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158 <br /> a dozen counties in projects financed by federal grants in the coastal <br /> region, State General Assembly special appropriations, and county govern- <br /> ments. The Natural Heritage Program supervised the successful completion of <br /> twenty contracted surveys in 1985 and 1986, including several county-wide <br /> surveys. <br /> PROCEDURE: Usually the Natural Heritage Program contracts and trains an <br /> experienced .biological scientist, or team of biologists, to conduct a <br /> county-wide or regional natural areas inventory. The contracted biologists <br /> have prior familiarity with the natural resources of the study area, and <br /> frequently are local residents or associated with local colleges or universi- <br /> ties. The Natural Heritage Program instructs the contracted biologists in <br /> conducting the survey and compiling reports according to detailed specifica- <br /> tions. Natural Heritage Program staff scientists supervise the work and edit <br /> the final inventory reports. Data from the surveys are incorporated in the <br /> Natural Heritage inventory, and protection priorities are established for <br /> natural areas of major significance. <br /> The process followed by contracted biologists is: <br /> (1) Consult with other knowledgeable individuals and organizations (eg., <br /> other scientists, foresters, soil conservationists, local naturalists) <br /> and other available sources of natural resource information (including <br /> maps, aerial photography, scientific literature, and the Natural Heri- <br /> tage Program inventory). <br /> (2) Select potentially interesting natural areas through the process of <br /> consultations, reviewing existing data, initial "field work", and <br /> sometimes aerial reconnaissance from light planes. <br /> . (3) Conduct surveys of all potentially significant natural areas and compile <br /> preliminary reports on their natural resources (according to specified <br /> report formats). <br /> (4) Compile more detailed inventories on the resources, size, ownerships, <br /> and condition of those natural areas possessing important ecological <br /> values (according to specified report formats). <br /> (5) Prepare site locational maps, inventory and evaluation reports and <br /> identify the natural areas of highest priority on a local and statewide <br /> basis (according to specifications). <br /> (6) Prepare a summary report about the general ecological resources of the <br /> county or region, including a list of its natural community (habitat) <br /> types, and endangered or rare species of plants and animals. <br />