Landscape Approaches Having…

Landscape Approaches
Having better access to data regarding SAR location would be useful for proponents. Providing proponents with guidelines for SAR screening in the vicinity of the project area will help ensure that habitat connectivity is considered and maintained, where possible. Are there maps and databases that are easily searchable available for proponents to use? The NHIC website is currently quite time consuming and onerous to pull information from. If the regulators can offer more information to proponents, they may be more willing to engage in the process if they do not feel burdened by having to consider SAR.

Listing Process and Protections for Species at Risk
Having a recovery strategies for all SAR would be useful for proponents. Refining recovery strategies to have a step by step format will be an improvement as the current recovery strategies are often wordy and convoluted.

Species Recovery Policies and Habitat Regulations
Enacting habitat regulations will help to make sure that SAR are actually protected under the act. Species recovery policies may be used in conjunction with the recovery strategies to guide proponents. Having a standardized process may remove some of the burden from proponents and may encourage them to actively engage in the process.

Authorization Processes
Proponents who offer to offset impacts to SAR should be considered.