Protecting Our Natural Heritage: The Value of Land Conservation in Georgia

Publication Date: March 2006

Publisher: Environment Georgia Research and Policy Center

Author(s): Travis Madsen; Elizabeth Ridlington; Jill Johnson

Research Area: Environment

Keywords: Sprawl; Land Conservation; Open space

Type:

Coverage: Georgia

Abstract:

For decades, planning and growth around Atlanta has encouraged and abetted sprawl and discouraged land conservation. Conventional wisdom held that land preservation, while offering important social benefits, drained local government finances and did not contribute to economic growth. However, Georgia's natural heritage is much more than scenery - it is the foundation of a strong economy, providing value for the state and its people in many ways. Protecting our Natural Heritage presents a series of case studies showing that additional tools for land preservation will provide tangible economic returns for communities across the state.