Common use of Landscape Level Conservation Clause in Contracts

Landscape Level Conservation. This section describes general conservation efforts that all Parties agree to implement at the regional or landscape level, in accordance with their respective authorities and their individual missions. These common and comprehensive efforts and actions include: • Identifying suitable or potentially suitable gopher tortoise habitat/sites/areas, and documenting those that are exceptional ecosystems known to support high biodiversity and/or numerous federal-and-state listed threatened and endangered plant and animal species. • Identifying areas occupied by gopher tortoises (for estimating tortoise population sizes, follow recommended protocols outlined in Appendix F). • Identifying areas of potential agency mission – gopher tortoise habitat conflict. • Identifying and reducing dispersal barriers between gopher tortoise populations. • Developing and implementing best management practices for avoiding/minimizing/mitigating impacts to suitable and occupied habitats. • Identifying and collaborating with landowners (private and public) on conservation/management efforts needed to minimize impacts to or sustain gopher tortoise habitat. • Making gopher tortoise information available to promote appropriate data sharing, conservation, and partnering. • Assessing and evaluating gopher tortoise habitat or population trends related to actions associated with development/agriculture or conservation/restoration (for population trend assessment, follow recommended protocols outlined in Appendix F). • Avoiding/minimizing impacts to suitable, unoccupied gopher tortoise habitat to allow for occupation of gopher tortoises in such areas, and managing these areas appropriately (e.g., prescribed fire).