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Problem Blood is a rare perishable substance with limited life in the real world and blood supply chain management is a vital subject. Hence, it is trying to design an efficient supply chain network to create a balance between blood supply and demand, particularly in deficient conditions. One effective solution for blood deficiency compensation is the use of incentive programs at the right times to encourage people for blood donation. The novel aspect of this study considers a new mathematical model to design a blood supply chain network with the location of temporary centers for collecting donated blood, in addition to incentive programs in the right periods to actualize the goal of creating blood supply-demand equilibrium and minimizing the cost of the network. Method In this paper, four methods have been used in different dimensions to solve the proposed model. In this case, augmented epsilon constraint (AEC/EC) was used for small dimensions, while electromagnetic algorithm (EM), Non-dominated ranked genetic algorithm (NRGA), and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) were used for large dimensions due to the inherent complexity of the problem. Results The performance of algorithms was analyzed based on the four standard indicators. Then, their outputs were evaluated using statistical assumption tests at the significance level of 0.05. In three considered indicators (SNS, MID, and TIME indicators), the NSGA-II algorithm outperformed the NRGA and EM algorithms. This case indicated the superiority of the NSGA-II algorithm over the NRGA and EM algorithms especially for problem solution time, which is one of the most significant indicators used in metaheuristic algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the coming decades, promoting the production of ecosystem service provisioning will become increasingly important in the U.S. Northeast, which is expected to experience a number of impacts as a result of climate change, including rising temperatures, changes in precipitation and seasonality, and sea-level rise, among others (U.S. Global Change Research Program 2020). Incentives have been shown to motivate the adoption of sustainable production practices that provision ecosystem services across different types of working landscapes. Using data from a recent landscape assessment in the Northeast, this paper finds an incredible breadth of programs available to producers across a variety of working landscapes (e.g., agricultural lands and working forests) and for different production practices. These data also point to critical gaps in current programming and also highlight important opportunities for programmatic synergy and more holistic program design going forward. This paper concludes by discussing the results in the context of four main themes of particular relevance to the U.S. Northeast which include (1) working landbase and infrastructure, (2) livelihood provisioning, (3) scale, and (4) resilience.

Consumers and policymakers are increasingly concerned with environmental sustainability in food production. Yet rates of adoption of many conservation practices vary and are generally low. Existing instruments for practice adoption increase farmers' expected net benefits from sustainable practices but do not manage associated risks which may be critical to risk-averse farmers. We build a model to characterize practice adoption by risk-averse farmers given practice-driven, long-run yield dynamics under various instruments, including price premiums, lump-sum subsidies and green insurance. We find rich scale and compositional effects that differ across instruments and that green insurance is significantly more cost-effective under plausible conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural incentive programs promote ecosystem health and biodiversity on California working lands and encourage a multitude of conservation goals. The various objectives, environmental impacts, and financial costs of conservation incentive programs are challenging to assess. The ecosystem services framework is a useful tool for identifying tradeoffs between conservation management options. Here, 52 active incentive programs were reviewed to determine the ecosystem services prioritized by each program in California. Next, the top 20 highest funded federal conservation practices were assessed in terms of their ecosystem service impacts. We found that there is a gap between California’s ecosystem services goals and the ecosystem services that are impacted by federal programs, and that the top funded practices are not necessarily the ones that deliver the best benefits in terms of ecosystem services. This study highlights the gaps between conservation goals and outcomes on California agricultural land, as well as the need for regional conservation monitoring to determine the impacts of incentive programs.

The need to transition to sustainable agricultural practices while maintaining high food yield and strengthening resilience to climate change cannot be overstated. California farmers have received incentive funding from federal and state agencies to use land management practices that are less impactful to the land and in line with California’s sustainability goals. However, there are no regional monitoring measures to determine whether farming is becoming more sustainable. In this study, we used land cover change analysis and ecosystem services (ES) modeling to understand how farming practices influence environmental benefits on California farmland from 2010 to 2020. We analyzed the tradeoffs between soil erosion control, soil carbon storage, and production of California’s top agricultural commodities, and we compared these changes to changes in land cover in five agricultural regions statewide. We found that the trade-offs in ESs and food production differ depending on the regional context, and that major expansion in almond production and land use changes have had different impacts throughout California. Statewide, soil organic carbon storage increased, soil erosion control increased slightly, and food production boomed for most commodities. Incentive programs that influence farming practices may need to operate at a regional level rather than a statewide level to achieve sustainable outcomes specific to each region.

Farmers in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. face tremendous pressure to reduce nutrient losses from agriculture. Increasing crop rotation diversity with overwintering cover crops can support ecological processes that maintain productivity while improving multiple ecosystem functions, including nutrient retention. We conducted a mixed-methods study to understand how financial incentive programs impact transitions to cover cropping in Michigan. Michigan farms span a wide range of soil types, climate conditions, and cropping systems that create opportunities for cover crop adoption in the state. We tested the relationship between Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) payments for cover crops and cover crop adoption between 2008–2019, as measured by remote sensing. We coupled this quantitative analysis with interviews with 21 farmers in the Lake Erie watershed to understand farmers’ perspectives on how incentive programs could support greater cover crop adoption. Panel fixed effects regressions showed that EQIP increased winter cover crop presence. Every EQIP dollar for cover crops was associated with a 0.01 hectare increase in winter cover, while each hectare enrolled in an EQIP contract for cover crops was associated with a 0.86–0.93 hectare increase in winter cover. In semi-structured interviews, farmers reported that financial incentives were instrumental to cover crop adoption, but that program outcomes fall short of intended goals due to policy design problems that may limit widespread participation and effectiveness. Thus, strengthening EQIP and related conservation programs could support broader transitions to diversified farming systems that are more sustainable and resilient.

Wildfires have caused significant ecological and social losses in terms of forest benefits, private dwellings, and suppression costs. Although great efforts have been made in wildfire policies and wildfire-mitigating strategies on private and public lands, devastating wildfires continue to occur. This implies there is a need for effective incentive-driven policies to encourage forest owners to undertake an increasing level of wildfire-mitigating actions. This study evaluates the effectiveness of alternative incentive-driven policies for the problem of two adjacent forest owners under various scenarios of misinformation about wildfire occurrence and spread using a stochastic dynamic model. The study also investigates how the implementation of these policies encourages wildfire-mitigating actions, yields larger reductions in social losses, and alleviates free-riding behavior. The outcomes of the analysis confirm that the effectiveness of incentive programs in reducing social losses and increasing forest value is influenced by the level of misinformation held by a forest owner when making wildfire prevention decisions. The results also revealed that fuel stock regulation is more effective at mitigating wildfire damages and associated costs than cost-share programs under all misinformation scenarios. It was also found that fuel stock regulation could correct free-riding behavior due to the restrictive nature of this policy. The findings provide additional motivation for educational programs that seek to improve forest owners' knowledge about the private benefits of fuel removal and collaboration efforts between neighboring forest owners. Collaborative efforts could yield substantial savings for the government through eliminating cost-share programs and reducing suppression costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This analysis considers the effects of past and present renewable support mechanisms on solar energy investment in Turkey based on economic conditions. Changes in the costs of solar energy plants due to inflation over time, the effects of the formula coefficients presented, and the advantages/disadvantages compared to the previous program are presented. Due to current high interest rates and inflationary pressures, annual earnings from solar energy investments have been calculated to range from US$ 70,946 to US$ 138,893. The investment payback period varies between 6.2 and 12 years, while the total support amount is 122.59 cents (US$/kWh). We find that the economic policies have negatively affected the predictability and sustainability of solar energy investments. The results are relevant to policymakers and investors. Optimum energy policies are needed for sustainable energy development in Turkey and developing countries like Turkey. • Developing optimum energy policies is of great importance for sustainable development. • The difference between Turkey's incentive program and the programs in the world was discussed in the light of literature. • SPPs cost analysis comparisons for 2018, 2020 and 2023 are made. • Turkey introduces its new incentive program to the world. Turkey's latest YEKDEM system, announced in 2023, is analyzed comprehensively. • The latest YEKDEM (YEKDEM-2023) may not protect investors, the suggestions given may guide SPPs investors, the Turkish state and other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The average participation rate based on actions was significantly lower than the rates based on intentions (hypothetical program: I t i = 3.75, I p i = 0.0003; contingently modified program: I t i = 2.70, I p i = 0.0077), whereas the average participation rate in a hypothetical program was higher than that in a contingently modified program ( I t i = 2.54, I p i = 0.0117). Landowner participation behavior regarding a conservation program (e.g., set-aside) is likely to differ from behavior regarding a forestry management program (e.g., afforestation) due to different underlying motives or types of landowners (Lindhjem & Mitani 2012). Finally, our results showed that managers of forestry-oriented programs have a harder time upping participation rates than managers of conservation programs: conservation programs forecasted 25% higher participation rates than forestry or other management programs. Keywords: conservation easements; ecosystem services; incentive programs; landowner behavior; private forestland; voluntary participation; comportamiento del terrateniente; mitigación por conservación; participación voluntaria; programas de incentivos; servicios ambientales; tierras forestales privadas;: , , , , , EN conservation easements ecosystem services incentive programs landowner behavior private forestland voluntary participation comportamiento del terrateniente mitigación por conservación participación voluntaria programas de incentivos servicios ambientales tierras forestales privadas: , , , , , 1 14 14 03/02/22 20220201 NES 220201 Introduction In response to conflict-fraught and often unsuccessful direct regulation, voluntary incentive programs that encourage the provision of additional ecosystem services (ES) on private forest land have received increasing attention in recent years (Hanley et al. 2012; Ando & Langpap 2018; Langpap et al. 2018). [Extracted from the article]

The paper explains the need for energy renovation of public and other buildings and the regulatory framework (regulations and program procedures) through which this is sought. Important parameters of energy renovation of 48 school buildings in Osijek-Baranja County were processed and analyzed in more detail within the projects contracted in 2017 and 2018 (co-financed from the European Structural and Investment Funds within the Operational Program "Competitiveness and Cohesion" 2014-2020). The content of energy renovation works and their frequency in buildings and the expected energy savings were presented. The representation of existing energy classes and their improvement after reconstruction, regarding the construction period were analysed. The costs of renovation in relation to the age and area of buildings were considered as well. These data were compared to the results from the previous cycle of family houses' renovation in the same county (2015-2016), while the owners were co-financed, without the required minimum of improvement. The problems of the energy renewal process were highlighted and recommendations for better efficiency were given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored customer perspectives of a farmers market incentive program for nutrition assistance beneficiaries in Maryland. Surveys were completed by a purposive sample of customers (n = 279) from four farmers markets. A sub-sample (n = 106) completed semi-structured interviews on barriers and facilitators to program use. Facilitators included availability of universal incentive tokens across markets, increased spending power, knowledgeable market staff, ability to purchase different food items, and an inviting market environment. Barriers included limited program promotion, limited explanation of program logistics, confusion over acceptable purchases, and funding running out. These findings can inform implementation of similar incentive programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine which incentives are most effective in motivating medical students to practice in rural areas of South Carolina, which can be informative for the medical practitioner rural recruitment process. Medical students attending the University of South Carolina School of Medicine located in Columbia, South Carolina were surveyed about demographic information, motivations for rural practice, and considerations for choosing a practice location (n=109). Chi-square tests and bivariate analyses were used to test for significant differences. A significant relationship was found between previous residence in a rural area and personal motivation to practice in a rural area (p<0.001). It was also found that 86.2% of students who had previously lived, worked, or served in rural areas had a personal motivation to practice medicine in a rural area, confirming previous research. Loan forgiveness options were the most appealing personal incentive for the students in this study, closely followed by guaranteed minimum incomes and tax incentives; financial incentives were more preferred than non-financial incentives like reduced on-call work and accelerated residencies. The results of this study can be utilized to craft future statesupported incentive programs or to tailor current programs to more effectively recruit students to rural practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this study, we examined small food store retailers' perspectives on tobacco company agreements specifying tobacco product display and promotion. Methods: We interviewed owners/managers of small food stores (N = 63) in lower-income neighborhoods in 4 US cities using open-and closed-ended questions between October 2013 and July 2014. We coded qualitative interview data and calculated descriptive statistics. Results: Most retailers had a formal contract with a tobacco company (87%). Retailers perceived that tobacco products generated low profits, but were important to attract customers. Nearly 95% with contracts reported receiving an incentive, including marketing materials (86.8%), displays (79%), and free/discounted products (50.9%). Contract requirements included placing branded displays and marketing materials in prime locations and setting cigarette prices. Retailers in urban, African-American neighborhoods felt pressure to maintain menthol cigarette contracts to stay in business. Conclusion: Contracts with tobacco companies were common among the small food stores in this study, and retailers felt they needed the contracts to keep prices competitive. Given the reliance of retailers on tobacco industry contracts, states and localities may need to adopt measures to counter their effects, especially the financial incentives that lead to lower cigarette prices and more prominent displays of promotions and marketing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare rates of attestation and attrition from the MU program by independent, horizontally integrated, and vertically integrated physicians and to assess whether MU created pressure for independent physicians to join integrated organizations.Data Source/study Setting: Secondary Data from SK&A and Medicare MU Files, 2011-2016. Office-based physicians in the 50 United States and District of Columbia.Study Design: We compared attestation rates among physicians that remained independent or integrated throughout the study period. We then assessed the association between changing integration and MU attestation in multivariate regression models.Principal Findings: Our sample included 291 234 physicians. Forty nine percent of physicians that remained independent throughout the period attested to MU at least once during the program, compared with 70 percent of physicians that remained horizontally or vertically integrated physicians. Only approximately 50 percent of independent physicians that attested between 2011 and 2013 attested in 2015, representing significantly more attrition than we observed among integrated physicians. In multivariate regression models, physicians that joined these organizations were more likely to have attested to MU prior to integrating and this difference increased following integration.Conclusions: These findings point toward a growing digital divide between physicians who remain independent and integrated physicians that may have been exacerbated by the MU program. Targeted public policy, such as new regional extension centers, should be considered to address this disparity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Evaluated effects of planting rate on longleaf pine survival, habitat, and timber quality. • Planting density negatively influenced understory vegetation and wildlife habitat quality. • Lower planting rates result in fewer tradeoffs between timber and habitat quality. • Higher planting rates have mixed effects on timber quality. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), a historically abundant tree species in the southeastern United States, is often planted to restore the ecologically and culturally important longleaf pine ecosystem that once covered vast acreages in the southeastern United States. Government cost-share programs that support establishment of these plantations place restrictions on planting rates to promote wildlife habitat, as greater tree planting density may reduce canopy openness and herbaceous plant cover that are critical components of habitat for priority species, including gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) and Bachman's sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis). However, there is expressed concern among some forest managers that more open grown trees in the plantations will be of inferior timber quality with more and larger horizontal branches and associated knots. We examined how density affects dynamics and tradeoffs among understory vegetation structure and composition, longleaf pine stem form (branch density and straightness), and longleaf pine survival by sampling 73 plantations of various ages (5–25 years) and planting rates (653–2445 trees per hectare (TPH)/264–990 trees per acre (TPA)) throughout the southeastern United States. We documented a relationship between planting rate and longleaf pine stand density at time of sampling (r = 0.69, p = 0.0001) and relationships between stand density and habitat and timber quality metrics. Greater stand density resulted in lower tree diameters but greater stand basal area than lower stand density. Higher planting rates led to lower branch density and lower straightness grades than lower planting rates. Canopy openness decreased with greater stand density, and bare ground cover and herbaceous cover decreased as density and stand age at time of sampling increased. Based on our results, we suggest that lower maximum planting rates are appropriate when wildlife habitat is a program objective because lower rates result in fewer tradeoffs, as reducing planting rates slows degradation of wildlife habitat when compared with higher maximum planting rates that have only mixed benefits on timber quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Payments for ecosystem services (PES) programs are one prominent strategy to address economic externalities of resource extraction and commodity production, improving both social and ecological outcomes. But do PES and related incentive programs achieve that lofty goal? Along with considerable enthusiasm, PES has faced a wide range of substantial critiques. In this paper, we characterize seven major classes of concerns associated with common PES designs, and use these as inspiration to consider potential avenues for improvements in PES outcomes and uptake. The problems include (1) new externalities, (2) misplacement of rights and responsibilities, (3) crowding out existing motivations, (4) efficiency-equity tradeoffs, (5) monitoring costs, (6) limited applicability, and (7) top-down prescription/alienating agency. As currently practiced, many PES programs are thus of limited benefit and even potentially detrimental to sustainability. From this dire conclusion, we highlight several innovations that might be combined and extended in a novel approach to PES that may address all seven problems. Recognizing that PES necessarily articulate and even normalize values, our proposed approach entails designing these institutions intentionally to articulate rights and responsibilities conducive to sustainability—those we might collectively seek to entrench. Problems remain, and new ones may arise, but the proposed approach may offer a way to reimagine PES as a major social and economic tool for enabling sustainable relationships with nature, conserving and restoring ecosystems and their benefits for people now and in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents research on the effectiveness skepticism by consumers. Topics include the implications of effectiveness skepticism on public opposition, a conceptual model of effectiveness skepticism as a cause and a consequence of public opposition, and the influence of information and perceived fairness on skepticism.

Under a program called High-5, reduced consumption during the five highest demand hours in a year results in a lower share of global adjustment charges to large industrials in Ontario, with costs transferred to smaller customers. The government should phase out the High-5 scheme and rely on a market-based demand management system as part of a capacity market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promise of environmental conservation incentive programs that provide direct payments in exchange for conservation outcomes is that they enhance the value of engaging in stewardship behaviors. An insidious but important concern is that a narrow focus on optimizing payment levels can ultimately suppress program participation and subvert participants' internal motivation to engage in long-term conservation behaviors. Increasing participation and engendering stewardship can be achieved by recognizing that participation is not simply a function of the payment; it is a function of the overall structure and administration of the program. Key to creating innovative and more sustainable programs is fitting them within the existing needs and values of target participants. By focusing on empathy for participants, co-designing program approaches, and learning from the rapid prototyping of program concepts, a human-centered approach to conservation incentive program design enhances the propensity for discovery of novel and innovative solutions to pressing conservation issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates electronic health records (EHR) adoption among inpatient hospitals in response to the first operational year of the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. Profile analysis of public attestation datasets finds both system adoption rates and implemented functionalities to have been significantly influenced by the incentive program’s attributes. Key dates and periods in the program’s well-publicized timeline were usually accompanied by spikes in the number of attested systems and/or dips in advanced functionalities. The implication is that hospitals have responded to the program by swiftly implementing EHR systems with capabilities just sufficient to meet program requirements, in order to be able to promptly file attestations and thus claim their incentive payments. The program therefore appears to have yielded mixed results. While it seems to have induced more hospitals to acquire EHR systems, the implemented systems generally possess minimal functionalities, suggesting that adopters have leveraged the program’s rules in order to maximize their own short-term gains. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ensuring adequate participation by private landholders in a conservation scheme is a challenge for program managers around the world. This paper uses a case study of the Vegetation Incentives Program from Queensland, Australia, to contribute additional information to the literature on influences on participation in conservation, and to offer insight into ways to improve program design to optimise participation. The research is particularly of interest to programs that include a tender mechanism or conservation covenant in their designs. Participation in the Vegetation Incentives Program was limited outside two small geographic areas, with the result that the budget was not expended. A survey of participants revealed that a narrow subset of the rural population was attracted to participate, namely highly educated, experienced landholders with positive environmental attitudes and a low opportunity cost of participation. The research also investigated why some landholders chose to withdraw from the program before full participation. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in the analysis. There were a variety of reasons for making the decision to leave, including disliking the requirement for permanent protection, the tender mechanism employed, and not understanding the process well enough. This information can help improve conservation outcomes by understanding where to target limited efforts in a catchment, and clarifying the likely limitations of some aspects of scheme design. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Incentive-based mechanisms can contribute to rural development and deliver environmental services, but need to be attractive to landowners and communities to ensure their participation. Here we study the views of landowners and agrarian communities (ejidos) from central Jalisco in Mexico to identify characteristics that payment for environmental services (PES) programs conserving/enhancing forest cover could include in their design. A choice experiment was applied to 161 landowners and ejido-landowners. Results show that importance and dependency on cash payments can decrease if interventions to promote local development through improved health and education services and generation of employment and productive projects are included. Responses indicate that communal forested areas in ejidos would be most likely to enroll into PES. In some cases grasslands could be afforested. Agroforestry practices providing other environmental services could also be implemented (e.g. windbreaks). Potential enrollment is lower in agricultural and peri-urban areas due to higher opportunity costs. Higher payments favor enrollment but may compromise the program's efficiency since aggregated cash-flow over long periods can exceed the present value of the land itself in some areas. Offering a mix of cash and non-cash benefits based on local developmental needs might be the best way to promote participation in PES. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The most effective policy to address environmental externalities from vehicular fuel use is an appropriate fuel tax. Instead of raising fuel taxes, Canada's provincial and federal governments prefer to subsidize the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles and the accelerated retirement of old vehicles. Are these programs effective? Can they be improved? We argue that subsidies for hybrids and electric vehicles are not cost-effective and instead recommend building on Canada's brief and modest experience with 'feebates.' While British Columbia's pioneering accelerated vehicle retirement program is cost-effective, its success rests significantly on inducing participants to switch from personal vehicles to alternative transportation modes. Policy refinements will be needed to adapt the lessons learnt from this program to less favourable conditions elsewhere in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar photovoltaic (PV) market has experienced unprecedented growth over the past decade. Europe leads the PV market while the US lags behind. While the feed-in tariff (FIT) mechanism, a performance-based solar energy incentive scheme, is popular in Europe, the US has been devising capacity-based incentive programs. A capacity-based incentive scheme includes tax credits, state and local rebate programs, and even property tax credits. It helps in reducing the large, upfront cost which is considered as one of the barriers of quickly deploying solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the US and in some high solar resource states. The other concern is the aggregate unit price which is a measure in evaluating the investment of solar PV systems. The study applies the life cycle cost analysis method to analyze the feasibility and affordability of deploying residential PV systems in the United States, especially Florida. It helps potential users to determine the most economical PV system, in terms of upfront cost and aggregate unit cost, based on household income, incentive rebate programs, and the efficiency of the PV system. This research explores the impact of economic and technical factors on the affordability and feasibility of grid-connected solar PV systems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Perceived threat from traditional command-and-control implementation of the U.S. Endangered Species Act has resulted in the underprovision of endangered species habitat on private lands. Voluntary incentive programs aid recovery by reducing landowner costs and increasing benefits; however, program efficacy is directly related to participation. I used the reasoned action framework to examine landowner attitudes and beliefs about participating. Using data from a mail survey of Texas landowners, I employed two seldom-used methods (structure coefficients and commonality analysis) to enhance explanation from a regression of attitudes on behavioral beliefs. Two of eight measured beliefs (beneficial outcomes for an individual's land and for the target species) accounted for the majority of the variation in attitude. Landowner concerns about future regulations and technical assistance contributed least to attitude. Results provide program administrators with necessary information to create targeted messages to increase participation and thus enhance program efficacy. The use of structure coefficients and commonality analysis highlighted relationships with the greatest explanatory power, as well as those that would have been otherwise missed or marginalized. I recommend these methods be employed in all reasoned-action studies analyzed using multiple regression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private landowners play a pivotal role in determining whether or not rare species persist in regions where privately owned land is extensive. The range of the gopher tortoise ( Gopherus polyphemus) is confined to the Southeastern U.S., a region predominantly under private ownership, and thus the status of this species is largely dependent upon land management decisions made by private landowners. We sent an anonymous mail survey to 2,584 individuals to examine factors affecting gopher tortoise occurrence on private lands in Mississippi (adjusted response rate of 23%). Few respondents (19%) reported currently having tortoises on their property, although many had them in the past (30%). Tortoises were persisting primarily on larger properties with longleaf pine that were not managed chiefly for timber production. In general, respondents were largely unaware of habitat requirements of tortoises or effects of various land management practices on them, and few reported using management techniques that benefit tortoises, such as prescribed burning. Most respondents (57%) knew of wildlife incentive programs, but were hesitant to enroll because they did not want to commit to managing their property in a particular manner (34%). We suggest actions that could improve the likelihood of tortoise persistence in this region, as well as changes that could be made to incentive programs to increase landowner participation. These suggestions should be relevant to the conservation of other rare species on private lands in other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An empirical model of landowners’ conservation incentive program choice is developed in which information about landowners’ socio-economic and property characteristics and their attitudes, is combined with incentive program attributes. In a Choice survey landowners were presented with the choice of two incentive programs modelled as ‘bundles of attributes’ mimicking a voluntary choice scenario. Landowner behaviour and decision and the type of conditions and regulations they preferred were analyzed. Based on choice survey data, landowner heterogeneity was accounted for using a latent class approach to estimate the preference parameters. Three latent classes of landowners with different attitudes to the role and outcome of establishing conservation reserves on private land were identified: multi-objective owners; environment owners; and production owners. Only a small proportion of landowners, mostly environment owners, would voluntarily join a program. Although compensation funding contributed to voluntary program choice for multi-objective owners and environment owners, welfare losses were around 4000 AUD per hectare, which is less than the average agricultural land value in Tasmania. Landowners for whom compensation funding contributed to voluntary program choice were also most likely to set aside land for conservation without payment. This raises the possibility that the government’s compensation expenditure could potentially be either reduced or re-allocated to landowners who will not voluntarily take conservation action. Increasing participation in conservation incentive programs and minimizing the welfare losses associated with meeting conservation targets may be best achieved by offering programs that allow flexibility in terms of legal arrangements and other program attributes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the United States, voluntary incentive programs that aid conservation of plant and wildlife species on private lands provide a structural solution to the problem of protecting endangered species by reducing costs and enhancing benefits to landowners. We explored the potential for incentives to encourage landowners to manage land cover for the benefit of endangered songbirds in central Texas (U.S.A.) by asking landowners to indicate their preferences for financial incentives, technical assistance, and regulatory assurances. We identified owners of potential songbird habitat and collected data in face-to-face interviews and self-administered questionnaires. We used a latent-class stated-choice model to identify 3 classes of landowners whose choices varied on the basis of their attitudes and perceived social norms: (1) strong positive attitude, perceived social pressure to participate, and willing to participate with relatively few incentives, (2) weak positive attitude, perceived no social pressure to participate, and required strongest incentives, and (3) negative attitude, perceived social pressure not to enroll, and unwilling to participate regardless of incentive structure. Given this heterogeneity in preferences, conservation incentives may increase management of land cover to benefit endangered species on private lands to some degree; however, exclusive reliance on incentives may be insufficient. Promoting conservation on private lands may be enhanced by integrating incentives into an approach that incorporates other strategies for conservation, including social networks and collaborative processes that reinforce social norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated landowners' interests in enrolling in a hypothetical incentive program targeting endangered species recovery. Using data from structured interviews and s-urveys, we employed the reasoned action framework to predict landowners' behavioral intentions to enroll in a hypothetical program designed to provide habitat for two endangered songbirds in central Texas. Landowners with positive attitudes toward enrolling and who shared the program's land management objectives had the greatest intention to enroll. Additional behavioral indicators improved prediction and highlight the importance of incorporating landowner management goals into program design. Results suggest that the inclusion of ancillary measures of behavior can improve prediction of multi-attribute behaviors under the theory of reasoned action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Taxation policy and incentives play a vital role in wind-based distributed generation projects viability. In this paper, a thorough techno-economical evaluation of wind-based distributed generation projects is conducted to investigate the effect of taxes and incentives in the economic viability of investments in this sector. This paper considers the effects of Provincial income taxes, capital cost allowance (CCA), property taxes, and wind power production Federal incentives. The case study is conducted for different wind turbines and wind speed scenarios. Given turbine and wind speed data, the Capacity Factor (CF) of each turbine and wind speed scenario was calculated. Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for different scenarios were then used to assess the project''s viability considering Ontario Standard Offer Program (SOP) for wind power. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a study that investigates the implications of the proximity of forest bird conservation initiative on coffee plantation value in India. The study was carried out by using systematic point counts in 11 coffee plantation sites wherein its data are analyzed using randomized linear modeling framework to gain spatial autocorrelation. The study reveals that plantations located in different distances within the forest area cannot provide a fair biodiversity friendliness and the conservation initiative is necessary in maintaining biodiversity within the plantations.

Abstract: In the US, the increasing financial support for customer-sited photovoltaic (PV) systems provided through publicly funded incentive programs has heightened concerns about the long-term performance of these systems. Given the barriers that customers face to ensuring that their PV systems perform well, and the responsibility that PV incentive programs bear to ensure that public funds are prudently spent, these programs should, and often do, play a critical role in addressing PV system performance. To provide a point of reference for assessing the current state of the art, and to inform program design efforts going forward, we examine the approaches to encouraging PV system performance used by 32 prominent PV incentive programs in the US. We identify eight general strategies or groups of related strategies that these programs have used to address factors that affect performance, and describe key implementation details. Based on this review, we then offer recommendations for how PV incentive programs can be effectively designed to mitigate potential performance issues. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Under baseline conditions warehouse stockers (n = 23) could earn incentives if their team performed above the team quota of 18 cases stocked per hour. They were also subject to disciplinary action if they failed to regularly meet individual stocking quotas. In spite of these contingencies the stockers failed to receive bonus payments most of the months preceding the intervention. The intervention package included a task analysis in the form of engineered labor standards. Empirically derived time standards were combined to provide engineered standards for all stocking tasks. A specific time duration goal for each task was presented prior to execution of each task. Percent of standard time used to complete each task was then presented immediately upon completion of each task via a handheld Electronic Performance Monitoring (EPM) device. Thus, task goals and performance feedback immediately preceded and followed performance of each stocking task. Immediately upon onset of the intervention, employee performance increased and eventually averaged 4.46 cases stocked per hour per person, an increase of 24% over the baseline phase. Performance was maintained for the 10-week duration of the study. Team members received the maximum bonus of $300 per month for 9 consecutive months under the intervention system. Performance levels in a comparison team at another warehouse were unchanged during the entire study. Results were discussed in terms of expanding the role of Organizational Behavior Management professionals and operational and ethical issues associated with EPM technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cleaner production stakeholders have a strong desire for industry to consider cleaner production opportunities in their facilities and once they are assessed, to follow through on their implementation. This paper examines local and international initiatives within the Canadian stakeholder community (including government, NGOs, consultants, industry) that contribute to the initiation and implementation of cleaner production in industry. Specifically, stakeholders have consciously drafted regulatory compliance, education, co-funding incentives, and development-based cleaner production programs. As illustrated by case studies from six industries, the programs work together to create a climate favorable for implementation of cleaner production concepts and approaches. Based on the cleaner production drivers and barriers identified by research, the programs are well designed. However, as with cleaner production itself, there is always room for further improvement. Specifically: (i) regulatory compliance programs and timetables should leave room for cleaner production (versus end-of-pipe) approaches; (ii) cleaner production co-funding programs should target small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and require them to use a multimedia approach (air, water, waste); (iii) education programs should incorporate demonstration assessments, feasibility assessments of common recommendations, and follow-up communication to foster implementation and continuous improvement; and (iv) mandated cleaner production should include absolute (i.e. waste/tonne production) rather than relative standards (i.e. X% reduction from status quo) in order to avoid penalizing historically proactive corporations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Watersheds are widely accepted as a useful geography for organizing natural resource management in Australia and the United States. It is assumed that effective action needs to be underpinned by an understanding of the interactions between people and the environment. While there has been some social research as part of watershed planning, there have been few attempts to integrate socio-economic and biophysical data to improve the efficacy of watershed management. This paper explores that topic. With limited resources for social research, watershed partners in Australia chose to focus on gathering spatially referenced socioeconomic data using a mail survey to private landholders that would enable them to identify and refine priority issues, develop and improve communication with private landholders, choose policy options to accomplish watershed targets, and evaluate the achievement of intermediate watershed plan objectives. Experience with seven large watershed projects provides considerable insight about the needs of watershed planners, how to effectively engage them, and how to collect and integrate social data as part of watershed management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to integrate ethics into professional life, from the grassroots up, has been recognized, and a comprehensive ethics program has been proposed as a model. The model includes the four dimensions of: consensus building, ethics guidelines development and review, education, and implementation. The activities of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) are presented as examples and compared with the proposed model. Several innovative activities are described and incentives for ethical professional conduct are highlighted. The examples are provided for emulation by other professional organizations in the hope that, thereby, greater protection of the public interest will be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disparities in healthy food access and consumption are a major public health concern. This study reports the findings from a two-year randomized control trial conducted at 77 farmers' markets (FMs) in 13 states and the District of Columbia that sought to understand the impact of fruit and vegetable (FV) incentive vouchers, randomly issued at varied incentive levels to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, for use at FMs. Measures included FV and overall household food purchasing; FV consumption; food insecurity; health status; market expenditure; and demographics. A repeated-measures mixed-effects analysis and the Complier Average Causal Effect (CACE) were used to examine outcomes. Despite 82% reporting food insecurity in the prior year, the findings showed that financial incentives at FMs had statistically significant, positive effects on FV consumption; market expenditures increased with added incentives. SNAP recipients receiving an incentive of USD 0.40 for every USD 1.00 in SNAP spent an average of USD 19.03 per transaction, while those receiving USD 2 for every USD 1 (2:1) spent an average of USD 36.28 per transaction. The data showed that the incentive program at the highest level (2:1) maximally increased SNAP FM expenditure and FV consumption, increasing the latter by 0.31 daily cups among those who used their incentive (CACE model).

Monetary incentives given to clients have the potential of providing a simpler and less-costly means of achieving behavioral change goals than traditional service programs, but the effectiveness of such payment approaches remains to be demonstrated. This article describes on experiment in which adolescent girls of risk of school failure were randomly assigned to three groups: (1) a payment program in which girls received a monetary incentive of $50.00 a month to improve grades or attendance by a stipulated amount; (2) a case management program in which the service delivery unit was a team consisting, in most cases, of a social worker, a teacher or other school staff, the student, and one or both of her parents; and (3) a control group that received no special intervention. Both the payment and case management interventions proved superior to the no-intervention control group with respect to positive changes in grades and attendance. The case management program showed much stronger effects, clearly surpassed the payment program with respect to grades, and was much more positively evaluated by both the girls and their parents. In addition, self-esteem scores increased for the girls in the case management program but declined for the girls in the payment program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With incomplete information about the potential benefits and costs of energy-using durables, households may be unwilling to invest in products that are more energy-efficient but also more expensive in purchase decisions. To deal with this problem, labeling policy has been developed to guide customers' energy consumption decisions by providing understandable information to evaluate the energy efficiency of products. Over the last 20 years, China has implemented a series of mandatory and voluntary energy labeling and incentive policies to reduce energy use and improve the energy efficiency of durable goods in dwellings. This study has employed empirical survey data from the Chinese General Social Survey to study the implementation effectiveness of these policies and explore demographic factors behind consumer investments in energy-saving durables by using the logistic regression model. Statistical results show that energy efficiency labeling, incentive programs, education levels, and regional differences of customers appear to be strong predictors for investing in energy-efficient air conditioners and washing machines. House size is a decisive factor in driving consumers to choose energy-saving air conditioners. In light of the above results, the study suggests improved policy for motivating consumers to purchase energy-efficient appliances in dwellings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low intake of fruits/vegetables (FV) by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants is a persistent public health challenge. Fruit and vegetable incentive programs use inducements to encourage FV purchases. The purpose of this scoping review is to identify structural factors in FV incentive programs that may impact program effectiveness, including (i.) differences in recruitment/eligibility, (ii.) incentive delivery and timing, (iii.) incentive value, (iv.) eligible foods, and (v.) retail venue. Additionally, the FV incentive program impact on FV purchase and/or consumption is summarized. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for scoping reviews, a search of four bibliographic databases resulted in the identification of 45 publications for consideration; 19 of which met the pre-determined inclusion criteria for full-length publications employing a quasi-experimental design and focused on verified, current SNAP participants. The data capturing study objective, study design, sample size, incentive program structure characteristics (participant eligibility and recruitment, delivery and timing of incentive, foods eligible for incentive redemption, type of retail venue), and study outcomes related to FV purchases/consumption were entered in a standardized chart. Eleven of the 19 studies had enrollment processes to receive the incentive, and most studies (17/19) provided the incentive in the form of a token, coupon, or voucher. The value of the incentives varied, but was usually offered as a match. Incentives were typically redeemable only for FV, although three studies required an FV purchase to trigger the delivery of an incentive for any SNAP-eligible food. Finally, most studies (16/19) were conducted at farmers' markets. Eighteen of the 19 studies reported a positive impact on participant purchase and/or consumption of FV. Overall, this scoping review provides insights intended to inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of future FV incentive programs targeting SNAP participants; and demonstrates the potential effectiveness of FV incentive programs for increasing FV purchase and consumption among vulnerable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]