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Programs and Policy

Incentives for Conservation

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Cat Lazaroff

Criteria for Effective Incentive Programs

There are many incentive programs implemented at state and regional levels designed to involve landowners in habitat conservation. However, the potential of these programs is not always realized.

Defenders of Wildlife offers ten criteria for successful incentive programs to clarify what makes a program effective and what inhibits its success, both at the program level and collectively at the state level. The criteria were developed with a focus on habitat conservation.

Focus on habitat and multiple native species: The program focuses on the conservation of a variety of organisms, habitats, and ecosystems in long-term efforts.
Clear ecological goals with regional or statewide context: The goals of the program are ecologically oriented and tie in with broader conservation goals in a given area.
Strategic in conservation: Priority areas are determined and targeted for conservation, but efforts from participants outside the priority areas are also accommodated to the extent that resources allow.
Program / project tracking: The program provider tracks the use of the program and evaluates the information to ensure that program goals are met. Tracking includes geographical distribution, habitat types, and participation levels. Information collected is linked to statewide tracking efforts.
Effective monitoring with ecological focus: Ecological outcomes are monitored to see if the conservation goals are actually achieved once the program is implemented.
Partnerships and program coordination: Agencies and organizations work together to offer greater incentives for landowners. Agencies coordinate goals and administrative procedures with other agencies and programs to more effectively conserve priority areas.
Adequate funding: Enough funding is available to allow program continuation and strategic planning and implementation.
Participation: The program is easy to access and offers enough of an incentive to encourage landowner participation and make conservation worth their while.
Efficient administration: Paperwork and timelines support program involvement, implementation, or effectiveness.
Appropriate and relevant technical assistance: Technical assistance is available to support landowners involved in the program and makes the process easier and more effective for them.