Training and Workshops

Linking Conservation and Transportation Planning
Phoenix, Arizona November 8-9, 2006
Trisha White
Defenders of Wildlife

Slide 2: Agenda

Day One

• Transportation Planning
• Heritage Program
• State Wildlife Action Plan
• AZ Wildlife Linkages
• Group discussion: Section 6001

Day Two

• NatureServe VISTA
• Community Viz
• Quantm
• AZ Geospatial Data
• Discussion, discussion, discussion

Slide 3: Focus Question

What information, tools and approaches are needed for transportation, resource and regulatory agencies to be effective in merging transportation and conservation planning?

Slide 4: Workshop Goal

To exchange information and dialog on different approaches, data and technologies that can assist in meeting transportation planning challenges as they relate to conservation needs.

Slide 5: Overview

Who?

• MPOs
• State DOT
• FHWA
• State Heritage program
• Tribal
• State fish and game agency
• Federal resource agency
• Others

Slide 6: Overview

What?

• Overview of transportation planning and current initiatives
• Major conservation approaches
• Available technologies
• Discussion

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Slide 7: Overview

Why?

• To improve linkages between conservation and transportation planning
• To emphasize the use of information, tools and methods between transportation, resource and regulatory communities

Slide 8: Overview

Why?

• SAFETEA-LU
• Linking Planning and NEPA
• Eco-Logical
• Support for transportation project decision making
• Vital Few
• Cooperative Conservation

Slide 9:

In your view, what would be most helpful towards integrating conservation planning into the transportation planning process?

• Early involvement
• Understanding each other
• Coordination
• Regulatory
• Information sharing
• Technology
• Action Plan
• Consistency
• Balance

Slide 10:

In your view, what would be most helpful towards integrating conservation planning into the transportation planning process?

"Getting the resource agencies involved early on in the planning process. This will allow them to express their concerns in hopes of preventing issues from becoming large and significant."

"Demonstration of avoidance and minimization of environmental impacts as early in the transportation planning process as possible."

"Streamlining and getting into the planning process at the conceptual stages, which requires dedicated positions and resources."

"Including conservation in the planning phase instead of waiting until the budget is set."

"Early meaningful input on future needs related to highway implementation. Early commitment by proponent to obtain necessary data to make wise and reasonable decisions."

EARLY: 8

Slide 11:

In your view, what would be most helpful towards integrating conservation planning into the transportation planning process?

"Understand what is meant by conservation"

"...informed as to the roles and responsibilities of the other players...acquire a clear understanding of expectations"

"Clear understanding of one another's parameters and objectives"

"Basic understanding of why we should link planning and conservation"

"...to understand what each one does"

"...key to understand all the different facets that are involved in the planning process..."

Understanding: 6

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Slide 12:

In your view, what would be most helpful towards integrating conservation planning into the transportation planning process?

"Develop upfront coordination before a project is scoped and designed."

"Agency coordination at the local, regional, state and federal levels"

"List of networks and contacts to collaborate with on projects in the future"

Coordination / Collaboration: 4

Slide 13:

In your view, what would be most helpful towards integrating conservation planning into the transportation planning process?

"Documentation of rationale behind transportation alignment decisions...really critical and if it is lacking, problems can arise."

"Linking all phases of development with preservation laws"

"Objective criteria established by the relevant regulatory agencies that demonstrate compliance with conservation regulations"

"Bringing the conservation planning experts into the transportation planning process as willing participants. We can invite them, but if they don't engage, it does us no good."

"Establish limits on the detrimental impacts extreme conservation and environmentalism can have on transportation project development."

Regulatory: 5

Slide 14:

In your view, what would be most helpful towards integrating conservation planning into the transportation planning process?

"Can FHWA promote information sharing and greater consistency between states?"

"Make use of and share already available info"

"Collaboration between agencies and sharing of information is key to the success of integrating conservation planning and transportation."

Information Sharing / Consistency: 3

Slide 15:

In your view, what would be most helpful towards integrating conservation planning into the transportation planning process?

"...capitalize on advancements in methods and tools"

"Engage transportation planners in technical training on natural resource planning designed around their needs"

"Identifying technical applications to aid in this integration"

Technology: 3

Slide 16:

In your view, what would be most helpful towards integrating conservation planning into the transportation planning process?

"Maybe an action plan of some sort"

"Following through with the plan of action developed during our linking NEPA and planning workshops."

Action Plan: 2

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