Reducing the Impacts of Rural Sprawl on Wildlife Habitat, Year 2

This second-year grant provides continued funding for Sarah Reed's work as project leader for the Western Private Lands and Connectivity Conservation project, and for her new full time staff position as Associate Conservation Scientist at Wildlife Conservation Society.  Sarah's work informs the field of land use planning and how the practice of Conservation Development can be integrated into local and regional land use planning ordinances, with the ultimate goal of protecting wildlife habitat from fragmentation and degradation as human development continues to increase.  One of the barriers to adoption of Conservation Development by regional and municipal authorities is the absence of local subdivision and zoning regulations that allow the flexibility in site design that is necessary for achieving conservation and natural resource management goals.  In the coming year, Sarah will develop practical recommendations for land use policy makers, including developing model ordinance language than can be adapted into local and regional regulations.