Valuing Land Conservation in North Carolina

Abstract

Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) works to protect and better North Carolina Water Resources by funding projects within the state of North Carolina. This masters project focuses on the benefits of conservation in order to provide CWMTF with information to aid their conservation funding decisions. A non-market valuation toolkit and on-site survey were used to estimate dollar values for two North Carolina sites: Ellerbe Creek Greenway (17 acre Wood Preserve) and Cary Greenway (White Oak Creek Conservation Project plot 11). Using the data gathered on the characteristics of each site by the survey and other general research, the toolkit provides an estimate of the economic value of the sites. These values are compared with each other as well as other research in the field of valuing conservation. The results indicate that while the sites are comparable in size, Ellerbe Creek Greenway has a higher economic benefit to the state. The results also point to the importance of conservation in areas with high population densities.