Wyoming’s Conservation Exchange used a market‑based approach to reward stewardship, support conservation, and guide responsible energy development, offering lessons for future programs.
Wyoming’s Conservation Exchange created a market‑based system to reward land stewardship, support conservation, and guide responsible energy development. Built amid regulatory change and strong stakeholder input, it offers both a model and a cautionary guide for future Extension efforts.
Subject Tags
- Community-based conservation
- Conservation Planning
- Renewable energy
Abstract
This article describes the conception and development of a market-based conservation program in Wyoming whose purpose was threefold: to compensate landowners for good stewardship of their land and water resources; facilitate meaningful conservation; and encourage environmentally responsible energy development. The program was developed with strong stakeholder support against a backdrop of significant regulatory change. The project, called the Wyoming Conservation Exchange (WCE), represents a project-based alternative to more traditional program-based Extension efforts. This article evaluates ways in which the WCE can act as a road map—but also a cautionary tale—for similar Extension efforts in the future.
Citation
Hansen, K., Brodnax, S., Coupal, R., Lamb, J., MacKinnon, A., Paige, G., Peterson, E. and Purcell, M., 2024. Wyoming Conservation Exchange: A Case Study in Grassroots Conservation Program Design. The Journal of Extension, 61(4), p.2. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.61.04.02
TNC Authors
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Jennifer Lamb
Wyoming Conservation Director
The Nature Conservancy
Email: jennifer_lamb@tnc.org