The Science of Strategic Conservation

Billions have been spent on land conservation but too little attention had been paid to how cost-effective these investments have been. With budgets increasingly constrained, conservationists must learn to fully harness their funds to protect critical resources. Messer and Allen are pioneers in making conservation selection more successful, cost-effective, scientific, and transparent. This book introduces powerful mathematical tools available for project selection, using real-life examples and a practical step-by-step approach. Readers can readily apply these methods to their own work, accomplishing more with less by combining the individual benefits of structured decision-making, mathematical programming, and an understanding of market forces and human behavior. The authors highlight tools from conservation science, mathematics, land use planning and behavioral economics, showing how they can be combined to help protect key environmental resources. This is an invaluable volume for all students, professionals and stakeholders associated with conservation programs.

• Offers a new approach to the topic of conservation finance, helping readers make better use of the funds they have rather than suggesting how they can increase funds
• Takes readers step by step through the process of strategic conservation, helping them gain familiarity with mathematical and market-based approaches
• Thirty days free access to LSPweb and ODST web programs allows readers to practice the techniques whilst reading the book and experience first hand how tools can benefit conservation efforts