Economic Considerations

Partners in Conserving America's Resources

Economic Considerations

Economic Studies

A comprehensive economic analysis, comparing the Landowners' Conceptual Plan to other habitat protection techniques, was completed December 1, 1997. The analysis clearly shows that the Landowners' Conceptual Plan has the potential to be a very cost-effective alternative for conserving habitats for threatened and endangered species, such as the Florida panther, when compared to the costs of conservation easements and public land purchases. Results from the study can be viewed by clicking on: Executive Summary & Findings or on Methodology & Calculations. The Full Report, which can be ordered from the publications page in this web site, includes the Endnotes, where all sources of information for the study are cited, and the Spreadsheets where the calculations used in the study are shown in detail.

Funding Options

Several funding options are available. They include (click on your choice):

	Funding options contained in the 1996 Farm Bill, including:

		The Conservation Farm Option
		Conservation of Private Grazing Land
		The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

Funding for the Resource Conservation Agreement program also could be provided through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

For other funding options (including funding options in the 2002 Farm Bill) please click on
 the links available on the contents page for the Farmland Stewardship Program.

Also see the Rural Lands Stewardship Program, which also grew out of this project.

The Resource Conservation Agreement is a service contract. Therefore, it can be implemented by any government agency, using existing contract authority and existing sources of funds to contract with landowners to carry out specific mangement activities and services on their lands that will benefit the public. For more information about the Resource Conservation Agreement click here.