Include Wildlife in Your Natural Resources Inventory

two turtles on a log

By identifying and describing natural resources in a local setting, a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) provides communities with a strong foundation for proactive planning and informed decision-making about their natural resources. The Wildlife section of a NRI gives an opportunity to focus on locally important wildlife habitats and associated species. The NH Wildlife Action Plan is a valuable source of information about wildlife and habitats for the wildlife section

Mapping

At the minimum, a community should have the set of Basic NRI maps. Note that the Wildlife Action Plan Habitats Land Cover and Highest Ranked Habitats maps have already been created for all communities in the state. Download the maps for your community (8.5 x 11 size; PDF). Take a look at the Sample NRI Outline for a review of some typical sections in a Natural Resources Inventory - this includes a detailed outline for a comprehensive wildlife section in the NRI. .

Habitats

Review the wildlife maps to identify the critical habitats in your community, and include information about these habitats and the species associated with them in your NRI: 
Wildlife Action Plan Habitat Profiles, the Habitat Stewardship brochures and Habitat Types and Species.

The NRI provides the basis for land conservation planning and allows natural resources information to be included in local planning and zoning. Incorporating wildlife information into local decision-making and planning helps communities ensure that healthy, resilient ecosystems and the benefits they provide for wildlife are available into the future. Some towns have written the NRI themselves, and others have hired consultants to assist them. 

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