School of Earth and EnvironmentSUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Property rights in UK uplands: the implications for management and policy
Dr Claire Quinn
Research Fellow
School of Earth and EnvironmentFACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Changing and competing demands
• Biodiversity, amenity, water, carbon, sheep, grouse
• Some are public goods
• Some are common pool resources
• Need management regimes that deal with multiple uses and users
• Who does/should have rights in these management regimes?
School of Earth and EnvironmentFACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
What are property rights?
• Recognised authority to undertake particular actions in specific domains
Property rights regimes
• Private property – all rights held by individuals
• State property – held in trust for the public
• Common property – shared rights
School of Earth and EnvironmentFACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Research conducted in 3 upland locations
School of Earth and EnvironmentFACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Owner Proprietor Claimant Authorized User Authorized Entrant
Access X X X X X
Withdrawal X X X X
Management X X X
Exclusion X X
Alienation X
Schlager & Ostrom 1992
School of Earth and EnvironmentFACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Water companies
Forestry (private)
Agriculture (owned) Grouse
moor owners
Forestry (state) Agriculture
(tenants)
Water companies (Elsewhere)
Recreation/ Tourism
Access X X X X
Withdrawal X X X
Management X X
Exclusion X X
Alienation X
School of Earth and EnvironmentFACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Water companies
Forestry (private)
Agriculture (owned) Grouse
moor owners
Forestry (state) Agriculture
(tenants)
Water companies (Elsewhere)
Recreation/ Tourism
Access CROW Act 2000Land Reform (Scotland) Act
2003
Withdrawal Environmental designations (SSSI and SPA)
Management SSSI and SPA designationMoorland Management plans
Water Framework Directive and water resources legislation
Exclusion Access decisions curtailed by the CROW Act and Land Reform Act
Alienation
School of Earth and EnvironmentFACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Mixed property rights regime
• Private property – grouse
• Private-state property – biodiversity
• Common property – water catchments
What about other services e.g. Carbon?
School of Earth and EnvironmentFACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Implications for policy and management
• Unclear how successful mixed regimes are
• Recommendations
• Appropriate regime for private, common pool and public goods
• Appropriate links between regimes
• Management needs to be flexible to adapt to new demands