Primer for Counties: County Planning for Wildlife Habitat Connectivity
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The third report of the National Center for Public Lands Counties (NCPLC) provides foundational information on wildlife habitat connectivity for public lands county leaders including an introduction to the wildlife habitat connectivity concept, an overview of the land use planning tools counties can use to reduce human-wildlife conflict and an examination of county authority and the role counties play as intergovernmental partners in wildlife habitat connectivity planning.
As stewards of landscapes where federal public lands and private development intersect, public lands counties face growing pressure to manage wildlife habitat connectivity with limited planning resources and tools. Wildlife habitat fragmentation drives vehicle-wildlife collisions that cost the nation more than $8 billion annually, strain local emergency response and undermine the outdoor recreation and hunting economies that many public lands counties depend on. Understanding the land use planning frameworks available at the county level is essential to informed decision making on public safety, economic development and long-term landscape health.
The report identifies practical planning tools counties can use including comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, overlay zones, resource management plans and voluntary conservation programs. It also draws on five case studies to illustrate how public lands counties are putting these tools into practice: San Diego County, Calif.; Routt County, Colo.; Kane County, Utah; Albemarle County, Va.; and Teton County, Wyo.
National Center for Public Lands Counties
The NACo Center for Public Lands Counties advances research, policy and collaboration to help counties with federal lands address unique challenges and strengthen local outcomes.
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