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With sixty percent of the land in the United States under private ownership, the role of the private sector in the conservation of habitat and species diversity is increasingly important. This book examines the "market" for conservation of natural areas in the U.S., considering the efforts of both profit- and nonprofit-making ventures. It discusses the costs and benefits of protecting natural areas and uses specific examples of landowners and agencies involved in private sector conservation. The book concludes by discussing the potential and limitations of the private conservation market, and the role of the government in the market. Dr. Edwards examines the effectiveness of conservation methods at three levels: constitutional, organizational and operational. The book will therefore appeal to all those interested or involved in conservation, from students to policy makers.
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With 60% of the land in the United States under private ownership, the role of the private sector in the conservation of habitat and species diversity is being recognized as increasingly important. Dealing in diversity examines the 'market' for conservation of natural areas in the USA, considering the efforts of both profit and nonprofit making ventures and discusses the costs and benefits of protecting natural areas, using specific examples of landowners and agencies involved in private sector conservation. It concludes by discussing the potential and limitations of the private conservation market and the role of the government in that market. The effectiveness of conservation methods is examined at three levels: constitutional, organizational and operational. This book will therefore appeal to all those interested or involved in conservation, from students to policymakers. DEALING IN DIVERSITY: AMERICA'S MARKET FOR NATURE CONSERVATION DEALING IN DIVERSITY: AMERICA'S MARKET FOR NATURE CONSERVATION VICTORIA M. EDWARDS Senior Lecturer in Land Management, Department of Land and Construction Management, University of Portsmouth CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Delhi Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521117579 © Cambridge University Press 1995 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 1995 This digitally printed version 2009 A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication data Edwards, Victoria M. Dealing in diversity : America's market for nature conservation / Victoria M. Edwards. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN 0 521 46567 2 (he) 1. Nature conservation — United States. 2. Natural areas — United States. 3. Nature conservation — Economic aspects — United States. 4. Natural areas - Economic aspects - United States. I. Title. QH76.E34 1995 333.78'216'0973 - dc20 94-36811 CIP ISBN 978-0-521-46567-0 hardback ISBN 978-0-521-11757-9 paperback To George and Betty Edwards for their love and forbearance Contents Preface page xiii Acknowledgments 1 xvii Introduction: private provision of conservation Background The importance of private land Public sector provision Private sector solutions Identifying a role for government 1 1 3 4 7 9 2 The conservation market Economic theory and private landowners The economics of protecting natural areas The conservati