Repository logo
 

The economic consequences of private lands conservation using conservation easements in Colorado

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorSwartzentruber, Ryan, author
dc.contributor.authorSeidl, Andrew, advisor
dc.contributor.authorJablonski, Becca B. R., committee member
dc.contributor.authorPejchar, Liba, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2019-06-14T17:05:53Z
dc.date.available2019-06-14T17:05:53Z
dc.date.issued2019
dc.description.abstractConservation easements have been used across the United States to preserve natural amenities and compensate landowners for the public goods they provide. From the Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program to the Grassland Reserve Program, Colorado conserves 2.4 million acres of land (Colorado Natural Heritage Program and the Geospatial Centroid, 2018) This thesis explores the economic implications of Federal conservation easements through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program in Colorado. Using Input-Output modeling I found that conservation easements contributed $176 million to Colorado's economic activity. Further Multi-Region Input-Output models showed that conservation easements support rural counties between $106 million and $112 million more than two counterfactuals I considered: decreasing federal income tax and a zero counterfactual. Further, using benefit transfer analysis, I estimated that all conservation easements in Colorado provide between $40 and $47 billion in ecosystem service benefits to Coloradoans. Using econometric meta-analysis techniques, I estimated that Coloradoans are willing to pay $4.3 billion for all the conserved lands in Colorado. I propose an alternative payment methodology which incentivizes landowners to enroll environmentally important lands rather than using development opportunity costs to determine payments.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifierSwartzentruber_colostate_0053N_15339.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/195302
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjectconservation easement
dc.titleThe economic consequences of private lands conservation using conservation easements in Colorado
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineAgricultural and Resource Economics
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Swartzentruber_colostate_0053N_15339.pdf
Size:
810.09 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

2000-2019
Theses and Dissertations