Multiple-Knapsack Optimization in Land Conservation: Results from the First Cost-effective Conservation Program in the United States

Kent Messer (), Maik Kecinski, Xing Tang and Robert H. Hirsch Iv

Land Economics, 2016, vol. 92, issue 1, 117-130

Abstract: Conservation groups often piece together their parcel selections by combining funds from multiple sources. When applying multiple-knapsack optimization, substantial increases in conservation benefits, acreage, and number of parcels preserved can be achieved. Specifically, we show that multiple-knapsack optimization substantially outperforms benefit targeting, cost-effectiveness analysis, and sequential binary integer programming. This study uses data from the first known cost-effective land conservation program in the United States—in Baltimore County, Maryland—and shows that multiple-knapsack optimization can deliver additional benefits.

JEL-codes: D61 Q24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
Note: DOI: 10.3368/le.92.1.117
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uwp:landec:v:92:y:2016:i:1:p:117-130

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