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Abstract
This study extends previous empirical research on land preservation by considering an
actual land preservation scheme, the agricultural land reserve in British Columbia, Canada.
The reserve was established in 1973 to ensure that development did not occur on the
province’s most productive agricultural land. ‘To ensure that local food production is
maintained,’ ‘the economic importance of British Columbia’s agricultural sector,’ and ‘to
protect the environment’ are the most important factors that underlie support for the
reserve. Aggregate, provincewide willingness to pay to maintain the land reserve is
substantial, with our most conservative estimate being Can$91.18 million per year.