versus 30-year easements will also determine the environmental impacts and ecosystem services received from implementation of ACEP. For example, ecosystem services requiring a long periods to be fully realized, such as carbon sequestration through timber growth, will not be as great with 30-year easements as a permanent easement (Jenkins et al., 2010). We note that agricultural lands and wetlands sequester carbon at higher rates than lands converted to development. Agricultural lands provide a variety of ecosystem services that may not be accounted for in a marketplace (Table 6). Previous studies of public preferences and attitudes toward farmland protection indicate that along with providing open and green space, a strong public motivation for farmland protection is to protect the agrarian nature of a community including cultural values, heritage values, rural lifestyles, and access to fresh, local food supplies. All these factors are dependent on the continued existence of viable farms and farming operations (Bergstrom and Ready, 2009; Swinton et al., 2007; Gardner, 1977; Irwin, Nickerson and Libby, 2003). 6. Projected benefits from the Agricultural Conservation Easements Program described in the 2014 Farm Bill by recipient. Wetlands Ecosystem Agricultural Lands Ecosystem Service Reserve Function Easements Easements Benefits likely to accrue to private landowner Commercial timber Tree growth medium √ harvest Commercial fish Fish habitat √ harvest Grassland Forage production √ √ preservation Benefits that potentially accrue to both private landowner and public Recreational Wildlife habitat √ waterfowl harvest Recreational Wildlife habitat upland species √ √ harvest Land for Food Local Food √ Production Production Recreation Agri-tourism √ √ Opportunities Potential Social Benefits Reduced Flood retention √ √ flows/peaks filtration Cleaner water √ √
versus 30-year easements will also determine the environmental impacts and ecosystem services received from implementation of ACEP. For example, ecosystem services requiring a long periods to be fully realized, such as carbon sequestration through timber growth, will not be as great with 30-year easements as a permanent easement (Jenkins et al., 2010). We note that agricultural lands and wetlands sequester carbon at higher rates than lands converted to development. Agricultural lands provide a variety of ecosystem services that may not be accounted for in a marketplace (Table 6). Previous studies of public preferences and attitudes toward farmland protection indicate that along with providing open and green space, a strong public motivation for farmland protection is to protect the agrarian nature of a community including cultural values, heritage values, rural lifestyles, and access to fresh, local food supplies. All these factors are dependent on the continued existence of viable farms and farming operations (Bergstrom and Ready, 2009; Swinton et al., 2007; Gardner, 1977; Irwin, Nickerson and Libby, 2003). 6. Projected benefits from the Agricultural Conservation Easements Program described in the 2014 Farm Bill by recipient. Ecosystem Function Ecosystem Service Wetlands Reserve Easements Agricultural Lands Easements Benefits likely to accrue to private landowner Tree growth medium Commercial timber harvest √ Fish habitat Commercial fish harvest √ Grassland preservation Forage production √ √ Benefits that potentially accrue to both private landowner and public Wildlife habitat Recreational waterfowl harvest √ Wildlife habitat Recreational upland species harvest √ √ Land for Food Production Local Food Production √ Recreation Opportunities Agri-tourism √ √ Potential Social Benefits Flood retention Reduced flows/peaks √ √ filtration Cleaner water √ √
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