Outside landowners driving shift from agriculture to non-agricultural land use.
The study looked at how land owned by people living outside a city affects its use. They found that land owned by outsiders changes less than local land. When outsiders live nearby, the land is more likely to be used for agriculture. But as they live further away, the land is less likely to be used for farming. Outsiders tend to own land near city borders. Small areas with non-agricultural neighbors are more likely to switch from farming to other uses.