Landowners' Relationship with Land and Decisions to Participate in Private Land Conservation Programs: A Phenomenological Study in the Texas Hill Country

Abstract

America’s private lands are rapidly declining primarily due to land fragmentation and development. Landowners play a significant role in these alarming dynamics as their choices and actions affect entire ecosystems throughout the nation. A better understanding of this group of individuals is imperative to advance stewardship on private lands. Despite a multitude of past studies, little is known about the socio-psychological factors associated with landownership, and specifically, how landownership is experienced by landowners. Using the theoretical framework of psychological ownership (Pierce et al., 2001), this phenomenological study focuses on landowners’ lived experiences with their properties and decisions to participate in private land conservation (PLC) programs. Semi-structured interviews (n = 9) were conducted with landowners holding properties in the Hill Country region of Texas, the leading state in the loss of agricultural land. Descriptive statistics such as the method of land acquisition, use of land management plan, and socio-demographics profiled the study participants. The data revealed that participants feel a deep respect for their properties and share a strong sense of responsibility to protect the integrity of their land and the privately-owned landscape. Based on the findings of this study, landownership as a socio-psychological phenomenon refers to the continual cycle of the reciprocal owner–land relationship that exists at the intersection of ecocentric and anthropocentric philosophies of the land and nature. Theoretically, this research offers implications for understanding the socio-psychological dimensions of landownership and related behaviors. For natural resource practitioners, the findings of this study may inform design and delivery of PLC programs and policies to promote stewardship and sustainability on private lands.