title: Effects of preference heterogeneity among landowners on spatial conservation prioritization.
abstract: The participation of private landowners in conservation is crucial to efficient biodiversity conservation. This is especially the case in settings where the share of private ownership is large and the economic costs associated with land acquisition are high. We used probit regression analysis and historical participation data to examine the likelihood of participation of Danish forest owners in a voluntary conservation program. We used the results to spatially predict the likelihood of participation of all forest owners in Denmark. We merged spatial data on the presence of forest, cadastral information on participation contracts, and individual-level socioeconomic information about the forest owners and their households. We included predicted participation in a probability model for species survival. Uninformed and informed (included land owner characteristics) models were then incorporated into a spatial prioritization for conservation of unmanaged forests. The choice models are based on sociodemographic data on the entire population of Danish forest owners and historical data on their participation in conservation schemes. Inclusion in the model of information on private landowners' willingness to supply land for conservation yielded at intermediate budget levels up to 30% more expected species coverage than the uninformed prioritization scheme. Our landowner-choice model provides an example of moving toward more implementable conservation planning.
authors.affiliation: COWI A/S, Parrallelvej 2, DK-2800, Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne Sofie Elberg
authors.initials: ASE
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Department of Food and Resource Economics, Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Rolighedsvej 23, DK-1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Strange
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark.
authors.forename: Hans Henrik
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Bruun
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Department of Food and Resource Economics, Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Rolighedsvej 23, DK-1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jette Bredahl
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics*; D065928:Forests; D010067:Ownership
keywords: conservación voluntaria; conservation opportunity; heterogeneidad de preferencias; oportunidad de conservación; preference heterogeneity; priorización espacial; private landowners; spatial prioritization; terratenientes privados; voluntary conservation