Abstract:
Small and medium-sized forest and range landowners have a significant impact on ecosystem
health. Conservation programs such as those offered by the Natural Resource Conservation
Service (NRCS) and environmentally-oriented markets offer incentives to conserve ecological
functions while helping improve landowner prosperity. However, only a minority of forest and rangeland
owners participate in conservation programs. To better understand the influences on landowner participation
conservation programs and opportunities to improve participation, we examined landowner concerns
and preferences in the interior Pacific Northwest.