Protecting habitats on private land

This report considers the causes of habitat loss on private land through "development." Based on a case study in Northland and interviews with farmers and rural residents, it argues that, while habitat clearance needs to be addressed through regulation, to require habitat owners to bear much of the cost associated with retaining those habitats penalizes those who provide the public good. In addition, the uneven distribution of habitats means that protecting them has spatial and social implications.