The role of wildlife-associated recreation in private land use and conservation: Providing the missing baseline

Abstract

Successfully integrating human activities with ecosystem conservation forms the foundation of sustainability and is key to maintaining biological diversity. This is especially important in privately-owned lands in the U.S., which harbor high levels of biodiversity yet are often vulnerable to habitat degradation and loss. This study analyzes recreation as a sustainable use on private property, focusing on wildlife-associated recreation, defined here as fishing, hunting and wildlife watching. Eighteen national surveys implemented by three U.S. government agencies spanning 1999-2013 were analyzed to provide baseline information and an assessment of the conservation impact of recreation. Results show that approximately 440.1 million acres of private land, ~22% of the contiguous land area of the U.S., are either leased or owned for wildlife-associated recreation. Land utilized for hunting accounts for 81% of that total. Approximately 33% of private forestland, 18% of private grazing land and 4% of private cropland is used to earn revenue from recreational activities. Annual spending for wildlifeassociated recreation on private land is estimated at $814 million in day-use fees, $1.48 billion for long-term leases, and $14.8 billion to own land primarily for recreation (2011 dollars). Hunters own or lease properties of larger size classes than anglers or wildlife-watchers, indicating that hunting may provide a greater economic incentive for maintaining large unfragmented properties that provide a variety of conservation benefits. On grazing and cropland, landowners who earn income from recreation are significantly more likely to participate in government conservation programs (p < 0.001) and to pay for private conservation practices (p = 0.08). This provides support that recreation incentivizes conservation at higher rates than agricultural activities alone. Three policy measures that could further enhance conservation benefits of recreation are discussed.

Making rewilding fit for policy

“…In addition, there are several policy mechanisms emerging in particular states of the U.S.A. to incentivise conservation practices that could promote rewilding on private lands. These include state incentive programmes to allow private landowners more flexibility in when and how hunting is conducted on their land, policies to reduce property‐tax burdens on owners who maintain their land as wildlife habitat, and statutes that provide liability protection to landowners who allow recreational users on their land (Macaulay, ).…”

Custodianship of wildlife on private land to support conservation – an Australian model

“…For example, in Namibia, the annual net value from wildlife on private lands was N$30.6 million in 1972 and N$56 million in 1992. In the United States of America, annual spending for wildlife-associated recreation on private land is estimated at $814 million in day fees and $1.48 billion for longterm leases (average 2001, 2006, 2011in 2011 dollars;Macaulay 2016). Market mechanisms supported by effective regulation are already used for a range of other ecosystem services including biodiversity offsetting, carbon trading, and water shed services that ensure water is allocated efficiently for productive use and/ or conservation value (Havemann et al 2016).…”

“…The economic value of wildlife would feed back into the conservation system. Landholders who earn income from wildlife-based recreational activities are significantly more likely to participate in government conservation programs and to pay for private conservation practices (Macaulay 2016).…”

Improving Coastal Plain Hardwoods for Deer and Turkeys with Canopy Reduction and Fire

“…White‐tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) and eastern wild turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo silvestris ) are the 2 most hunted upland game species in the southeastern United States (U.S. Department of the Interior et al 2017). Millions of hectares of public land are managed to provide habitat for deer and turkeys, and approximately 85 million ha are owned or leased for hunting in the Southeast (Macaulay 2016). Therefore, understanding how forest management influences habitat quality for deer and turkeys is important for landowners and land managers across the region.…”