Conservationist: environment is responsibility of all

By: Rebecca Whalen Millbrook Round Table April 28 , 2005

Members of a number of town boards joined residents from all over Dutchess County at the Dutchess County Farm and Home Center to listen to Dr. Michael Klemens and Sean Nolon speak of the benefits of a conservation area overlay district.
More than 30 people attended the meeting held in Millbrook on April 21. Klemens is the director and senior conservationist with the Metropolitan Conservation Alliance. He founded the alliance with the idea that tangible conservation results come about when the gap between conservation science and land use planning processes is bridged.
Klemens spoke of how a conservation overlay district (COD) can help strike a balance between the needs of human and wildlife communities.
Working with local resources is key, he said. With a COD, ecological needs that aren't being met with traditional planning methods can be addressed.
The biodiversity of the county can be preserved since many habitats are still interconnected, said Klemens.
"We just need to think carefully where to place people in a landscape," he said. A well-crafted ordinance is a key tool, as are encouraging better laws that focus on the importance of biodiversity.
There is an over-reliance on regulations and inadequate standards for biological surveys, he added. Communities and planning boards need more information in order to make decisions.
It's important to look at the larger ecosystem scale when making a small-scale decision.
"Let's understand the ecosystem first, then plan around it," said Klemens. Towns shouldn't go forward with decisions when there is incomplete biological information, he added.
To create the overlay, the first step involves conducting biological fieldwork and analysis. Awareness of ecological issues needs to be raised, and research needs to be integrated into land-use planning.
A conservation alliance is necessary for full effectiveness, said Klemens. This includes incorporating non-traditional groups, including farmers, planning and zoning boards and elected officials.
Klemens spoke of how uplands are just as important to recognize for conservation efforts as wetlands since they depend on each to operate efficiently.
Tools like the overlay give a way to preserve that relationship, he said.
The cycle of animals in the environment needs to be considered when creating an overlay. For instance, many animals move around a large territory during their yearly cycle.
Nolon, director of Pace University Land Use Law Center, spoke of how important it is for non-traditional stakeholders, including developers and officials, to work with conservation groups in the implementation of the elements of overlays.
He said it's important to remember that all town and village authority comes down from the county Legislature.
A municipality may adopt local laws for protection and enhancement of its physical and visual environment, Nolon added. Growth in a municipality can still be encouraged, but a growth center should be identified in conjunction with an overlay.
To create a zone, the resource or habitat that needs protecting must be identified.
For example, Milan has four overlay zones, which protect four different resources. These include a stream corridor and historic, ridgeline and farmland zones.
Regulations need to include a purpose statement, delineated boundaries and a description of regulated activities.
Visit www.law.pace.edu/landuse for information on land use community tools and resources.

©Millbrook Round Table 2005

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