In 2005, the University of Rhode Island and EcoAsset Markets, Inc. began a collaborative research project to explore new community-based methods for conservation funding. The project was funded by a USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant. We were interested in determining the willingness of communities to fund farmland-based conservation practices. The team selected Jamestown, Rhode Island as the experimental site, working with local farmers on hayfield habitat preservation. The market was named the Nature Services Exchange (NSE).
Extensive information about the Project including guidance on evaluating your community for the development of new natural economies can be found at http://www.natureservicesexchange.com/
