Staff work collaboratively with local landowners, producers, and operators to identify natural resource concerns and opportunities that help achieve land use goals.
Staff work in tandem with clients to provide on-the-ground, in-the-field assistance through the nine steps of conservation planning. This science-based assistance integrates natural resource management with programs and practices that can benefit operations, comply with environmental regulations, and improve water, soil, and air quality.
Our staff follow the Nine-Step Conseravtion Planning Process (USDA-NRCS). This process helps identify conservation objectives and analyze possible natural resource concerns. The nine-step process includes the steps below.
1. Identifying Problems and Opportunities
Conservation planning can begin in many ways such as a change in land ownership, new or worsening resource concerns, or a perceived threat. Initial natural resource problems and opportunities are acknowledged. Their impacts, causes and other relevant information are then further refined as the process continues.
2. Determine Objectives
Together the landowner and conservation planner will establish desired outcomes and goals that take into account the stakeholder needs and values, natural resource use and environmental impacts. These objectives can be altered and modified as the process continues and further information is gathered.
3. Inventory Resources
During this step, relevant information for the planning area is gathered. This comprehensive inventory includes information on the natural resources, as well as economic and social challenges and opportunities. This may include information on soil, water, plants, animals, energy, structures, equipment available, and various operational and labor systems in place.
4. Analyze Resource Data
The conservation planner will then analyze and study the data that has been collected. This crucial step helps determine the existing conditions of natural resources, including limitations and potential improvements for the planning area. This analysis provides a summary of causes and effects of conservation problems as well as a baseline for determining the effectiveness of action taken from the plan.
5. Formulate Alternatives
Alternatives to current practices and operations are prepared for the landowner that will achieve the determined objectives, address resource concerns, and take advantage of opportunities for land and resource improvement. Often these alternatives can be based on financial assistance opportunities for conservation implementation from the County or our other conservation partners.
6. Evaluative Alternatives
In this step, each alternative is consider to evaluate how effective it will be to address the problems, opportunities and objectives. Various considerations and benefits are weighed. Evaluation should include resource concerns or practices that need to maintain compliance.
7. Make Decisions
The landowner can then choose the projects that work best for their operations. County staff will assist in documenting the plan, decisions made and scheduling implementation.
8. Implement the Plan
Implementation of chosen practices begins. Conservation staff may provide further planning or technical assistance such as design work, detailed implementation information, and engineering and construction inspection.
9. Evaluate the Plan
As the plan and various practices are implemented, the conservation planner with evaluate effectiveness in addressing resource concerns. Additions and revisions are then made as needed to address changing need and conditions.
Land Conservation Division
Dane County Land & Water Resources Department
(608) 224-3730
landcon@danecounty.gov
