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Abstract
Rapid urbanization of California's oak woodlands is having a pronounced effect on its ecological values. These areas are sought out for new residential sites to a large degree because of their amenity values. In response to this rapid exurban migration, there has been an increase in use of conservation easements and purchase of development rights by land trusts and other entities to maintain large blocks of open space. However, the effect of dedicated open space on land markets is not known. This project is designed to quantify how aesthetic and environmental values of adjacent oak woodland open space is captured in parcel sale prices. These economic factors affect property tax revenues for a particular area, as well as having a potential for new mechanisms to fund open space purchases for conservation purposes. This pilot study was carried out in the Santa Rosa Plateau area of Riverside County, the site of an 8,300-acre reserve owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). It is surrounded by one of the most rapidly growing urban areas in the state.
Parent Publication
Citation
Standiford, Richard B.; Scott, Thomas. 2002. Value of oak woodlands and open space on private property values in southern California. In: Standiford, Richard B., et al, tech. editor. Proceedings of the Fifth Symposium on Oak Woodlands: Oaks in California''s Challenging Landscape. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-184, Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture: 835-836
