Private lands encompass over half of the continental United States and serve as critical habitat for the majority of federally threatened and endangered species. Despite the importance of private lands for conservation, they remain understudied by conservation scientists. Conservation research programs that study private lands biodiversity not only help to fill this research gap but may also contribute more broadly to private lands conservation by influencing the conservation behaviors of individuals that participate in the program. However, little is known about how conservation behavior outcomes may differ across varying levels of participation in a program and what factors may influence this conservation behavior change. This thesis focuses specifically on conservation behavior outcomes associated with participation in a conservation research program and participants' perceived impact on conservation behaviors. For my first chapter, I interviewed private landowners that had provided property access to the Smithsonian conservation research program, Virginia Working Landscapes (VWL), between 2010 and 2020. We found that landowners perceived their participation in VWL influenced their conservation behaviors across multiple categories; yet, land stewardship behaviors were more commonly positively influenced than social environmentalism or environmental citizenship behaviors. Landowners also reported that various aspects of the program including program events, on-site interactions with staff and citizen scientists, and landowner reports had the strongest influence on their engagement in conservation behaviors, while other aspects such as program newsletters and annual reports influenced their engagement in conservation behaviors to a lesser degree. For my second chapter, I surveyed citizen scientists and non-citizen scientists that were associated with VWL between 2010 and 2020. VWL citizen scientists had significantly higher perceived impacts of the program on their engagement in conservation behaviors compared to non-citizen scientists. The strongest predictors of respondents' perceptions of VWL's impact on their conservation behaviors include participation as a citizen scientist, program-related normative beliefs, attendance at program events, and reading program newsletters, while characteristics of the participants (i.e. demographics, actual behavioral control, personal norms, environmental attitude) were not predictive of perceptions of impact. Findings from this thesis can inform efforts to influence program participants' conservation behaviors. In particular, program managers may increase conservation outcomes through incorporating citizen science opportunities; fostering direct interactions between landowners, citizen scientists, researchers, and peers; training citizen scientists in effective science communication skills; and tailoring program communications to specific target audiences. / Master of Science / Over half of the mainland United States are under private ownership and these private lands are important habitat for federally threatened and endangered species. Even though private lands are important for conservation, the majority of conservation research studies take place on public lands. Conservation research programs that study species on private lands can contribute to conservation by providing insights into questions that are critical to species' management. These programs can also contribute to conservation by influencing the people who participate in the program to engage in conservation behaviors. However, people can participate in conservation research programs in many different ways and it is unclear how participation in a program influences people's conservation behaviors. This thesis explored the different conservation behaviors associated with participation in a conservation research program and participants' perceived impact on conservation behaviors. For my first chapter, I interviewed private landowners that had provided property access to the Smithsonian conservation research program, Virginia Working Landscapes (VWL), between 2010 and 2020. The landowners we interviewed perceived that their participation in VWL influenced them to engage in conservation behaviors across multiple categories, but land stewardship behaviors (e.g. landscape improvements that benefit wildlife or their habitat) were more commonly influenced than social environmentalism (e.g. behaviors that focus on social engagement) or environmental citizenship behaviors (e.g. supporting environmental causes through voting, donations, or civic engagement). Certain aspects of the program such as program events, on-site interactions with staff and citizen scientists, and landowner reports were the most influential on landowners' engagement in conservation behaviors, while other aspects such as program newsletters and annual reports influenced their engagement in conservation behaviors less often. For my second chapter, I surveyed citizen scientists (i.e. volunteer members of the public who gather or analyze data for scientific research) and non-citizen scientists (i.e. individuals subscribed to VWL's newsletter but had never volunteered as citizen scientists) associated with VWL. VWL citizen scientists were positively influenced by the program to engage in conservation behaviors significantly more than non-citizen scientists. Characteristics of the program including participation as a citizen scientist, program-related normative beliefs (i.e. one's perception of whether other individuals will approve or disapprove of a certain behavior), attendance at program events, and program materials were associated with the program's influence on survey respondents' engagement in conservation behaviors. Characteristics of the participants (i.e. demographics, actual behavioral control, personal norms, environmental attitude) were not found to be significant predictors of impact. Results from this thesis may be helpful to programs aiming to increase their influence on participants' conservation behavior engagement. For example, programs may incorporate citizen science; foster direct interactions between landowners, citizen scientists, researchers, and peers; train citizen scientists in science communication skills, and tailor program communications to specific audiences.

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) plays a vital role in restoring grasslands by removing highly erodible land from production; however, landscape-scale conservation success depends on participation. Fluctuating trends in participation suggest a need to better understand landowners' motivations for enrolling. Since participation hinges on agricultural producers' perceptions of programs, there is utility in understanding programs through their lens to ensure program design accounts for their needs. To understand what drives enrollment, I conducted immersive ethnographic fieldwork in farming and ranching communities of southwest Kansas and southeast Colorado. Through interviews and participant observation, I examined producers' reasons for participating, program perceptions, and the degree to which CRP fits with their lived experiences. I also explored challenges faced by field staff of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in working within the program structure. I used open coding to identify common themes and quotes to capture producers' and field staff's points of view. I identified several frames through which producers think about CRP and themes related to how CRP fit well or poorly with producers' and field staff's lives. Frames characterized producer perceptions of CRP as a financial savior, a way to maintain financial solvency, and to gain leverage for their operation. Additionally, CRP was framed as a retirement fund and a conservation program that provides a solution for erodible land. Lived experiences related to wind erosion and the Dust Bowl, perceived community impacts of CRP, and the cultural and economic history of the region, also influenced how producers make sense of and 'frame' the program. Guaranteed payments to maintain cover incentivize participation, especially for land which some producers believe should have never been farmed, or 'broke out', in the first place. Even so, the economic and cultural aspiration to farm may prompt program avoidance or re-cultivation of prior CRP land. In identifying program fit, many felt the program serves a noble purpose but is complicated by rules which lack 'common sense'. While producers valued the program's role in soil stabilization and increased wildlife habitat, CRP requirements during the grass establishment phase and mid-contract management do not always align with producer and field staff visions. Mixed opinions existed around suitable grass species and management practices such as disking, interseeding, and grazing. A dominant theme emerged from producers, echoed by field staff, in the benefits of grazing and need for CRP to increase flexibility to maximize grazing compatibility. Broader program concerns included a shifting program focus, inconsistent enforcement of rules, and one-size-fits-all management. Personal relationships between FSA, NRCS, and producers were generally regarded as positive, and staff members value their role in working with producers to harmonize program requirements with producer needs, within the bounds of the program. Juggling various programs with limited time and other procedural issues leave many field staff feeling overwhelmed and understaffed. Field staff expressed a desire for greater one-on-one time with producers to better communicate program requirements or amend management plans. Both producers and field staff felt CRP could be enhanced to achieve a greater conservation benefit, alleviate staff burdens, and improve overall satisfaction if program rules had both greater flexibility and regional tailoring to correlate with the variable climate and local conditions. In exploring CRP 'frames' and 'fit', this case study provides a window into the interplay of producers' lived experiences in the shadow of the Dust Bowl, and a ubiquitous conservation program's impact on the way land is used. / Master of Science / The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) compensates farmers for removing sensitive lands from agricultural production. Since program participation has fluctuated over the years, there is a need to understand participation through the perspective of farmers and ranchers who enroll their land in CRP. The goal of CRP is to provide habitat, reduce soil erosion, and prevent runoff; however, understanding producers’ reasons for enrolling may paint a clearer picture of how to better match human needs with program objectives. To understand these motivations, I used a deep dive approach in communities of Southwest Kansas and Southeast Colorado to better learn about perspectives related to CRP from both producers and field staff of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). I conducted face-to-face interviews and participated in a variety of activities with field staff and producers to understand why people enroll, and to what degree CRP fits with their needs and desires. Through my time in the field and analyzing interviews and fieldnotes, I found several frames or ways of thinking about CRP. These include CRP as a retirement fund, as financial solvency, and as a conservation program and answer to land blowing or wind erosion. Additionally, I found several themes related to program fit including concerns with one-size-fits-all management, changes in the program’s focus and rules over time, and the need for greater flexibility to match CRP requirements with local site conditions and producer needs such as grazing. Field staff expressed concern over program staffing and time constraints and echoed many of the program mismatches discussed by producers. The management implications in this thesis were inspired by ideas from producers and field staff who thought CRP could be adapted to take advantage of opportunities that make sense for the climate as well as agricultural and procedural needs. This case study provides a window into how lived experiences around farming and ranching in the Dust Bowl region interact with a widespread conservation program to impact the way land is used.

Pollinator conservation has recently become a topic of greater interest and research around the world as native insect pollinator species increasingly face population declines. In the United States, growing concerns regarding food security and decreased biodiversity have led to the creation of programmatic and best management practices (BMPs) promotional efforts among governmental and non-governmental organizations. These efforts seek to support pollinators on public and private lands by addressing the primary causes of decline (e.g., habitat loss and increased chemical use). Although these organizations have worked diligently to increase awareness and applicability of programs to private landholders, there is still a gap in pollinator BMP adoption. The purpose of my dissertation was to address the pollinator BMP adoption gap through empirical research with two primary goals: 1) develop and test a measurement instrument to investigate the current state of adoption in Mississippi, landholder attributes, and attribute influence on adoption intentions, and 2) conduct segmentation analyses to develop preliminary recommendations for future educational and outreach efforts to increase adoption of pollinator BMPs. I used two sociological theories to develop a questionnaire consisting of constructs measuring landholder attributes, including Attitudes, Injunctive Norms, Perceived Behavioral Control, Intentions, Knowledge, and Communication Channel Use. I conducted a selfministered mail survey during summer 2018 and received a 38.5% effective response rate. Relative to the first goal, major findings from the research included evidence of reliability and validity for the measurement constructs, landholders having more favorable than unfavorable Attitudes regarding the use of pollinator BMPs on their properties, and Perceived Behavioral Control as the strongest influence on adoption intentions compared to additional landholder attributes. Relative to the second goal, major findings included the generation of four distinct clusters and three land use type segments that allowed for group comparisons and development of a recommended two-step targeted educational and outreach approach. My dissertation provided theoretical and substantive advances to the fields of adoption research and pollinator conservation from which future research and outreach efforts can grow.

State and federal agencies spend considerable time and resources to enhance and create habitat for wildlife. Understanding how target and non-target species respond to these efforts can help direct the allocation of limited conservation resources. However, monitoring species response to habitat management comes with several logistical challenges that are exacerbated as the area of geographic focus increases. I used autonomous recording units (ARUs) to mitigate these challenges when assessing Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) response to forest management. I deployed 1,265 ARUs across managed and unmanaged public and private forests from western North Carolina to southern Maine. I then applied a machine learned classifier to all recordings to create whip-poor-will daily detection histories for each survey location. I used detection data and generalized linear models to examine regional, landscape, and site factors that influenced whip-poor-will occurrence. Whip-poor-wills were detected at 399 (35%) survey locations. At the regional scale, occupancy decreased with latitude and elevation. At the landscape scale, occupancy was negatively associated with the amount of impervious cover within 500m, and was positively associated with the amount of oak forest and evergreen forest cover within 1,750m. Additionally, whip-poor-will occupancy exhibited a quadratic relationship with the amount of shrub/scrub cover within 1,500m. At the site-level, occupancy was negatively associated with increased basal area and exhibited a quadratic relationship with woody stem density. Whip-poor-will populations can benefit from the implementation of forestry practices that create and sustain early successional forests within forested landscapes, especially those dominated by oak forest types. The use of ARUs helped overcome several challenges associated with intensive broad-scale monitoring efforts for a species with a limited survey window, but also presented new challenges associated with data management, storage, and analyses.