Increasing provision of ecosystem services through participation in a conservation program

Grasslands provide a variety of goods and services that benefit humans, but only a few have a market value. Despite the benefits provided, native grasslands continue to be degraded. Lack of a proper valuation, including a monetary value of grassland nonmarket goods and services, has become one of the factors contributing to the degradation trend. The objective of this research was to quantify the cost of increasing the provision of ecosystem services from grassland ecosystems in the Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozarks (GCPO) Landscape Conservation Cooperative geographic area of the U.S. A contingent valuation method (CVM) was used to estimate landowner willingness to accept (WTA) monetary compensation in exchange for implementing management practices preserving grassland ecosystems. The mean WTA compensation was $290.10 per acre per year for a 10-year contract. Required compensation increased with landowner income, frequency of contacts with state wildlife agencies, and percentage change in grassland area. Landowner age and proximity to the nearest local park were negatively associated with WTA. The total cost of preserving ecosystem services, estimated based on WTA, was US$3 billion per year and 57 times larger than the 2016 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) allocation for this purpose in the amount US$50 million. However, the preservation cost varied from US$1.7 million to 1.1 billion depending upon the number of ecological attributes to be preserved and corresponding levels of ecosystem services. Results will be helpful in quantifying future funding levels necessary for implementation of coordinated conservation activities in grasslands and other ecosystems, prioritizing ecosystem services for restoration, and developing conservation programs in the U.S. and other countries.