UNDERSTANDING NATURAL RESOURCE-RELATED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL AMERICA

the purpose of this project is to understand the effects of six forms of natural resource-related economic development on per capital income, poverty, and relative support for natural resource-related economic development in rural america. community support for development is crucial for successful policy implementation. thus this study evaluates the landscape and drivers of relative support -- meaning support for one form of development in relation to at least one or more additional forms of development -- for six common forms of rural natural resource development. the study will take place through four objectives/tasks: (1) conduct a national survey of rural residents' relative support for various forms of development; (2) model the impact of six forms of natural resource use and development on county-level per capita income and poverty from 1990-2016; (3) link the historic county-level data to individual-level relative supportin a multi-level analysis of stated preference grounded in social exchange theory; (4) integrate quantitative analyses with comparative qualitative case-studies on four high poverty rural counties with different types of natural resource dependence. this project addresses usda strategic goal 4, facilitate rural prosperity and economic development, by providing actionable evidence to promote rural economic development and prosperity, enhance quality of life, and alleviate poverty. this project will inform future policy by improving national understanding of the impacts of six common forms of natural resource use on rural economic development, as well as the levels and drivers of present-daysupport for future natural resource development.