NATURAL HERITAGE

Locality Assistance Program for Natural Heritage Conservation

Red-cockaded woodpecker
illustration © Megan Rollins

Initial meeting with DCR-NH staff to include power point presentation outlining DCR-NH program, with detailed information about inventory (highlighting species documented or likely to occur in locality), data management and environmental review process
Natural Heritage Conservation Site data subscription in digital format and/or access to Natural Heritage Data Explorer website (data license agreement required)
Virginia Conservation Lands Needs Assessment data available digitally or via Land Conservation Data Explorer website

Natural Heritage Wetland Restoration Catalog of potential wetland restoration sites.
Training to provide explanations of NH data, NH Data Explorer, and other NH tools.
Detailed evaluation of current natural heritage resource records for the locality, with a commitment for more thorough quality enhancement - e.g. identifying potential habitats, screening out historic records no longer likely to be present, identifying hot spots, developing specific management responses for likely occurrences, and identifying/assessing potential conflicts
Recommendations for protection at the conservation site level

Inventory work, customized for each locality to determine the likelihood of natural heritage resource occurrences within the county (fee charged for this service)

Recommended language for the locality's comprehensive plan and other key planning documents, such as PDR and TDR programs, overlay districts, etc.
Guidance for establishment of locality policies to incorporate natural heritage resources data into routine project review and approval, including access to DCR-NH review for key projects
On-going support from DCR-NH staff with Locality Liaison serving as primary point of contact, including follow-up meetings to discuss issues or concerns that may arise

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