Background:
Military installations across the USA contain large tracts of federal lands, some of which are managed to conserve wildlife. Due to the war in Iraq, military installations face an increased demand for national defense and need to move some of that land into training facilities and other uses.

Because these federal lands are an important component of conservation efforts for the entire country, the U.S. Department of Defense has an interest in ensuring species protection so they don’t have a negative effect on survival of wildlife. In 2004, they approached the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University about the feasibility of an off-site conservation program in which private landowners would enroll voluntarily and receive a financial incentive to protect and maintain wildlife habitat on a portion of their land.

Purpose:
The purpose of the project is to talk to landowners and understand current land use practices, their attitudes toward programs like this, and gather input on program components important to them. This is a chance for landowners to provide direct input into the way future programs and natural resource policies are designed.

Details:
Project Duration: January 2006 to May 2008
Funding: Department of Defense (DOD)
Counties Involved: Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Hamilton, Lampassas, McLennan

Contacts:

This research study has been reviewed by the Institutional Review Board : Human Subjects in Research at Texas A&M University. If you have any problems or questions regarding your rights, contact the Institutional Review Board through Ms. Angelia M. Raines, Director of Research Compliance, Office of the Vice President for Research at (979) 458-4067 or by e-mail at: araines@vprmail.tamu.edu
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Ph: (979) 845-4283