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Guidelines and incentives for conservation development in local land-use regulations
Sarah E Reed1, Jodi A Hilty, David M Theobald
1North America Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, 301 N. Willson Avenue, Bozeman, MT, 59715, U.S.A.; Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1474, U.S.A.. sreed@wcs.org.
Summary
Conservation development (CD) ordinances are adopted in 32% of western US jurisdictions, often in denser areas. However, many lack ecological analysis or design guidelines, limiting biodiversity conservation effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Conservation Biology
- Urban Planning
- Environmental Policy
Background:
- Private land conservation is crucial for biodiversity.
- Conservation development (CD) is an alternative to traditional development, clustering homes on smaller lots to preserve open space.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence and characteristics of CD ordinances in the western United States.
- To identify limitations of current CD ordinances for effective biodiversity conservation.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed land-use regulations in 414 counties in the western US.
- Analyzed adopted CD ordinances for key provisions related to conservation.
Main Results:
- 32% of surveyed jurisdictions have CD ordinances, primarily adopted in the last decade.
- CD ordinances were more common in areas with higher population and urban/suburban land-use densities.
- Despite economic incentives, most ordinances lacked requirements for ecological site analysis, specific design guidelines for protected areas, or biological expert consultation.
Conclusions:
- While CD is increasingly adopted, current ordinances often fall short of maximizing conservation benefits.
- Improvements are needed in ordinance requirements, including ecological analysis and protected area design, to enhance biodiversity conservation.
- Conservation scientists can play a vital role in improving CD effectiveness through education and engagement with planning processes.
Keywords:
desarrollo residencialdiseño sustentableextensiónland-use planningplanificación del uso de suelosprivate landsprotected arearesidential developmentsprawlsustainable designtierras privadasárea protegidaMore Related Videos
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