Cannabis agriculture is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States that is changing rapidly with policy liberalization. Anecdotal observations fuel speculation about associated environmental impacts, and there is an urgent need for systematic empirical research. An example from Humboldt County California, a principal cannabis-producing region, involved digitizing 4428 grow sites in 60 watersheds with Google Earth imagery. Grows were clustered, suggesting disproportionate impacts in ecologically important locales. Sixty-eight percent of grows were >500 m from developed roads, suggesting risk of landscape fragmentation. Twenty-two percent were on steep slopes, suggesting risk of erosion, sedimentation, and landslides. Five percent were <100 m from threatened fish habitat, and the estimated 297 954 plants would consume an estimated 700 000 m 3 of water, suggesting risk of stream impacts. The extent and magnitude of cannabis agriculture documented in our study demands that it be regulated and researched on par with conventional agriculture.

Drescher, M., and J. C. Brenner. 2018. The practice and promise of private land conservation. Ecology and Society 23(2):3. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-10020-230203

Farmer, J. R., J. C. Brenner, M. Drescher, S. Dickinson, and E. G. Knackmuhs. 2016. Perpetual private land conservation: the case for outdoor recreation and functional leisure. Ecology and Society 21(2):46.http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-08515-210246

Clearly understanding the connections among land use, demographics, and sensitivity and engagement with natural areas can provide insight into landowner decision making. Pertinent findings from our mailed survey of landowners in Brown County, Indiana, include that (1) individuals already engaged in land conservation or environmental activities are most likely to consider a conservation easement (CE), (2) hunters and anglers are less likely to have interest in CEs, and (3) few differences exist between seasonal and permanent residents. Among other things, this research highlights the significance for landowner willingness to grant a CE of involving landowners in conservation activities and environmental organizations.