Evaluation of cost-share assistance programs as an incentive for wildlife habitat management and conservation on private lands in Mississippi.

摘要

Cost-share programs to improve sustainable land and water use are offered from federal, state, and non-governmental entities to non-industrial private (NIP) landowners. Despite the broad attention given to the ecological benefits of these programs, far less attention has been focused on their social impacts and benefits. To achieve the desired environmental objectives laid out within these programs, natural resource agencies must work to maintain high levels of satisfaction and participation among private landowners. The purpose of the study was to examine the attitudes and motivations of participants enrolled in one of three cost-share programs in Mississippi and compare those with the views of natural resource professionals throughout the state regarding landowner attitudes and motivations. Overall, landowners had positive views of their program experiences and the views of natural resource professionals coincided largely with those of landowners.