Baldwin studies conservation easements in the Appalachians
Clemson scientists Rob Baldwin and Paul Leonard have recently published a research article that examines the existing distribution of conservation easements in the Appalachian Mountains.
The Appalachians, an ancient series of mountains that extends from Alabama to northeastern Canada before plunging into the Atlantic Ocean and resurfacing in parts of Europe and even Africa, has a long and complex history of human development and land use. Though relatively large regions of the mountains and surrounding valleys are owned by the government and therefore publicly protected, the majority of the land is privately owned, especially in the lower elevations.
Because of this, conservation easements are extremely important. These legally binding restrictions—placed on pieces of private property to protect the lands for future generations—are either voluntarily donated or sold by landowners.
As joint senior authors, Baldwin and Leonard tested the "relative influence of interacting social and environmental variables on the spatial distribution of conservation easements by ownership category and conservation status."
