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Home > Programs and Policy > Science and Economics > Conservation Economics

Conservation Performance Indicators and Policies

Defenders evaluates and makes recommendations with respect to developing physical and economic indicators for evaluating the outcomes of conservation programs and incentive mechanisms. Defenders is active in developing policies for performance-based incentive payments and outcome indicators are essential to this task.

Projects

Defenders staff participate in efforts to develop bio-physical and economic indicators of habitat conservation efforts, including

  1. The Farmland Ecosystem Working Group of the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment project on The State of the Nation’s Ecosystems
  2. Member of the Land Stewardship Project Indicators Team
  3. Member of the Wildlife Advisory Group for the USDA Conservation Effects Assessment Program
  4. National Advisory Team member for the Winrock/University of Vermont Performance-based Environmental Payments project

Papers, presentations, and articles

Casey, Frank and George Boody, “An Assessment of Performance-based Indicators and Payments for Resource Conservation on Agricultural Lands”. Defenders of Wildlife White Paper. (2007)

Co-authored by Frank Casey of Defenders of Wildlife and George Boody of the Land Stewardship Project, this white paper provides an overview and assessment of economic and bio-physical indicators for measuring the impact of conservation practices on environmental outcomes, including those outcomes related to improved wildlife habitat. It also examines the potential for implementing a performance-based system for conservation activities on agricultural lands. This topic is currently being given serious consideration by the USDA in an effort to develop a system of conservation payments that are market based and reflect actual environmental performance.