Setting priorities for land conservation / Committee on Scientific and Technical Criteria for Federal Acquisition of Lands for Conservation, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

National Research Council Staff, Corporate Author.

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Scientific and Technical Criteria for Federal Acquisition of Lands for Conservation.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Public lands--United States--Management.

Public lands.

Conservation of natural resources--United States.

Conservation of natural resources.

Government purchasing of real property--United States.

Government purchasing of real property.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (278 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1993.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book responds to a congressional request to evaluated criteria by which land is acquired under the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The committee reviews criteria and procedures by which four agencies acquire lands for conservation; examines the historic, public policy, and scientific bases of criteria and compares them with nongovernmental organizations; and assesses the effectiveness of the agencies in preserving natural resources while achieving agency objectives.

Contents:

Setting Priorities for Land Conservation

Copyright

Other Recent Reports of the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

CONSIDERATIONS FOR CRITERIA

The Meaning of Conservation and Public Versus Private Land

Scientific Bases for Conservation

Tools and Techniques

CURRENT CRITERIA

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Goals

Procedures

1 Introduction

LAND-ACQUISITION AGENCIES

GUIDELINES FOR CRITERIA

Basic Considerations

Planning Versus Opportunity

Acquisition and Alternatives

THE INFORMATION GAP

VALUATION CHALLENGES

REPORT ORGANIZATION

2 Public Land, Private Land: An Overview of Ownership and Its Management Challenges

CONSERVATION: A TERM OF MANY MEANINGS

The Nineteenth Century: Preservationists and Progressives

The Early Twentieth Century: Expansion of Resource Management and the Movement for Wilderness Preservation

Conservation in the Age of Environmentalism

Natural Sciences and Conservation Efforts

Elements of Conservation and Its Institutionalization

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDOWNERSHIP

Public Landownership in the United States

Designation of Federal Lands

Federal Landownership

Private Landownership in the United States

DISINCENTIVES FOR CONSERVATION

THE ROLE OF LANDOWNERSHIP IN CONSERVATION

3 The Land-Acquisition Process

SOURCES OF FUNDING

The Land and Water Conservation Fund

National Park Service

U.S. Forest Service

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Bureau of Land Management

ACQUISITION BY FEDERAL AGENCIES

The National Park Service

Mandates

Acquisition

Acquisition Criteria

Acquisition authority

Agency Mandate and Acquisition Authority

Acquisition Criteria.

Bureau of Land Management

OMB Criteria

THE CONGRESS

LANDOWNERS

OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES

Nonfederal Governments

Native American Tribes

Land-Protection Constituencies

Land-Acquisition Opponents

Acquisition Intermediaries

Scientific Community

RATIONAL ANALYSIS AND POLITICS IN THE ACQUISITION PROCESS

4 Assessing the Social Effects of Federal Land Acquisition

INHOLDERS AND FEDERAL LAND ACQUISITION

SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

SIA IN PRACTICE: A BUREAU OF RECLAMATION CASE STUDY

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND SIA

SIA AND CONSERVATION

5 The Land Acquisition Process and Biological Preserves: A Role for Natural Sciences

FUNDAMENTAL ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGES

Geomorphic Processes

Hierarchical Levels of Diversity

Genetic Diversity

Species Diversity

Community Diversity

Global-Scale Diversity

Conservation-Scale Dependency

Landscape Dynamics

Fragmented Landscapes

Climate

Disturbance regime

Changes in the location of suitable habitat

Reserve Configuration and Landscape Linkages

OTHER BIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

ENHANCING THE ECOLOGICAL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ACQUISITION PROCESS

Gap Analysis

Geographic Information Systems

Landscape Pattern Analysis

CONCLUSION

6 Nonprofit Organizations

THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION

DUCKS UNLIMITED

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

Minimal Size of Preserves

Minimal Population Size

Preserve Configuration and Justification

Element and Site Stewardship

7 Techniques and Tools of Acquisition

CONSERVATION EASEMENTS

TRANSFERABLE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS

DEDICATION

REGULATION

LAND EXCHANGE

Effects on USFS and BLM Timber Sales

Effect on Local Government Revenues

Exchanges Involving More Than One State.

Time Required to Accomplish Complex Exchanges

Limits Imposed by National Forest Boundaries

Conveyance of Mineral Rights

Other Limitations on the Land Exchange Process

Regulatory Delay

Inadequate Identification of Lands Unsuitable to Agency Missions and Available for Exchange

Inadequate Integration With Regulatory Approaches

LAND ACQUISITION STRATEGIES AND TRANSACTIONS

Federal Agencies: Reliance on Willing Sellers

Nonprofit Organizations: Entrepreneurs and Facilitators

Hope Valley

Primerica

Carrizo Plain

Coachella Valley

8 The Office of Management and Budget

ADEQUACY OF THE LAPP CRITERIA

The Minimum Criteria

The Twelve Ranking Criteria

Prevents Imminent Development

Provides Multiple Recreation Opportunities Close to Population Centers

Preserves Endangered and Threatened Species Habitat

Preserves a Nationally Significant Natural or Cultural Feature of a Type Not Now Represented in Any Federal Unit

Preserves Biologically Valuable Wetlands or Riparian Habitat

Includes Infrastructure for Access for the Public and Handicapped People

Expands Units With Recent Rapid Growth in Visitor Use

Improves Manageability and Efficiency of a Unit

Results in Federal Savings in Acquisition Costs Through the Use of Land Exchanges, Donations, or Other Alternatives

Involves Federal Acquisition of Less Than Full-Fee Title to the Property

Involves Significant Nonfederal Partnership

Ranks 20 Highest Priority Projects According to Agency Mission

REFLECTION OF AGENCY MISSIONS AND AUTHORITIES

Protection and Recreation Criteria

Administrative Criteria

Cost Criteria

Conclusions

9 Conclusions and Recommendations

GOALS

Structuring OMB and Agency Criteria

Acquisition Strategies and Techniques

Landscape and Ecosystem Protection.

Representative Natural Areas

PROCEDURES

Planning and Acquisition

Improving Information for Decision Making

Funding

Emergency Acquisitions

Monitoring Acquisitions and Re-evaluating Criteria

State and Local Issues

Incentives for Private Landowners

References

Appendix A Presenters and Discussants

Appendix B Procedure for Compiling Federal Land Acquisition Priority List

Appendix C National Surveys Relevant to Public Land Use, Protection, and Purchase

Appendix D The Nature Conservancy: Aquisition Priorities and Preserve Selection and Design

ACQUISITION PRIORITIES

Priorities

Operations

Why Heritage Programs Work

The Classification System

Priorities for Acquisition

PRESERVE SELECTION AND DESIGN

Objective

The Administrative Process

How To Design a Preserve

Minimum Viable Size of Preserves

Minimum Viable Population Size

Glossary.

Notes:

"The project was supported by Department of the Interior Cooperative Agreement no. 0660-9-8001"--T.p. verso.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 213-234).

ISBN:

9786610196531

9781280196539

128019653X

9780309585170

0309585171

9780585085302

0585085307

OCLC:

614652925