DISES-EX: Integrating ecosystem services and stakeholder preferences to improve outcomes on post-buyout land

Buyouts are government-funded property acquisitions that typically occur in the aftermath of disasters, removing homes from hazardous areas. Decisions about what to do with land acquired through buyouts are typically deferred and made without community input, resulting in land uses (such as vacant lots) with limited social or ecological benefits. This project is examining how land management practices after buyouts can integrate ecosystem services and community preferences to improve ecological and societal outcomes. By documenting and categorizing current land uses, estimating a diversity of ecosystem functions, and gathering perspectives on land use preferences from local residents and government leaders, the study is providing information to help maximize the benefits of buyout programs across the country. Lessons learned may be extended to other public lands, such as existing urban vacant land and properties acquired through managed retreat programs. Products include a series of community engagement workshops and a guide for increasing community engagement in the design and management of open space. Use of buyouts is increasing as communities face impacts from chronic, repetitive hazards. Studies are needed to analyze post-buyout land through a socioenvironmental systems (SES) lens and to evaluate the quantity and quality of ecosystem services, such as biodiversity or carbon sequestration, at these sites. This project is advancing understanding of how management of open space acquired for disaster mitigation affects long-term community resilience. Ongoing management of acquired land presents a societal challenge yet also an opportunity to improve ecological services and address environmental justice concerns. This project is bringing together an interdisciplinary team of physical and social scientists to examine post-buyout land management practices and increase understanding of related ecosystem services and stakeholder perspectives. Data collected using a mixed-methods approach will provide comprehensive assessment of ecological services present on existing buyout sites, perspectives about current and potential land uses from residents in surrounding communities, and perspectives regarding land-use decisions and decision-making processes from government leaders. The project is contributing to a growing body of literature on nature-based solutions to hazard mitigation and climate adaptation, aligning with NSF’s Build a Resilient Planet initiative. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.