Keeping existing trees on a site can save money and provide important environmental benefits. It avoids the cost of removing mature trees, planting new ones, and caring for young trees. Mature trees also help manage water naturally by absorbing rain and reducing runoff. Designing around these trees helps maintain the site’s ability to absorb and release water through interception and evapotranspiration.
Preserving wooded areas should be a key part of any land development plan. Urban and community planners can protect these areas more effectively by using a step-by-step approach that includes:
- Setting clear goals
- Surveying and evaluating existing trees and resources
- Creating a conservation plan
- Choosing the best land protection strategies
This kind of planning helps make sure trees are protected while meeting the needs of development projects.
Defining Goals
When defining goals to conserve wooded areas, you should include:
- protection of wildlife habitat and corridors.
- protection of continuity of wooded areas;
- definition of neighborhood and community boundaries;
- protection/restoration of ecological integrity and functions;
- creation of networks of forest communities; and
- protection of wildlife habitat and corridors.
Assessing Resources
A resource inventory includes resource assessment, a woodland survey, and a Landscape Resource Map. The resource assessment and woodland survey should consist of:
- delineating tree stands;
- assessing ecological functions;
- identifying watershed, drainage, soil types, existing infrastructures, topography and areas of significant as well as cultural value;
- identifying and classifying wooded areas by type and condition; and
- identifying, assessing and classifying other natural resources.
Once this is done, a Comprehensive Landscape Resource Map can be created containing all pertinent survey and assessment information.
Creating a Conservation Plan
A conservation plan should be created by:
- identifying areas for development;
- selecting wooded areas to conserve including:
- those that have potential to be connected to others,
- those occupied by rare plant and animal species,
- large tracts or remnants of wooded areas,
- those with significant ecological functions and conservation values,
- areas with potential for reforestation;
- identifying and locating wooded areas; and
- identifying and locating sites for main transportation systems and utility infrastructure.
After all key areas have been identified, recorded, and entered into a Geographic Information System (GIS), the data should be shared with local and regional governments, developers, builders, and other organizations. Sharing this information helps support the connection of forested areas and encourages stronger partnerships among everyone involved.
Conservation & Land Protection Options
Some conservation and land protection options that have been developed to assist landowners and local units of government include, but are not limited to:
- Land-retirement programs;
- Conservation easements;
- Restoration cost-share programs;
- Land transfers;
- Mutual covenants;
- Land donations;
- Property tax-relief programs;
- Registry programs;
- Deed restrictions;
- Management agreements;
- Land exchanges;
- Land sales to conservation buyers; and
- Transfer of development rights.
