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Introduction | |
| South Carolina is among the fastest growing states in the nation. AARP lists us as second fastest growing in the South in terms of in-migrant retirees and in the top seven retirement locations in the nation. The South Carolina Department of Commerce projects that our population will jump by over 1 million new residents within the next fifteen years with many believing this to be a conservative estimate based upon the expected jump in in-migrant retiree rates when the baby boomers begin leaving the workforce. | ||
| This growth rate promises major changes in our economic base and in the physical demands upon our natural resource base. Consider that prior to the mid-1980's South Carolina was still considered a rural state, with the majority of its population in rural areas. So, in just over a decade we have moved from a state with a strong rural ethos to one with burgeoning growth management issues. This growth pattern offers immense opportunities for positioning niche agriculture, but foremost, the future of agriculture and forestry depends on an available resource base within an economic framework sufficient to sustain productive agriculture. | ||
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Objectives | |
| The purpose of the Prime Lands Initiative is to examine existing patterns of agriculture, forest and open space lands in South Carolina associated with area growth and development patterns. Specifically we will: | ||
| 1. | Compare historic land use patterns with changes in land use and ownership patterns. | |
| 2. | Examine land values associated with recoverable rents from agriculture and forestlands. | |
| 3. | Assess the perceived public values of open space lands in our urbanizing landscapes. | |
| 4. | Assess fiscal impacts of farm, forest and open space private lands in contrast with residential and commercial lands. | |
| 5. | Project probable conversion of farm and forestlands to residential and commercial. | |
| 6. | Assess the contribution of these prime lands to the integrity of the regional ecosystems. And finally, | |
| 7. | Assess and identify policy options with the potential of sustaining farm, forest and open space lands. | |
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Approach and Products by Objectives | |
| To compare historic land use patterns with changes in land use and ownership patterns we will examine land cover -- land use data, using remotely sensed data, for as long a period for which data are available. We will identify areas exhibiting the greatest change of apparent prime lands into residential and commercial use patterns and segregate those areas for further detailed evaluation. Further evaluation will involve tracking land conversion rates to population growth patterns, socio-demographic patterns of the region, land prices of the region and changes in the various economic sectors of the region. The product will be a GIS atlas of regions undergoing dramatic land use-land cover changes with associated changes in population and economic characteristics. | ||
| To examine land values associated with recoverable rents from agriculture and forestlands we will continue the work begun by Professor Jim Hite and examine trends in farm and forest land values with potential return or rents from those lands. We will also examine the ownership structures of those prime lands. The assumption being lands are most likely to covert from prime lands to residential and commercial when those lands become part of an estate settlement. The product will be a report and trackable database on the stability of productive farm and forestlands in rapidly growing areas of South Carolina along with an estimation of percent of prime lands likely to be converted in the foreseeable future. | ||
| To assess the perceived public values of open space lands in our urbanizing landscapes we will conduct a public opinion survey to determine (1) if people in high growth areas perceive and value farm, forest and open space in near urban landscapes, and (2) is there a willingness to pay (a contingent value) to retaining private open space lands. We will also conduct a comparative market value assessment regarding the role of privately owned prime lands on proximal residential lands. The product will be a report assessing public attitudes toward and market value contribution of privately held prime lands. This information is needed to assess the viability of provisions of the SC Farmland Protections act allowing for use purchasable development rights to maintain private farms and forests. | ||
| To assess fiscal impacts of farm, forest and open space private lands in contrast with residential and commercial lands we will examine the local taxes recovered from farm and forestlands in their current use compared to what taxes would be if developed or if development rights were sold. We will then compare taxes received to the average cost of services provided to those lands and landowners. This will allow comparison to fiscal cost/recovery ratios for residential and commercial lands within the same regions as the prime lands. The product will be a report detailing the contribution of farms and forestland to the area tax base. This information is also, needed to assess the viability of provisions of the SC Farmland Protections act allowing for use purchasable development rights to maintain private farms and forests. | ||
| To project probable conversion of farm and forestlands to residential and commercial we will identify trends in land conversion in the region as well as the ownership patterns of privately owned prime lands. We will determine if historic land conversion patterns are associated with age of landowners, family patterns of land ownership, whether individuals or corporate entities hold land or whether proximity to regional infrastructure influences conversion. The product will be a land tenure report on land conversion patterns. This will be important to identify lands with the highest probability of conversion to residential or commercial and would be useful in establishing priorities for land retention strategies. | ||
| To assess the contribution of these prime lands to the integrity of the regional ecosystems we will determine the role privately held prime lands play in maintaining watershed quality, sustaining wildlife habitat, and providing recreational and visual amenity values for area citizens and visitors. The product will be an atlas identifying lands with relative contribution to regional ecosystem quality. This will be important for assess public investment priorities for implementing purchasable development rights strategies or other acquisition/protection strategies. | ||
| To assess and identify policy options with the potential of sustaining farm, forest and open space lands we will examine various prime land retention tools, such as purchasable development rights, fee simple acquisition, development of mitigation banks, promotion of nature based tourism and zoning for their efficacy in retain prime land and maintaining agriculture friendly land tenure patterns. The product will be a matrix and description of land retention policies and options with an evaluation as to effectiveness based upon cost, beneficiaries, and ease of administration, long term stability for maintaining land tenure. | ||
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Time Table | |
| We envision this as a three-year project. Year one will focus on establishing the historic base line data and develop the change detection comparison years. Existing data will also be collected and organized by regions of the state as well as by watershed boundaries. Year two will focus on establishing the financial data associated with prime lands. Fiscal impacts, infrastructure associated with prime lands and cost/benefits on prime lands conversions will be enumerated. The third year we will model future prime lands loss rates and suggest priorities and policies for retaining these prime lands. | ||
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The Team: | |
| Robert Becker: Professor and Director of the Strom Thurmond Institute will coordinate the project activities. Becker's expertise in community development and amenity resource assessment will also be used in assessing public perceptions of prime lands. Jeff Allen: Is senior research associate and Director of the SC Water Resources Center. Allen will head the project GIS efforts. Allen's work on land-use/land-cover change in the coastal zone and his work to assess agriculture impacts on South Carolina watersheds will be a critical asset. Al Marsinko: Professor of forest economics, has considerable experience with private forestlands and landowners. Currently, his work focuses primarily on human dimensions and nontimber forest products and the valuation of these products. Current research projects include: Values of nontimber forest products; Forest industry hunt-lease programs in the southern United States; Age and racial/ethnic dimensions in recreation and; The effect of fees on recreation site choice. William A. Ward: Dr. Ward, Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics, is widely recognized as an expert in cost-benefit analysis and economic valuation of investment and policy options. He will assist in the analysis of costs and benefits of the various options that will be developed and explored under the project. Jim Schindler: Professor of Biological Sciences is widely recognized in ecosystem assessments. Dr. Schindler will provide an evaluation regarding the contribution of prime lands to regional ecological system integrity. Tom Potts: Dr. Potts holds a teaching and extension appointment in the areas of nature based tourism assessment and community development. His program Developing Naturally is a highly regarded community development program based upon use of local natural assets. Potts will assess the values of prime lands for regional tourism development opportunities. Ada Lou Steirer: Senior research associate and coordinator of the community and economic development activities at the Thurmond Institute will coordinate the compilation of existing non-GIS data sets and will provide input as to the fiscal elements associated with prime lands. Jim London: Professor of Planning Studies with extensive background in water resources and land use policies will examine the issues of local government regulations and regional planning efforts as related to prime lands. | ||
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Consultations: | |
| Jim Hite: Dr. Hite, Alumni Professor Emerti of Applied Economics and Senior Fellow of the Thurmond Institute will provide assistance regarding the value and use of prime lands for future agriculture production. Holley Hewitt Ulbrich: Senior Scholar at the Strom Thurmond Institute and an Alumni Distinguished Professor Emirate of Economics at Clemson University, will provide support and direction in the area of state and local public finance, particularly in taxation issues associated with prime lands. Mike Bowker: a research scientist with the USDA Forest Service's Southern Research Station in Athens, GA. He is also an adjunct faculty at both Clemson has agreed to assist Dr. Marsinko in the areas of nonmarket valuation, recreation demand, and natural resource policy associated with prime lands. Kang Shou Lu: Research Associate at the Thurmond Institute and former faculty member of geography and director of the tourism program at Shaanxi Normal University, will assist Jeff Allen in development of the GIS data base. | ||
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Thomas Rourke The person responsible for this web site server is Patrick Harris ©1998 Strom Thurmond Institute |
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