Riparian Landowner Efficacy in an Urbanizing Watershed

Abstract

Many agricultural landscapes are rapidly transitioning to more heterogeneous land uses with diverse types of landowners. While previous research has focused on conservation practice adoption among agricultural landowners, we use an efficacy theory framework to contrast riparian management behaviors across full-time farmers, part-time farmers, and residential landowners. We conducted semistructured interviews of landowners and conservation organization representatives within an urbanizing watershed in central Pennsylvania. Interviews focused on riparian buffers, perceived buffer outcomes, and urbanization throughout the region. Our findings indicate that structural changes to the landscape brought forth by urbanization diminish landowners’ self-efficacy via reduced capacity to implement buffers on small, residential parcels. Additionally, landowners’ outcome expectations are hampered through nearby, urban causes of perceived riparian and water quality degradation. Urbanization may reduce efficacy across the landscape, challenging riparian buffer implementation. We discuss organizations’ roles in landowners’ efficacy and offer pathways for organizational adaptation to residential growth.

Keywords:

• efficacy
• private landownership
• riparian buffer
• urbanization
• water quality

Notes

Note. NF = nonfarm, PF = part-time farm, FF = full-time farm.