Elk in Paradise: Rancher, Ecologist, Hunter
Watch PERC's latest short film in our Markets for Conservation series that tells the story of how private lands hold the key to conserving elk migration corridors in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Fix America’s Forests: Reforms to Restore National Forests and Tackle the Wildfire Crisis
Holly Fretwell, Jonathan WoodThis report recommends actionable reforms that can help the Forest Service work better with states, tribes, and private partners to fix America’s forests.
Career Opportunities: Director of Operations
PERC is seeking to expand its operational management by hiring an organized and motivated Director of Operations.
Do Environmental Markets Improve on Open Access? Evidence from California Groundwater Rights
Andrew B. Ayres, Kyle C. Meng, Andrew PlantingaAbstract Environmental markets are widely prescribed as an alternative to open access regimes for natural resources. We develop a model of dynamic groundwater extraction to…
Efficiency Implications of Trading in a Bifurcated Market
James GriffinAn analysis of the frequency of trading and the causes of price dispersion for short-term water leases in the Edwards Aquifer in Texas.
Private Conservation Efforts Offer Answers to Our Environmental Challenges
Brian Yablonski, Hannah DowneyA podcast discussing environmental policy under the Biden administration.
Markets Can Provide More Sustainable Conservation
Brian YablonskiA podcast on free market environmentalism and how it's being applied today.
Yearly Catastrophic Wildfires Don’t Need to Be the New Normal
Jonathan WoodA podcast on the wildfire crisis and how to prevent it going forward.
Public Comment on the Revision of a Nonessential Experimental Population of Black-footed Ferrets in the Southwest
Hannah DowneyPERC weighs in on the Fish and Wildlife Service's proposed rule revision.
About PERC
Founded in 1980 in Bozeman, Montana, PERC—the Property and Environment Research Center—is the home of free market environmentalism. Our research is dedicated to harnessing the power of markets and property rights to improve environmental quality.
Research Areas
Public Lands
Allow “nonuse rights” to conserve natural resources
Allowing such “nonuse rights” to public natural resources would enable markets to advance environmental goals, leading to more stable and less contentious outcomes.
Climate Change Isn’t the Only Reason for Wildfire
To foster more resilient forests and healthier fire cycles, forest restoration must be prioritized.
Bureaucratic Red Tape Makes Wildfires Worse
A podcast on the bureaucratic obstacles that impede forest restoration.
Wildlife
Public Comment on Proposed 4(d) Rule for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken
PERC weighs in on how to improve endangered species recovery.
The Wolf Wars Are Back
Wolf conflicts are back not just because their populations have recovered but also because federal policy has been slow to respond.
Public Comment on American Prairie Reserve Bison Grazing
Allowing APR to graze privately-owned bison on its federal allotments respects APR’s rights and, ultimately, honors all landowners’ rights to exercise their grazing privileges while promoting the health of federal lands.
Water
Trading Water, Saving Water
Water markets help the West cope with supply-side shocks and evolving demands.
Protecting Wetlands: Environmental Federalism and Grassroots Conservation in the Prairie Pothole Region
Scaling back federal regulation over isolated wetlands reduces conflict between regulators and private landowners, aligning economic incentives with voluntary conservation objectives.
Water Markets Can Rescue the Great Salt Lake
By recognizing water conservation as a beneficial use, Utah can promote cooperation that can help restore the Great Salt Lake.
Private Lands
Climate One on 30×30
A podcast on '30 by 30' and how to engage private lands.
Public Access to Private Land Case Highlights the Role Private Lands Play in Conservation
PERC joined the Western Landowners Alliance, the New Mexico Habitat Conservation Initiative, the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, and the Utah Farmers Union to file an amicus brief in support of private land conservation.
Public Comment on American Prairie Reserve Bison Grazing
Allowing APR to graze privately-owned bison on its federal allotments respects APR’s rights and, ultimately, honors all landowners’ rights to exercise their grazing privileges while promoting the health of federal lands.
Hunters and Anglers
Misinformation About Trophy Hunting Threatens Conservation
Banning trophy hunting without viable alternatives would imperil biodiversity and undermine local communities.
Thank a Hunter
It’s incredibly important that we actively support hunting and angling not only because they’re a part of Montana’s identity, but because our wild places need the resources.
PERC Research Fellow Testifies on Wildlife Conservation and Zoonotic Disease Risks
Catherine Semcer testifies before the U.S. Senate on the importance of habitat conservation in preventing disease transmission from wildlife to humans.
Fisheries
Markets, Not Ill-Fitting Regulatory Mandates, Are the Solution to Bycatch
Markets can overcome the technological challenge by giving fishers and others the incentive to develop new ways to reduce bycatch.
Markets and Property Rights are Improving the Environment
A podcast on free market environmentalism and its track record around the world.
A Different Shade of Green
Markets and property rights are working to solve a variety of environmental problems.
Publications
Volume 40, No.1, Summer 2021
Fix America's Forests: Reforms to Restore National Forests and Tackle the Wildfire Crisis
A Better Way to Fund Conservation and Recreation
Enhancing the Public Lands Recreation Fee System
Fixing National Park Maintenance For the Long Haul
Elk in Paradise: Conserving Migratory Wildlife and Working Lands in Montana's Paradise Valley
Volume 38, No.2, Winter 2019
Prospecting for Pollution: The Need for Better Incentives to Clean Up Abandoned Mines
Volume 38, No.1, Summer 2019
The Road to Recovery
Volume 37, No.1, Summer 2018
