Economics And Contemporary Land Use Policy

by Johnston, Robert J.; Swallow, Stephen K.

• ISBN13: 9781933115221
• ISBN10: 193311522X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-05-30
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

As external forces increase the demand for land conversion, communities are increasingly open to policies that encourage conservation of farm and forest lands. This interest in conservation notwithstanding, the consequences of land-use policy and the drivers of land conversions are often unclear. One of the first books to deal exclusively with the economics of rural-urban sprawl, Economics and Contemporary Land Use Policy explores the causes and consequences of rapidly accelerating land conversions in urban-fringe areas, as well as implications for effective policy responses. This book emphasizes the critical role of both spatial and economic-ecological interactions in contemporary land use, and the importance of a practical, policy-oriented perspective. Chapters illustrate an interaction of conceptual, theoretical, and empirical approaches to land-use policy and highlight advances in policy-oriented economics associated with the conservation and development of urban-fringe land. Issues addressed include (1) the appropriate role of economics in land-use policy, (2) forecasting and management of land conversion, (3) interactions among land use, property values, and local taxes, and (4) relationships among rural amenities, rural character, and urban-fringe land-use policy. Economics and Contemporary Land Use Policy is a timely and relevant contribution to the land-use policy debate and will prove an essential reference for policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels. It will also be of interest to students, academics, and anyone with an interest in the practical application of economics to land-use issues. "The convergence of land use and policy represents a critical area of ongoing research, yet one that is fraught with special challenges.... The reemergence of the economics of land use as a compelling field of inquiry reflects the many dimensions in which land contributes to social well-being and the many policy arenas in which land plays an important role. Once viewed only as an input in the production of food and fiber, land now stands as a key element in the definition of households' quality of life." -- Nancy E. Bockstael, University of Maryland, from the foreword

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
NANCY E. BOCKSTAEL
Acknowledgments	xv
Contributors	xix
Introduction: Economics and Contemporary Land Use Policy	1	(20)
ROBERT J. JOHNSTON AND STEPHEN K. SWALLOW
PART I Economic Approaches to Land Use Policy
1. Land, Economic Change, and Economic Doctrine	21	(17)
EMERY N. CASTLE
2. Property Rights and Land Use Conflicts: Reconciling Myth and Reality	38	(17)
DANIEL W. BROMLEY
PART II Explaining Land Use Conversion: Spatial Perspectives
3. Forecasting Residential Land Use Change	55	(28)
ELENA G. IRWIN, KATHLEEN P. BELL, AND JACQUELINE GEOGHEGAN
4. Forecasting Development at the Suburban Fringe	83	(15)
JOSHUA TEMPLETON, DIANE HITE, AND BRENT SOHNGEN
5. Describing Land Use Change in Multidisciplinary Analyses	98	(21)
JEFFREY D. KLINE
6. Critical Mass: Does the Number of Productive Farmland Acres or Farms Affect Farmland Loss?	119	(30)
LORI LYNCH
PART III Land Conservation: Implications for Value and Taxation
7. Are Agricultural Land Preservation Programs Self-Financing?	149	(21)
JACQUELINE GEOGHEGAN, LORI LYNCH, AND SHAWN J. BUCHOLTZ
8. Land Development and Current Use Assessment	170	(13)
RICHARD W. ENGLAND AND ROBERT D. MOHR
9. Alternative Valuation Strategies for Public Open-Space Purchases: Stated versus Market Evidence	183
JOHN LOOMIS, ANDREW F. SEIDL, KERRI L. ROLLINS, AND VICKI RAMEKER
PART IV Rural Amenities and Landscape Conservation
10. A Multifunctional Approach to Northeastern Agriculture	205	(12)
SANDRA S. BATIE
11. Farmland Preservation Programs and the Importance of Rural Amenities	217	(20)
CYNTHIA J. NICKERSON AND DANIEL M. HELLERSTEIN
12. Support for Conservation Policies and Values for Conservation: Are They Related?	237	(30)
ROBERT J. JOHNSTON, STEPHEN K. SWALLOW, DANA MARIE BAUER, AND LISA D. PHILO
13. Integrating Biophysical and Economic Information to Guide Land Conservation Investments	267	(26)
PAUL J. FERRARO
PART V Conclusion
14. Economics and Land Use Policy: Where Do We Go from Here?	293	(10)
ROBERT J. JOHNSTON
Index	303