A Natural Resource Management Guide for the County of Morris A ...

Support
Regulatory
FEDERAL
The Endangered Species Act affirms conservation of “critical habitats” to protect threatened and
!
endangered species.
Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances encourages landowners to provide
È
habitat protection, through management, or restoration actions for species considered to be in decline.
Landowners are free from restrictions if species are listed in the future.
Safe Harbor provides incentives to private and other non-Federal property owners to restore,
È
enhance, or maintain habitats of species listed as threatened or endangered.
National Invasive Species Act controls the unintentional introduction and spread of invasive species.
!
Executive Order 13112 seeks to curb the introduction and spread of invasive species
!
STATE
NJ Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act preserves freshwater wetlands from disturbance, with special
!
allowances for areas associated with endangered species.
The Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act provides regulatory oversight for the
!
conservation, management, enhancement and protection of wildlife endangered and nongame species.
Planning Strategies
Habitat destruction is wildlife's primary death knell. Residential, commercial or industrial expansion,
including roads, infrastructure, etc. often enhance our quality of life, but severely impacts wildlife.
Wildlife management weaves together private and public lands, urban areas, and wilderness. It has been
recognized that in conserving ecosystems, biodiversity is supported. In this way targeted species as well as
the animals, plants, and materials with which they interact, are protected. Provisions within the Federal
Endangered Species Act enable the development of Habitat Conservation Plans such as that created for San
Bruno Mountain. This tool "permitted limited residential and commercial development within the critical
habitat of the endangered mission blue butterfly." 7
Locally, integration of planning tools can serve to achieve multiple benefits. Incorporating consistent resource
protection objectives throughout plans (stormwater, open space and conservation, river corridor protection,
scenic vistas management) will achieve multiple benefits, in a unified fashion.
Habitat protection and restoration
!
Rank and prioritize species identified for protection; provide habitat requirements accordingly
È
Identify and protect corridors utilized by wildlife
È
Maintain and manage significant ecological processes (e.g., floods) in protected areas
È
Map habitat of sensitive species; provide protection through local conservation plan
È
Balance needs for public recreation with habitat needs of wildlife
È
Tools for preserving and augmenting natural habitat
!
7
James F. Berry, Endangered Legislation for Endangered Species, Environment and Development, Nov./Dec.
1995.
È Acquisition
È Easements
È Bequests
* Harris
Checkerspot
187
Wildlife