Cross boundary cooperation good for ecosystems

A new paper by Mark Rickenbach (University of Wisconsin Madison, and a recent Bullard Fellow), David Kittredge (HF Forest Policy analyst), Bill Labich (regional Conservationist, Highstead), and two others, outlines the reasons why cooperating on land management across boundaries is a superior way to conserve ecosystem services. Ecosystem patterns and processes don't start or stop at individual private property boundaries, yet current public programs and policies focus on individual parcels and incentives. The paper provides a different framwork to inspire cross boundary cooperation that would not require new sources of funding, but instead merely redirect or realign existing conservation programs and funds.

Rickenbach, M.G., L.A. Schulte, D.B. Kittredge, W. G. Labich, and D. J. Shinneman. 2011. Cross-boundary Cooperation: A Mechanism for Sustaining Ecosystem Goods and Services from Private Lands. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 2011 66(4):91A-96A; doi:10.2489/jswc.66.4.91A