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<br />Draft 10/8/99. ' <br />and resource preservation. issues, to look at creating an umbrella under <br />which resource conservation initiatives in .the County could be <br />coordinated. <br />On .June 22, 1998, the new Environment ~ and Resource Conservation <br />Department was established. This action also called for the creation of a <br />comprehensive .resource database. and along-term program for the <br />acquisition of a prioritized -list of the County's most critical resources. This <br />program is contained herein and is titled A LANVS LE'GACY/°ROGRAM <br />FOR ORANGE COUNTY. <br />In the fall of 1998, the Board considered a draft proposal for organization <br />° of the new Environment and Resource Conservation Department. On <br />December 1, 1998, .the Board formed the. department by unanimous vote, <br />and charged the department with the following general tasks and duties: <br />- :Overseeing, implementing and coordinating County .goals for <br />environmental protection and resource conservation (Natural Resource <br />Preservation, Water Resources, Historic Preservation, Farmland <br />.Preservation, Watershed Protection, Shaping Orange County's Future, <br />Sustainability) <br />- Deve%ping .and implementing a .program for -the acquisition and <br />management of /and for resource conservation <br />- Integrating current and future natural and cultural resource data into a <br />Comprehensive. Resource Database <br />- Providing staff support to Commissions and Boards (Commission for <br />the. Environment, Historic Preservation Commission, Agricultural <br />Districts Advisory Board, Water Resources Committee, Shaping Orange <br />County's Future Task Force/ Steering Committee, Master Parks and <br />Recreation Work Group) <br />- Working collaboratively. with. other departments and agencies on <br />resource conservation <br />The June 22, 1998 action establishing the. new .department and the <br />December 1, 1999 departmental program may be found as Appendix A to <br />this document. <br />A. Why Protect Critical Resource Lands? <br />As a nation, awareness of the loss of natural and cultural resources has <br />flowered in the last 25 years. This awareness has translated into a variety <br />of different programs to preserve public lands in .recent years. This <br />interest in preserving a natural and cultural legacy for future generations <br />has been most pronounced in areas where growth and development <br />2 <br />