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53 <br /> Lands Legacy Program for Orange County(2000),Lands Legacy Program Action Plan 2018-2020, and <br /> Orange County Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2030(2014). <br /> NATURAL RESOURCES PROTECTION <br /> The Orange County Comprehensive Plan 2030 includes natural area resource preservation as one of the <br /> Board of County Commissioners' 8 Planning Principles. Specifically, "protection of the County's natural <br /> areas, including forests,wildlife habitat, and other important open spaces should be a priority. The <br /> County should work with regional and local organizations,the towns, and private landowners to promote <br /> and achieve preservation of the County's important natural resources." <br /> The Natural& Cultural Systems Element focuses on a systems approach to natural area and natural <br /> resource conservation. <br /> • Goal 7 is a balanced and healthy diversity of plant and animal populations. <br /> • Goal 8 is to establish networks of protected natural, cultural, and agricultural lands. <br /> • The Natural Areas,Wildlife Habitat, and Prime Forests component provides"direction and <br /> guidance for future land protection efforts in the County."The objective was,at the time,to <br /> protect 10%of the county by 2010. <br /> Under Goal 7: <br /> • Objective NA-1 is to"conserve high-priority natural areas and wildlife habitats, including <br /> wetlands,rivers and streams, floodplains, steep slopes,prime forests,wildlife corridors, and other <br /> critical habitats." <br /> • Objective NA-2 is to"conduct more frequent updates to the County's inventory of natural areas, <br /> and include previously unsurveyed areas of the County." <br /> • Objective NA-3 is to"develop a more detailed and consistent methodology for monitoring <br /> changes in forest cover throughout the County, and specifically the extent of mature hardwood <br /> forest." <br /> • Objective NA-5 is to"prohibit development that would cause adverse impacts on highly <br /> significant natural areas and wildlife habitat." <br /> • Objective NA-8 is to"encourage forest management practices on both public and private land <br /> that minimize disruption and fragmentation of intact hardwood forests." <br /> Under Goal 8: <br /> • Objective NA-12 is to"establish a system of nature preserves that protect large areas of <br /> undeveloped land(including significant natural areas) surrounded by low-density development <br /> and working farms and managed forests." <br /> • Objective NA-15 is to"protect land in and around biologically significant areas, and connections <br /> between these areas,to allow for the maintenance of native wildlife and plant populations and <br /> their functional relationships." <br /> To guide natural area resource preservation,the comprehensive plan includes,as appendices,Lists of <br /> Significant Plant and Animal Species in Orange County,Lists of Rare Plant and Animal Species in <br /> Orange County, and a Map of Natural Areas and Macrosites. <br /> The Lands Legacy Program Action Plan 2018-2020 sets and continues the program's land acquisition and <br /> protection priorities (see the Existing Land Protection Priorities section in this report for 2018-2020 <br /> priorities). <br /> In the Parks and Recreation Element: <br /> • Objective PR-1.1 is to"acquire and/or retain public ownership of parks,recreation facilities, <br /> open space, and conservation areas that will serve Orange County." <br /> 40 A Landscape Plan for Wildlife Habitat Connectivity <br />