Evaluating the influence of conservation plans on land protection actions in Wisconsin, USA

Conservation plans are a common management tool, but are rarely evaluated for their influence on conservation actions. We assessed four statewide conservation plans and 371 local land protection projects developed by a state land management agency in the United States. We asked whether completion of statewide plans and approval of local projects were associated with changes in the amount, location, and landcover composition of subsequently protected lands. We found a weak relationship between statewide plans and land protection actions. Completion of two of four plans was associated with an increase in land protection statewide or within plan boundaries. However, 58% of lands protected within 20 years of plan completion were outside plan boundaries. Further, the proportion of statewide land protection activity focused inside plan boundaries was lower or not different after plan completion for three of four plans. Conversely, for >90% of local land protection projects, most land protection occurred after formal project approval compared to before, with much of that activity occurring almost immediately. Forests and wetlands were protected more often than planned, while pasture and crop lands were protected less often than planned. We suggest that conservation plans are most likely to influence land protection actions when dependable, multi-year funding for land protection is present, when public, institutional, and political support for implementation are strong; and when agencies commit to an implementation strategy that links broad-scale plans to specific, local land protection projects and is actionable within the framework of existing administrative rules governing agency land protection. Conservation plans are a common management tool, but there has been little comprehensive evaluation of their effectiveness in influencing subsequent conservation actions (Bottrill and Pressey, 2012). Plans are developed by universities and local, state, national, and international agencies and conservation organizations to voluntarily identify conservation priorities, fulfill legal obligations, or be eligible for funding programs (e.g., Wildlife Action Plans in the United States (US), US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2006). Accordingly , some plans are tied explicitly to funding for implementation, while many others are not. Additionally, some plans are comprehensive (i.e., biodiversity conservation is the goal), while others focus on specific regions, habitat types, taxonomic groups, or species. Despite such differences in conservation plans, nearly all plans are intended to guide subsequent conservation actions, often focusing on land protection, and require significant commitments of staff and resources (Bottrill and Pressey, 2012; Bottrill et al., 2012). Conservation is a key driver …