Sustainable Rural Industries

Often environmental concerns are viewed as adverse to the growth or maintenance of rural economies. The approach taken by the Nature Conservancy, working in conjunction with government, non-profits, and landowners, for improving the Boone River Watershed in Central Iowa is an example of a cooperative method used to improve water quality and biotic diversity, while also attempting to improve the economy and maintain large-scale agricultural production. A brief introduction to this effort can be found on the Nature Conservancy's Website and a more in-depth analysis is described in the Nature Conservancy's Boone River Watershed: Ecological Assessment.

The Nature Conservancy has taken efforts to create a non-confrontational approach to improving biodiversity in many of its projects. This approach is also apparent in the organization's role in protecting the Current River in the Missouri Ozarks. Here, the Conservancy is purchasing land in the watershed, recording a conservation easement on that land, and then resaling the land for the harvest of timber. The easement ensures sustainable forestry practices while resaling the land allows for the continuation of private ownership and a tax base for the rural community.