Landowner Investment in Conservation Across the West –
(reprinted from the Western Landowners Alliance)
Image courtesy of WMI
In the first of its kind questionnaire and report, Western Landowners Alliance commissioned a survey conducted by Southwick Associates collecting responses from 649 landowners across Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The report sought to quantify landowner investment in conservation actions on their lands.
The numbers are significant, with an estimated investment of $5.18 per acre beyond normal operating expenses in 2024 across thousands of acres. The report with overall numbers and a shorter brief can be downloaded here.
This is just across 11 states, which leaves 39 more that lack quantification, but it may be reasonable to assume that many states would report similar numbers elsewhere. Many of these investments were likely assisted by technical and/or implementation assistance from state, federal, and local agencies, conservation-related nonprofits, and the private sector. Thank you to all the landowners and their partners who are keeping our working landscapes working across the West and across the country! And thank you to Western Landowners Alliance and Southwick Associates for putting a spotlight on the ongoing work and investment!
