Land use decisions after the Conservation Reserve Program: Re‐enrollment, reversion, and persistence in the southern Great Plains

• DOI: 10.1111/csp2.254
• Publication Date: 2020-07-23T15:23:48Z
• Authors: Jessica C. Barnes; Mary Sketch; Ashley R. Gramza; Michael G. Sorice; Rich Iovanna; Ashley A. Dayer
• Keywords: Conservation Reserve Program; Expiration

Abstract The temperate grasslands of North America remain one the most modified and threatened ecosystems on planet. In United States, conservation grassland‐dependent wildlife continues to be challenged by widespread conversion privately owned cropland. Recent analyses indicate that land exiting Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), country's largest private lands program, is a primary source grassland conversion. this mixed‐methods study, we employed focus groups mail surveys understand decisions made landowners in southern Great Plains as their CRP contracts near expiration up 7 years following expiration. We explored both post‐contract intentions with fields currently enrolled self‐reported, whose expired between 2011 2017. Interest re‐enrolling upon contract was high among current fields; however, over half former reported being unable re‐enroll when they tried. found higher rates persistence than have been previously reported, but also detected temporal patterns suggest cropland reversion increasingly likely time since increases. This study highlights need for increased attention barriers preclude transition into other programs more detailed understanding what drives landowner decision‐making about re‐enrollment post‐CRP use. These insights will critical increasing effectiveness enduring lands.