CONSERVATION ACTION

Converting conservation plans into on-the-ground conservation actions is one of the core missions of the PIF process. The development of a successful action strategy requires both the set of goals established during the planning process and an assessment of conditions relative to those goals. Attempting to set action priorities without any sense of status is like working in the dark with no direction. When conservation goals and a thorough status assessment are taken together, action priorities become obvious.

Tasks

Conduct status assessment - In order to most effectively plan conservation actions, it is first necessary to determine our current position relative to regional conservation goals. This may be achieved by conducting an assessment of priority habitats within lands controlled by current conservation partners. Within the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain, current regional conservation partners are believed to control nearly 1.5 million acres of land within thousands of parcels.

Develop action plan - An increasing number of tools are available to accomplish conservation goals. Among others, these include more effective land management, habitat restoration, conservation easements, and outright acquisition of strategic lands. How and where to best deploy these tools depends on a thorough understanding of how specific land parcels fit within overall habitat goals. An action plan needs to be developed that takes advantage of conservation opportunities and that makes progress toward conservation goals.

Launch local conservation actions - Many different government agencies and conservation organizations have ongoing management programs. An action plan needs to be developed that refocuses these programs where necessary to accomplish regional goals.