Public and Private Lands
Research at RFF on the way land is used and managed spans natural, rural, and urban settings, including analysis of innovative policies to limit urban sprawl, the cost and effectiveness of natural infrastructure, and the costs and benefits of recreational land use, among other topics.
Nature-Based Recreation
Learn how campsite reservations can shed light on the increase in visitors to the National Parks.
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Working Paper — Sep 16, 2020
Supply-Side Reforms to Oil and Gas Production on Federal Lands: Modeling the Implications for Climate Emissions, Revenues, and Production Shifts
An examination of three proposed policies to reform the federal oil and gas leasing program: increased royalty rates, carbon adders, and a ban on new leases on federal lands.
Press Release — Sep 16, 2020
Finding the “Sweet Spot” for Federal Oil & Gas Leasing Reform
Internalizing the social cost of carbon in federal oil and gas leases would reduce carbon emissions and raise federal revenue.
Press Release — Sep 8, 2020
Benefits Likely Outweigh Costs for National Monuments in the American West
New peer-reviewed research describes the history of the 1906 Antiquities Act (used to create national monuments), the controversies that have swirled around monument designation, and findings in the peer-reviewed literature about their impacts on surrounding communities.
Working Paper — Sep 16, 2020
Supply-Side Reforms to Oil and Gas Production on Federal Lands: Modeling the Implications for Climate Emissions, Revenues, and Production Shifts
An examination of three proposed policies to reform the federal oil and gas leasing program: increased royalty rates, carbon adders, and a ban on new leases on federal lands.
Journal Article — Aug 19, 2020
Public Land Conflicts and Controversies: The Designation of National Monuments in the Western United States
New research describes the history and purpose of Western public lands, with an emphasis on the relationship—and controversies— between rural communities and the federal government in an economic context.
Explainer — Jul 22, 2020
The Land and Water Conservation Fund 101
An overview of the history, funding, and future of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a major source of funding for federal land acquisition and state conservation projects.
RFF Live — Jul 29, 2020
The Future of America’s Public Lands and the Outdoor Recreation Economy
A discussion on the implications of the Great American Outdoors Act, with Senator Maria Cantwell and RFF Senior Fellow Margaret Walls.
RFF Live — Dec 17, 2019
Healthy Soils for a Healthier Planet
Highlighting the important role of soil health in finding climate solutions
Workshop/Seminar — Dec 6, 2017
The Future of Agriculture: Rebounding Nature
The National Museum of Natural History and Resources for the Future invite you to join Jesse Ausubel, Director and Senior Research Associate of the Program for the Human Environment at Rockefeller University, for a look into the future as he explores how precision agriculture and better sources of food and fuel can benefit the natural world.
Press Release — Sep 16, 2020
Finding the “Sweet Spot” for Federal Oil & Gas Leasing Reform
Internalizing the social cost of carbon in federal oil and gas leases would reduce carbon emissions and raise federal revenue.
Press Release — Sep 8, 2020
Benefits Likely Outweigh Costs for National Monuments in the American West
New peer-reviewed research describes the history of the 1906 Antiquities Act (used to create national monuments), the controversies that have swirled around monument designation, and findings in the peer-reviewed literature about their impacts on surrounding communities.
Media Highlight — Jul 30, 2020
"The Coronavirus Lockdown Revealed the Magnitude of Air Pollution from Agriculture"
A story in Forbes features insights shared by environmental economist Valentina Bossetti during an episode of Resources Radio.
Resources Articles — Jun 15, 2020
Confronting Future Environmental Challenges
In this article drawn from an archived issue of Resources, Allen V. Kneese reflects on environmental challenges during the 20th anniversary of Earth Day in 1990.
Common Resources — May 22, 2020
National Park Gateway Communities, the Outdoor Recreation Economy, and COVID-19
A bill before Congress could provide financial support for underfunded public lands, while offering local economies a much-needed boost.
Resources Radio — Mar 24, 2020
Do National Monuments Help or Hinder Local Economies?, with Margaret Walls
Margaret Walls discusses how designating historic sites as national monuments can benefit local economies without impairing nearby industries.