Protecting the highlands : land trusts in southern Appalachia

In the past two decades, land trusts have played an increasingly important role in the American conservation movement. Land trusts are private, non-profit organizations that protect land for its scenic, historical, ecological, and productive value. In the United States, the distribution and success of land trusts is highly variable. Land trusts tend to locate in regions and locales where open space is being lost and urban development pressures are intense. These organizations appear to be most successful in places where there is strong financial and political support for conservation in both the public and private sectors. This thesis analyzes the spatial variability and effectiveness of land trusts in Southern Appalachia. In the past two decades, many Appalachian counties have experienced significant urban growth as commercial, residential, and second-home development have all increased. In response, citizens concerned with the loss of open space have organized private trusts to protect the region\u27s rural landscapes. An examination of land trust locations and conservation records reveals that the distribution and success of land trusts is remarkably uneven in Southern Appalachia. My research confirms that the uneven distribution of land trusts is influenced by variable patterns of urban development and the location of elites. Discriminant analysis of 269 counties and an appraisal of data collected in interviews with land trust directors demonstrates that trusts tend to locate in counties where education and income levels are high, and rapid urbanization is occurring. The research also reveals that the uneven success of land trusts is influenced by eight important factors. Qualitative analysis of interview data confirms that organizational characteristics, local attitudes about conservation, public policies, and strategic conservation partnerships all influence land trusts\u27 ability to protect land. This thesis explains why portions of the Southern Appalachian region are experiencing an increase in conservation activity while others are not. The study provides a geographic interpretation of the private conservation movement in one American region and can serve as a model for others interested in voluntary land protection in the United States