Development of Model Guidelines for Assisting Local Planning Boards with Conservation of Species of Greatest Conservation Need and their Key Habitats through Local Land-Use Planning

Land use planning is a complex and challenging, continuously evolving endeavor. Effective planners must be able to rapidly integrate a vast amount of information in the face of competing priorities of businesses, developers, politicians, private individuals.  As conservationists, how do we ensure that protection of wildlife and habitat are also a priority in planning? In order to address wildlife conservation, decision-makers must be able to readily address not only questions such as:  “what wildlife species and habitat is of concern in my jurisdiction?” and “where it is located?”, but also “how can we ensure that wildlife and habitat are conserved?” within this very challenging context.