Shaping Orange County's Future Final Full Report

Browse Search

Recommendation 1: Use the Lands Legacy program to develop a comprehensive Countywide Natural Areas Conservation /Open Space Plan that addresses the following. Action Strategies: A. A program to protect important natural areas; conserving areas identified in the 1988 Natural Areas Inventory for Orange County as well as buffers around these areas and corridors among them, and large, contiguous tracts of hardwood forest as outlined in the 1997 and 1999 reports titled A Landscape with Wildlife for Orange County (Parts I & II), as well as other environmentally sensitive areas. B. Identify and protect the most important prime farmlands in the county, so that these lands may be kept in production; C. Recognize that open space needs vary in different parts of the county (including preservation of farmland and land for recreation); D. Set annual goals as benchmarks for preservation of certain natural areas and wildlife habitat (i.e. "x" acres per year); E. Integrate all of the above to maintain as best as possible: • a viable ecosystem for plants and wildlife; • corridors critical for animal migration; • critical habitats; • an agricultural landscape; and • outdoor recreational opportunities. F. Coordinate the preservation of natural areas and open space in both rural areas and towns Recommendation 2: Achieve Natural Areas /Open Space Conservation Plan objectives through: Action Strategies: A. Fee - simple land acquisition of the most important and threatened areas; B. Purchase of conservation easements that allow the owner to maintain title to the land in exchange for certain rights and protection (particularly important for farmland); C. Purchase of Development Rights, where appropriate; D. Transfer of Development Rights from natural area lands to identified receiving areas;