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Abstract
The market for conservation easements provides a way to ensure the continued existence
of open space amenities where rural communities face development pressure. The object
of this research is to identify factors affecting land trust agents’ preferences for conservation
easements and to investigate preference heterogeneity among those potentially involved in
easement acquisition. Stated choice surveys were sent to land trusts’ personnel (agents) across
the Intermountain West. Models were segmented by attitudinal data from land trust agents
regarding their organizations’ provision of ecosystem services versus their sense of place or
place attachment when considering conservation easement choices. Four separate random
utility models were estimated. Results indicated that preference heterogeneity for conservation
easements exists across land trust agent segments. Such knowledge provides insights into
factors which may affect potential demands for conservation easements in this evolving
market. These outcomes might help public policy makers allocate resources towards land
conservation and land use planning.