Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-2025
Abstract
Conservation of private lands is essential for protecting open space, supporting ecosystems and species, preserving resources, and facilitating outdoor recreation. One tool for private land conservation is a conservation easement – a voluntary legal agreement where a landowner surrenders certain rights to use or develop their property. This study explores landowner perceptions of perpetual conservation easements in areas of high conservation value in Missouri, focusing on landowners without existing easements. Through interviews, four themes emerge containing both motivations and constraints: prior knowledge, land protection, regulations, and finance. Many landowners were unfamiliar with conservation easements or had misconceptions or misunderstandings. The results contribute to the limited body of qualitative research on conservation easements, while identifying broader themes relevant to other geographies. The results can inform policymakers, government agencies, land trusts, and private landowners. This study concludes that further public outreach and education would support conservation easement adoption.
Recommended Citation
McKenna N. Thompson et al.,
Understanding Landowner Perceptions: Enhancing Conservation Easement Adoption in Missouri's Priority Landscapes, https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2025.2599779 Society & Natural Resources
(2025).
Available at: https://scholarship.law.missouri.edu/facpubs/1331