Can conservation covenants help sustain nature and livelihoods? Factors associated with conservation covenant adopters in Australia

Abstract Biodiversity conservation on privately owned land often relies on the actions of individual landholders, such as participating in conservation covenant programs. Landholders' participation in conservation covenant programs depends on many financial and non‐financial factors and in many cases is closely linked to landholder livelihoods. We investigated whether landholders who participate in conservation covenant programs have different perceptions of their livelihood‐supporting assets compared to non‐adopters, focusing on New South Wales, Australia. Our findings show that four key variables explained participation in conservation covenants, including the availability of physical and human assets, the percentage of income derived from the land and involvement in other conservation programs (e.g. Land for Wildlife). As conservation covenant adoption increases, ensuring that it aligns with biodiversity goals and supports landholders' livelihoods will enhance their effectiveness in promoting sustainable livelihoods and landscapes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.