considerations also played a role. We showed that the biggest motivator to enroll in a wetland enhancement program was access to 'more information on how the decline in wetland area affects them personally', while 'public recognition' was the least motivating factor. We suggest that enrollment in voluntary land stewardship programs might be increased by providing information about the effects of ecosystem loss, and by providing financial incentives for participation. In a larger social context, outreach programs by government agencies could focus on improving pro-environmental attitudes, which in turn is likely to result in more pro-environmental behavior of landowners.

VALUING OPEN SPACE IN A MARSHLAND ENVIRONMENT: DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVES FOR COASTAL GEORGIA

AbstractIn a coastal environment, open space can exist as land set aside by a real estate developer or as tidal marshland. In this article, we determine the relative values of both types of open spaces in a coastal county in Georgia using a spatial hedonic price framework. Results indicate that (1) there is a price premium associated with the marshlands and (2) developers have market incentives to incorporate more open space into their designs of residential subdivisions. Regarding marshlands, we also find that accessibility is an important variable that adds much more value to a property than just the proximity.

Role of capitals and capabilities in ensuring economic resilience of land conservation efforts: A case study of the grain for green project in China’s Loess Hills

The article describes how economic resilience of farming households can be measured using a composite indicator of revealed adaptive actions, and investigates how capabilities of farm households to recombine human, financial, natural and physical capitals are linked to observed economic resilience to land set-aside interventions. The land set-aside intervention known as the Grain for Green Project (GGP), which has been altering livelihoods of farming households in China’s Loess Hills since 1999, is taken as a case study. Household surveys were conducted in three V-shaped valleys and three riparian areas in Yanhe Township in northwestern China in an effort to measure household resilience and explore its’ relationship to forms of capital. A composite index of adaptive strategies that can reorganize livelihood activities under land set-aside intervention into a new economic equilibrium is crafted using an objective weighting scheme based on principal component analysis. Subsequently, a multiple regression model was utilized to examine the relationship between the composite resilience index and various indicators related to human, social, financial, natural and physical capitals. The results reveal the latent structure and internal correlations of adaptive strategies, and present quantitative evidence about the relationship between livelihood capitals and household economic resilience. The analysis shows that household resilience deteriorates when the ratio of GGP land to cultivated farmland goes above a threshold level, and revealed that interventions targeting various forms of capitals can enhance the economic resilience for households to conservation efforts.