NATURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE
Duties/Function: The Natural Heritage Committee is an advisory committee that maintains the County’s Biodiversity Assessment; advises the Board of Supervisors, the Planning Commission, and County staff on applying biodiversity information to land-use decision-making; and supports biodiversity education in the County.
A. Input on and oversight of the maintenance, expansion, updating, and evaluation of the ongoing Biodiversity Assessment begun by the Biodiversity Work Group, and development of a protocol for assessing changes in the state of biodiversity (with reference to planning goals).
B. Assistance in staff development of an action plan that specifies detailed steps for achieving protection of biodiversity as outlined in the Comprehensive Plan.
C. Development of policy recommendations to the Board in response to biodiversity issues and information gathered from the Biodiversity Assessment. The Committee should be consulted on programs, regulations, and Comprehensive Plan changes that may affect biodiversity protection.
D. Development of educational materials and programs on biodiversity.
E. Provision of periodic reports to the Board of Supervisors on the state of biodiversity in the County.
Length of Term: Initial appointments will include four four-year appointments, four three-year appointments, and four two-year appointments. Thereafter, appointments will be for four years.
Membership: The Board of Supervisors shall appoint ten to twelve members. Applicants need not be County residents. However, total committee membership should consist of some County residents.
Qualifications: The Committee should include members with expertise or background in one or more of the following fields, to support the Committee’s role as a technical advisory group:
• natural history (including those with detailed knowledge of local wildlife, plants, and other resources);
• terrestrial, aquatic, and landscape ecology;
• biological conservation and conservation planning;
• population genetics;
• geology and soils;
• geographic information systems for conservation;
• science education (adult and youth);
The group should also include local landowners and citizens with interests in biodiversity conservation, farming and forestry, and conservation-oriented rural and urban development. If possible, these general citizen representatives should be residents of the County.
cc appointment letter to: Scott Clark, Community Development Department
NOTE: Each committee member to receive copy of adopted Rules of Procedure
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