Analyizing Parcel Level Prioritization and Cost Benefit Analysis as Private Land Conservation Tools

Abstract

Private conservation land trusts play a critical role in the attainment of important global climate and biodiversity-related goals, so it is important they make well-informed, strategic decisions about which lands to protect, considering a variety of factors including the ecological, social, and economic. This thesis research evaluated the robustness of a land acquisition prioritization tool designed for Kentucky Natural Lands Trust (KNLT) as an academic exercise by students in a practicum for a Harvard Extension School Land Conservation course. The prioritization tool aimed to guide KNLT’s land acquisition strategy by ranking 23 potential acquisitions (parcels) in the Cumberland Mountain region of Kentucky, USA. The study first conducted a sensitivity analysis of the original prioritization tool by testing the impact of changing importance scores of selection criteria on the parcel rankings. Then parcel level cost analysis was completed using The Nature Conservancy’s Stewardship Calculator to obtain the parcel level cost of acquisition and long-term stewardship. Finally, statistical correlations between parcel rank and cost were examined. Results revealed a robust parcel prioritization tool that experienced minimal changes in rankings despite altering the importance weight of selection criteria. Results also demonstrated a weak, negative correlation between parcel rank and cost, challenging the assumption that the higher-priority parcels would be more costly to protect. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating ecological and economic considerations into conservation planning and provide KNLT with insights to inform actions that can help further protect Cumberland Mountain.