Wonder, ignorance, and resistance: Landowners and the stewardship of endangered species

- In many countries, endangered species recovery depends on private land management.
- Landowners in Ontario, Canada often described experiences of wonder in nature.
- Landowners were largely ignorant of local endangered species and laws.
- Landowners expressed resistance to government regulation of land management.
- Better outreach programs must accompany endangered species laws.

The vast majority of endangered species in North America rely on private lands for survival. The United States Endangered Species Act set the standard for regulation of land for species-at-risk habitat in 1973. In 2007 the Canadian province of Ontario adopted a similar law that can restrict land management practices. There is a growing body of international research on endangered species conservation and private lands, but there is still much we do not fully understand regarding landowners' knowledge, attitudes, and motivations to participate in conservation initiatives, particularly outside the United States. Based on in-depth interviews with twenty-one rural landowners in Southern Ontario, we show that landowners may be willing to engage in endangered species stewardship but are presently largely ignorant of endangered species and existing policy. Many landowners described personal experiences of wonder in nature, which motivates them to value nature and its conservation. However, they are resistant to outside regulation of how they manage their own property. From a policy perspective this speaks to the need for serious landowner outreach and collaboration to increase knowledge of endangered species, capitalize on existing willingness, and ensure compliance with endangered species law. More broadly our data suggest that opposition to land-use regulation still exists among rural landowners, but opposition to conservation of endangered species is not prevalent.