An investigation of the socio-economic aspects of open space and agricultural land preservation

In some regions of the United States, there is a growing concern with the development of farmlands for residential and commercial purposes. Where land becomes a precious commodity, many decisions about whether to preserve or sell are being made. This study investigates whether the decision to preserve is being made using insufficient criteria, in particular with the omission of socio-economic aspects. Using county-level data, regression analysis is used to determine whether significant relationships may exist between the amount of land preserved and socio-economic indicators. The results indicate that the amount of land preserved as a percentage of total county acreage is positively related to high incomes, high housing values, population growth, farmland prices, and the number of farms. In addition, the amount of land preserved as a percentage of total county acreage is negatively related to the county unemployment. rate, the age of residents, and the percentage of African American residents. These results suggest that the socio-eco nomic impacts associated with land preservation programs should be further investigated in net preservation benefits calculations. In particular, whether open space and farmland preservation programs should consider if they pose potential adverse impacts on minority and low-income residents.