Digital Download: Documenting & Protecting Biodiversity

PDF Digital Download

"This book falls into that rare category of 'necessary.' For people concerned about preserving the fabric of this earth in a time of tempestuous change, Chris Wilson has provided a mandatory manual. It will do much good in the world."

—Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature and Deep Economy, advisor to Northeast Wilderness Trust

This user-friendly guide bridges the gap between conservation biology and its application to typical land trust projects. Intended for land trusts, landowners, biologists, planners, and students, the handbook explains what biodiversity is, how it's conserved, what types of biological information are most useful, and how to gather such information through reviews of freely-available data sources and on-the-ground biological inventories. The book also explains how to apply biological information to standard land protection tasks, such as project selection, fundraising, drafting conservation easement language, compiling baseline documentation, writing management plans, and how the information helps land trust projects conform to IRS Treasury regulations and Land Trust Standards and Practices.

"I have read and studied this book cover-to-cover and am impressed by its comprehensive treatment of how to document and further protect biological diversity and habitats from the perspective of a land trust. Its practical approach to document and assess lands is very useful as well as the introduction of key information sources, how to present information accurately, and the emphasis on mapping and GIS as an important tool that land trusts should utilize."

—Michael Scisco, conservation director, New Mexico Land Conservancy