[Washington, DC] A new study shows that land trusts focused on biodiversity conservation should consider the impact of real estate market forces and make use of reliable species inventories. Without good data and an understanding of the laws of supply and demand, land trusts risk doing more harm than good for biodiversity. The harm arises because land trust activity can elevate land prices and displace development onto lands where conservation is needed. This means every conservation acquisition must be sure to select lands with high biodiversity value, as opposed to simple open-space value.

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