Conservation Costs Drive Enrolment in Agglomeration Bonus Scheme

Agglomeration bonus schemes have become important policy tools when the environmental benefit hinges on spatial coordination of conservation sites. We here analyse how factors affect uptake an agglomeration payment scheme in a Swiss mountain region, which seeks to establish network areas conserve favourable conditions for biodiversity. use combination spatially explicit farm census (44,279 parcels) and survey data lagged explanatory variable model. In addition, we also consider collaborative process establishing eligibility parcels receiving payment. find that are more distant from as well those at steeper slopes likely enter scheme. This implies costs driver farmers' decisions. The results remain robust controlling wide range parcel, characteristics. analysis showed increased enrolment cultivated by larger farmers managing their land intensively. conclude weight given biodiversity connecting sites planning