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Dave Stancil - ERCD Progress Report . doc Wage 4 <br /> 4 <br /> preservation . Specific acreage benchmarks have not been established yet. <br /> e ) Integrate all of the above to maintain as best as possible : a viable ecosystem for plants <br /> and wildlife , corridors critical for animal migration , critical habitats , an agricultural <br /> landscape , and outdoor recreational opportunities . <br /> • A preference for this type of integration or holistic view toward environmental <br /> conservation is built-info the Lands Legacy program . ERCD achieved this <br /> objective by pursuing projects that serve multiple conservation objectives such <br /> as farmland easement in water supply watersheds . In addition, parkland <br /> projects such as the Little River Park and Natural Area and the Cates Farm park <br /> area designate areas for different levels of activity. Some County parkland will <br /> be left undisturbed while other areas will be used for active fields such as <br /> baseball and soccer. <br /> Action Strategy ENV -2 -2 ) Achieve Natural Areas/ Open Space Plan through : <br /> a ) Fee- simple acquisition of the most important/threatened areas ; <br /> • ERCD staff and the CFE identify critical and threatened areas each year <br /> through the Lands Legacy Annual Action Plan . After the Action Plan is <br /> approved by the BOCC ERCD staff contacts the owners of identified parcels <br /> and pursues different conservation options. <br /> b ) Purchase of conservation easements ; <br /> • ERCD arranged the County 's first farmland conservation easement in July of <br /> 2001 . <br /> c ) Purchase of Development Rights , where appropriate ; <br /> • ERCD essentially purchased development rights as part of the farmland <br /> conservation easement. <br /> d ) Transfer of Development Rights ; <br /> • ERCD and the APB continues to pursue this option as part of its agricultural <br /> preservation toolkit. <br /> e ) Tax exemptions for actively farmed land and managed forestland ; <br /> • The APB is pursuing certain tax exemptions for actively farmed land as part <br /> of the Voluntary Agricultural District program incentives . <br /> f) Possible development of a forest banking system ; <br /> • ERCD staff have initiated conversations with the Forestry Service regarding <br /> this type of program, but little progress has been made to date . <br /> g ) Purchase of timber rights . <br /> • While a traditional conservation easement approach could be used to <br /> essentially purchase timber rights no specific program has been created at <br /> this point. <br /> Action Strategy ENV =2 -3 ) Secure & increase funding for acquisition of land and development <br /> rights : <br /> a ) Increase local funding through bonds for open space and natural areas . <br /> • A bond package, currently set for November 2001 , would provide funding for <br /> parks and open space accessible to the public. <br /> b ) Create a dedicated local funding source for acquisition of these areas . <br /> • Some dedicated monies are already allotted to the County through the Lands <br /> Legacy program administered by ERCD. <br /> c ) Aggressively pursue grants for state and federal agencies to assist in acquisitions . <br /> ff <br /> • ERCD has established a track record for "obtaining grant funding and working <br /> in collaboration with other counties and land conservancies . By pursuing <br /> projects that achieve multi-objectives ERCD has also been able to piggyback <br /> L ^:Tina\SC? CFNERCO Progroe� Roporl . dof% <br />