Abstract: Rapid changes in population growth at the rural/urban fringe are changing community dynamics and challenging the conclusions of prior research regarding landowner behavior. One important aspect of this behavior is land use behavior. Several studies have identified attitudinal, demographic, and situational variables that are correlated with land use behavior in the literature in the disciplines of rural sociology, political science, and anthropology. Despite the quantity of the literature, few studies have successfully captured the relationship between these variables in a comprehensive model. In this study, I test the hypothesis that attitude is correlated with length of residence, and the hypotheses that attitude plus several demographic variables can successfully predict preservation as a land use behavior and participation in government programs. Using multiple regression, I found that length of residence was not a significant predictor of attitude. Using logistic regression analysis, I found a significant relationship between preservation and the following variables: occupation as a farmer (negative) years living in the county (negative) and residence in Geauga County (positive). Parcel size, years living in the county, and an increasingly anti-development attitude were all significantly positively related to participation in government programs. Previous land use and soil type/topography were rated most important as factors in land use decisions. The results of the study support the theory of deHaven-Smith (1988), that land use decisions are based primarily on local, situational factors, rather than broader concepts such as concern for the environment and the Extractive Resource Commodity Theory (Tremblay and Dunlap, 1978) which states that those in extractive occupations such as farming value land differently. The results of the study are discussed in terms of farmland conservation, technical assistance, and stakeholder processes.

First Published in 2006. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.