A Rapid Mapping Review of Studies on the Motivations and Barriers to Participation in the Conservation Reserve Program

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is the largest voluntary land retirement initiative in the U.S., encouraging private landowners to improve environmental quality. This study utilizes the SPIDER framework to examine factors affecting landowner participation in the CRP, reviewing 42 relevant articles from an initial 1,383 search results. Most studies were located in the Midwest, with a notable increase in publications in 2022. Quantitative methods were more common, although much research focused on landowner perspectives rather than practitioners. Key motivators for CRP participation included wildlife/environmental intentions and financial incentives, while barriers involved commodity price fluctuations, contract constraints, perceived program deficiencies, and knowledge gaps. We suggest the need for strategic mechanisms that narrow the information and knowledge gaps among landowners while paying attention to other behavioral factors that influence landowners’ decision making beyond incentives.