Listening to longleaf landowners: Responding to the decline in CRP

Our study is about helping landowners bring back the longleaf pine forest, an important type of forest in the southeastern U.S. This forest is home to unique plants and animals, helps clean the air and water, and is better at handling tough weather than other forests. We want to learn why some landowners participate in longleaf pine incentive programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), while others do not. Specifically, we are examining landowner motivations, barriers to enrollment, management practices during and after participation, post-CRP land use decisions, and persistence of longleaf pine forests following the end of program support. By listening to landowners' experiences, we hope to identify ways to improve these programs, making them more accessible and effective in promoting the growth and sustainability of longleaf pine forests for future generations.