sustainability Article Perceptions of, and Motivations for, Land Trust Conservation in Northern Michigan: An Analysis of Key Informant Interviews Kathryn N. Braddock * and Joel T. Heinen   Citation: Braddock, K.N.; Heinen, J.T. Perceptions of, and Motivations for, Land Trust Conservation in Northern Michigan: An Analysis of Key Informant Interviews. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1609. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041609 Academic Editor: J. Marc Foggin Received: 19 November 2020 Accepted: 29 January 2021 Published: 3 February 2021 Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil- iations. Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33174, USA; heinenj@fiu.edu * Correspondence: Kathryn.braddock@gmail.com Abstract: Land trusts are common and expanding mechanisms for conservation, although their impacts have been little-studied. The objective of this paper is to understand the perceptions and motivations of stakeholders of small-scale land trust conservation. We used 33 key informant interviews to learn the motivations and opinions of stakeholders regarding the Little Traverse Conservancy (LTC) of northern Michigan, USA. The interviews were coded for relevant themes and interpreted alongside a literature review. The highest reported motivation for stakeholder involvement with LTC was the protection of nature and scenic beauty. Economic and social factors were also considered motivators; however, were not the key facilitators for conservation action for LTC stakeholders. Interviews emphasized that relationship and partnership formations are critical for facilitating successful land conservation. We conclude that land trust organizations can captivate the long-term support and participation of stakeholders through the consideration of local dynamics and building upon existing community relationships. Keywords: conservation; land trust; key-informant surveys; easements; Michigan 1. Introduction Biodiversity plays a significant role in preserving healthy ecosystems, maintaining the fundamental needs of plant and animal life, and sustaining the aesthetic appeal of an area. Conservation of biodiversity is; therefore, essential in supporting these factors and is important for a variety of cultural and socio-economic reasons that facilitate human well-being. The conservation of biodiversity is challenged by developmental pressures, climate change, habitat loss, resource exploitation, and pollution, among other factors [1,2]. Protected areas are an approach commonly used in the conservation of biodiversity. However, the establishment of protected areas can cause conflict depending on geographic, socio-economic, and cultural aspects of an area [3]. As a means of promoting biodiversity, large and connected pathways across quality habitat are typically the most sought out protected areas. However, size, fragmentation, location, and land-use can be barriers to the success and efficacy of protected area conservation [4]. Private protected areas (parcels “owned or secured by non-profits, individuals, communities, or corporations”) [5] can be a useful method for sustaining socio-ecological systems and conserving biodiversity [4]. While this approach to conservation also comes with its challenges, it has been found that the participation of landowners and stakeholders can aid in the success and sustainability of these types of conservation initiatives in a particular area [6]. A popular and growing method for the establishment of private protected areas in the United States (U.S.), Great Britain, and several other countries is through land trust initiatives (e.g., see www.communitylandtrusts.org.uk; www.landtrustalliance.org). Land trusts are non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that work to conserve land by owning it outright [7]. They use a variety of mechanisms to accomplish this goal including land or monetary donations, conservation easements, and direct purchase [8–10]. Conservation easements (also referred to as easements) are legal documents permitted by U.S. national Sustainability 2021, 13, 1609. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041609 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability