Achieving The Vision: Strategies, Scales, Players

3. MULTIPLE PLAYERS

Individuals will play the most important roles in achieving our vision. Vermonters can participate by learning about and protecting elements of biodiversity on their own lands, by getting involved in local government and private conservation efforts, and by making personal decisions to minimize fragmentation of the landscape and degradation of air and water quality.

Local Governments will help in achieving the vision by protecting lands that contain significant elements of biodiversity. Towns can do this through land purchase or through zoning.

Local Land Trusts, like town governments, will help in achieving the vision by protecting lands that contain significant elements of biodiversity, through purchase or conservation easements.

Multi-town groups can help in achieving the vision by gathering and disseminating information which will give local residents a regional perspective on the things that occur in their towns. These groups can be very effective, and can take best advantage of existing information, if they work at the Biophysical Region level.

Regional Land Trusts will help in achieving the vision by protecting lands that contain significant elements of biodiversity, through purchase or conservation easements. They can help multi-town groups and also local land trusts in this work.

Regional Planning Commissions will help in achieving the vision by providing information and technical assistance to towns and to multi-town groups.

Statewide Conservation Organizations like the Vermont Land Trust will help in achieving the vision by protecting

State Government will help in achieving the vision by working with others to develop a statewide system of ecological reserves, by putting biodiversity in the forefront of state lands management, by regulating activities that harm air and water quality, and by providing technical assistance and information.

Federal Government will help in achieving the vision by protecting and managing National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests, and other lands, by regulating activities that harm air and water quality, and by providing technical assistance.

National and International Conservation Organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Lands, the Conservation Fund, the World Wildlife Fund, the Wildlands Project, and others, will help in achieving the vision by identifying and protecting elements of biodiversity that are significant at the ecoregional, national or global level as well as the statewide level.

Educational Institutions such as the Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences, state colleges, private colleges, the University of Vermont, and all public and private schools, will play a crucial role in achieving the vision by teaching youngsters and adults about the importance of protecting biodiversity, and by giving them an appreciation for the beauty and intricacy of nature.