Analysis reveals potential rangeland impacts if Williamson Act eliminated

Wetzel, William C.; Lacher, Iara; Swezey, Daniel S.; Moffitt, S. E.; Manning, Dale T.

doi:10.3733/ca.v066n04p131

Cited by 15 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Diverse stand structure (i.e., presence of multiple age and size classes) in blue oak woodlands is important to conserving the full complement of ecological niche spaces and species assemblage (Tietje andVreeland 1997, Allen-Diaz et al 2007). Blue oak is currently subject to multiple interacting threats including low recruitment and climate change (Borchert et al 1989, Swiecki and Bernhardt 1998, Tyler et al 2006, Reiner and Craig 2011, Wetzel et al 2012. While land use, including grazing and fire history may impact recruitment (Tyler et al 2006), our small sample size did not allow us to separate out potential effects of land use.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Demography linked to climate change projections in an ecoregional case study: integrating forecasts and field data

McLaughlin

Morozumi

MacKenzie³

et al. 2014

Ecosphere

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Abstract. Anticipating species movement under climate change is a fundamental concern in 21st century conservation. For blue oak (Quercus douglasii ), an endemic, flagship species in California, we modeled potential responses to future climate, then tested the fit of those projections to empirical field data from natural populations. Specifically, we tested how well species forecasts captured observed recruitment and adult tree mortality, and whether recruitment was structured spatially as a function of fine-scale microtopographic and hydrologic environments. In this ecoregional case study, observed demographic patterns were broadly consistent with theoretical expectations. Adult survivorship was three times lower in areas forecasted to be least suitable as a result of climate change than in areas projected to become suitable. This novel field validation exercise documents patterns of adult tree mortality consistent with model predictions of an emergent shift in distribution. Seedlings and saplings showed evidence of spatial structuring into local refugia in areas projected to contract, suggesting that climate change may reshape how blue oak associates with California landscapes and highlighting the potential importance of micro-environmental diversity in enhancing species resilience to warming.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Demography linked to climate change projections in an ecoregional case study: integrating forecasts and field data

McLaughlin

Morozumi

MacKenzie³

et al. 2014

Ecosphere

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“…In California, USA, the potential role of incentive-based conservation programs has grown as state funding for the Williamson Act (California Land Conservation Act of 1965) has shrunk. Without the Williamson Act, which reduces property taxes when landowners agree to keep land out of development on 10-yr contracts, many ranchers expect to sell portions of their land for development (Wetzel et al 2012). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opportunities and obstacles for rangeland conservation in San Diego County, California, USA

Farley¹,

Walsh²,

Levine³

2017

E&S

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ABSTRACT. Working landscapes such as rangelands are increasingly recognized as having high conservation value, providing a variety of ecosystem services, including food, fiber, habitat, recreation, open space, carbon storage, and water, in addition to a broad range of social benefits. However, conversion of rangelands to other land uses has been prevalent throughout the western United States, leading to greater attention in the conservation community to the importance of collaborating with private landowners. The level of interest in collaborative conservation among private landowners and the types of conservation programs they choose to participate in depend on the social, economic, and environmental context. We used GIS analysis and interviews with ranchers to evaluate rangeland conversion and participation in conservation programs among ranchers in San Diego County, California, USA, which is part of a biodiversity hotspot with high plant species richness and a large number of endemic and rare species. We found that 21,210 ha (3.1%) of rangelands were converted to other uses over the past 25 years, primarily for urbanization, while the area of public rangeland increased by 9%. Interviews revealed that ranchers in San Diego County have had limited involvement with most conservation programs, and a critical factor for nonparticipation was providing programs access to private land, along with other issues related to trust and social values. Among ranchers who had participated in conservation programs, the payment level and the agency or organization administering the program were key factors. Our results provide insight into factors influencing whether and when ranchers are likely to participate in conservation initiatives and illustrate that private and public land conservation are strongly linked and would be more effective if the two strategies were better integrated.

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“…Other studies have highlighted the importance of these property tax benefits for maintaining ranching operations [22], [25], but it is not a panacea for rangeland ecosystem protection. An analysis of the conservation status and conversion datasets used in this study showed that 53% of the areas converted to vineyards were enrolled in Williamson Act in 2009.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whither the Rangeland?: Protection and Conversion in California's Rangeland Ecosystems

Cameron

Marty

Holland³

2014

PLoS ONE

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Land use change in rangeland ecosystems is pervasive throughout the western United States with widespread ecological, social and economic implications. In California, rangeland habitats have high biodiversity value, provide significant habitat connectivity and form the foundation for a number of ecosystem services. To comprehensively assess the conservation status of these habitats, we analyzed the extent and drivers of habitat loss and the degree of protection against future loss across a 13.5 M ha study area in California. We analyzed rangeland conversion between 1984 and 2008 using time series GIS data and classified resulting land uses with aerial imagery. In total, over 195,000 hectares of rangeland habitats were converted during this period. The majority of conversions were to residential and associated commercial development (49% of the area converted), but agricultural intensification was surprisingly extensive and diverse (40% across six categories). Voluntary enrollment in an agricultural tax incentive program provided widespread protection from residential and commercial conversions across 37% of the remaining rangeland habitat extent (7.5 M ha), though this program did not protect rangeland from conversion to more intensive agricultural uses. Additionally, 24% of the remaining rangeland was protected by private conservation organizations or public agencies through land or easement ownership while 38% had no protection status at all. By developing a spatial method to analyze the drivers of loss and patterns of protection, this study demonstrates a novel approach to prioritize conservation strategies and implementation locations to avert habitat conversion. We propose that this approach can be used in other ecosystem types, and can serve as a regional conservation baseline assessment to focus strategies to effect widespread, cost-effective conservation solutions.

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Analysis reveals potential rangeland impacts if Williamson Act eliminated

Cited by 15 publications

References 13 publications

Demography linked to climate change projections in an ecoregional case study: integrating forecasts and field data

Demography linked to climate change projections in an ecoregional case study: integrating forecasts and field data

Opportunities and obstacles for rangeland conservation in San Diego County, California, USA

Whither the Rangeland?: Protection and Conversion in California's Rangeland Ecosystems

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