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About BwH |
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Beginning with Habitat (BwH) provides objective and comprehensive plant and wildlife habitat information to equip local decision-makers with the necessary tools to make informed and responsible land use decisions that mesh wildlife habitat conservation with future growth needs. |
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Upcoming Presentations |
Sept 25- Kennebunk
Oct 14- Woodstock
Oct 28- Holden
For the most up-to-date schedule, visit our website. |
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Map Updates |
Between April and July BwH maps were updated for the following towns/regions:
Addison, Alfred, Atkinson, Auburn, Belfast, Belgrade, Belmont, Bowdoin, Brooks, Brownfield, Buckfield, Canton, Casco, Castine, Charleston, Chebeague Island, Chester, Cooper, Cranberry Isles, Dedham, Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Durham, Eagle Lake, Fairfield, Frankfort, Garland, Greene, Greenwood, Georgetown, Hanover, Harpswell, Harrison, Hebron, Holden, Isle au Haut, Islesboro, Jay, Jonesport, Knox, Leeds, Lewiston, Lisbon, Livermore, Livermore Falls, Lubec, Mechanic Falls, Medford, Minot, Monroe, Montville, Morrill, Naples, Newfield, Northport, Norway, Ogunquit, Old Orchard Beach, Otisfield, Palermo, Phippsburg, Poland, Rangeley, Richmond, Sabattus, Searsmont, Searsport, Sebago, Shapleigh, Sidney, Southwest Harbor, Standish, Starks, Stoneham, Strong, Swanville, Tremont, Turner, Waldo, Wales, Waterford, Waterboro, Woodstock and York
To view these maps, visit our website or contact BwH.
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 Welcome!
We are excited to bring you this first edition of the quarterly on-line Beginning with Habitat (BwH) newsletter. Since 2001, BwH has been reaching out to municipalities and land trusts throughout the state (over 200 organized towns have utilized our services) promoting the importance of conservation planning at the local level. Until just recently our program capacity was limited as was the breadth of services we could provide. In the following articles you will get a taste of BwHs new directions and enhanced services provided to help you act locally to protect and preserve Maine's natural resources, quality of place, and economic future.
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 New Web-Based Map Service Coming Soon!
You will soon be able to view Beginning with Habitat data and create and print your own customized maps right from our website!
Beginning with Habitat (BwH) is the primary source of plant and wildlife data and maps for towns, organizations and individuals working on conservation plans. Until now BwH has relied on hard copy maps, downloadable .pdf format maps and the annual distribution of digital data (for those with GIS capacity) to distribute natural resource information. Hard copy and .pdf format maps, however, go out of date as new information is incorporated and many do not have access to GIS to utilize the digital data. In order to improve accessibility and ensure land use decisions are made with the best information available, BwH is developing an interactive online map service that will make BwHs most up-to-date natural resource data as well as basic online mapping tools freely available to anyone with a computer.
The map service will allow you to view current BwH data right from our website, pan around the state to your area of interest, zoom in and out on information, turn BwH data and selected reference layers on and off and create and print customized maps showing the BwH information in your area of interest.
In addition, the map service will link to an interactive online biodiversity "encyclopedia" which will include species and habitat fact sheets, photographs, conservation information and links to additional information. The encyclopedia is envisioned to provide those viewing the BwH data through the online map service with the ability to: 1) link to a broader "story" that includes information regarding the importance of conservation planning and biodiversity; and 2) the ability to access specific information regarding habitats and species, State regulations, and suggested habitat management techniques. For example, clicking on an eagle nest site in the online map viewer will bring up information on bald eagles, their habitat needs, Essential Habitats and the Maine Endangered Species Act.
The map service and encyclopedia are intended to enhance BwH efforts to assist planners, landowners, developers and the general public with understanding and appreciating the significance and diversity of species and habitat types distributed across Maine's landscape. In addition to providing the map service, BwH will continue to provide hardcopy maps and .pdfs and to distribute digital data annually. Even with this unprecedented access to natural resource data, there is no substitute for direct contact with BwH staff and Regional Biologists.
With generous funding provided by the Landowner Incentive Program, Landscope (NatureServe and National Geographic), Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund and USFWS Gulf of Maine Program, BwH has hired consultants from Northern Geomantics and Applied Geographics to design and develop the map service and biodiversity encyclopedia. We are looking forward to unveiling the completed version soon. Stay tuned!
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 New and Amended BwH Focus Areas Mapped in the Coastal Maine
Beginning with Habitat Focus Areas in coastal Maine were recently reviewed, updated and some new focus areas added. There may be a new or amended Focus Area near you!
Beginning with Habitat (BwH) Focus Areas of Statewide Ecological Significance are landscape scale areas that contain unusually rich concentrations of at-risk species and habitats, support rare plants, animals, and natural communities; high quality common natural communities; significant wildlife habitats; and their intersections with large blocks of undeveloped habitat. At this time 140 BwH focus areas have been identified throughout Maine.
In addition to terrestrial habitats, a recent review of focus areas in coastal Maine by biologists from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Areas Program and Department of Marine Resources also considered estuarine and nearshore marine habitats in focus area designation and delineation, including, for example: eel grass beds, tidal wading bird and waterfowl habitat, seabird nesting islands and important shellfish areas.
New focus areas in the coastal region include: Maquoit and Middle Bay, Bagaduce, Salt Bay, Taunton Bay, St. George, Wohoa Bay, and York River Headwaters.
Focus areas with amended boundaries include: Cobscook Bay, Great Wass Archipelago, Lower Sheepscot, Bold Coast, Petit Manan and Bays, Kennebec Estuary, Cutler Grasslands, Pleasant Bay, Kennebec Plains/Wells Barrens, Machias Bay, Gouldsboro Grand Marsh, Greater Brave Boat Harbor/Gerrish Island, Englishman Bay, and Penobscot Bay and Islands.
Focus areas are non-regulatory. Their mapping and identification is intended to draw attention to exceptional areas, help build regional awareness and concentrate conservation initiatives and open space planning in areas of the landscape that have the greatest biodiversity significance. Focus areas offer a tremendous opportunity to leverage private, state and federal conservation funding.
For more information on BwH focus areas visit http://www.beginningwithhabitat.org/the_maps/focusareas-inset.html. Descriptions of new focus areas are available through BwH and will be posted to the web in the near future. |
 BwH Data Now Required in Municipal Comprehensive Plans
In order to be found consistent with the Growth Management Act, under the new Comprehensive Plan Criteria Rule municipal comprehensive plans will be required to include BwH data.
Beginning September 20, 2008, all comprehensive plans submitted by towns for review and approval by the State will be reviewed under the new Comprehensive Plan Criteria Rule (Chapter 208). This rule establishes a new process for the State Planning Office (SPO) to review municipal comprehensive plans for consistency with the goals and guidelines of the Growth Management Act (30-A MRSA §4312 et seq.). It also outlines several elements that must be included in a community's plan in order for it to be found consistent with the Act.
Under the new Criteria Rule, BwH data is now required under the Critical Natural Resources Topic Area Section (inventory). We have been working with the SPO to provide BwH data to each community as part of the Critical Natural Resources Data Set, which is provided by SPO to communities working on comprehensive planning.
In addition to the required inclusion of BwH data in the Critical Natural Resources Topic Area Section, BwH data will be useful in the development of several of the other required elements under the new Rule. In particular, it will be useful with drafting the water resources, transportation and recreation topic area sections, with the identification of critical natural resource areas, with creating a future land use plan, and with developing a regional coordination program. For more information on using BwH in comprehensive planning, visit http://www.beginningwithhabitat.org/toolbox/compplan_guide.html.
Comprehensive plans provide an invaluable vehicle for highlighting significant natural resources town by town and helping local citizens to develop town policies and strategies aimed at conserving their town's special places. Comprehensive plans are the starting point for developing a municipal "conservation blueprint" or suite of local actions (incentives, fee acquisition, and regulatory mechanisms) that shape what a town could look like in 50 years. |
| Habitat Conservation Tools Used by Maine Communities Compiled in the BwH Toolbox
Check out our website and view the Beginning with Habitat Toolbox to learn about the habitat conservation tools used by Maine towns.
We have added a Toolbox to the BwH website. The Toolbox is a guide intended to help towns and organizations achieve their habitat conservation goals. It includes an introduction to using BwH data and principles in municipal comprehensive planning and open space planning as well as example tools created by towns throughout Maine that address common conservation issues. For example, the Toolbox includes examples of wildlife habitat overlay districts, conservation subdivision ordinances, transfer of development rights, shoreland zoning amendments, resource protection and wetland protection ordinances, impact fee ordinances, and information on land bonds, grant sources, and more.
The information and examples included in the Toolbox offer perspective into how other towns are addressing their habitat needs and they provide possible approaches for your town or organization to consider and implement when addressing habitat-related goals.
The BwH Program will continually be updating and adding to the list of tools provided on the site. Please forward any additional examples that you feel should also be included.
View the Toolbox online at www.beginningwithhabitat.org/toolbox/about_toolbox.html.
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| BwH Offers Specialized Presentations and Technical Assistance
Need help with implementing your comprehensive plan or with an open space plan? Contact Beginning with Habitat to schedule a presentation or for technical assistance.
In response to the needs of local planners, we have continued to shift Beginning with Habitat's (BwH) efforts to follow-up work with towns and land trusts. In addition to our introductory presentation, which provides an introduction to the program, principles, maps and data, we are now providing more specialized presentations and technical assistance focused on putting BwH information to use. We are providing presentations focused on using BwH information in comprehensive planning and open space planning, how to use the BwH toolbox, and on the development and implementation of specific tools to meet your community or organizations needs. BwH meets with local boards and committees to, for example, walk through examples of how municipalities have created and adopted open space plans, passed local land acquisition bonds, drafted conservation subdivision ordinances, or passed habitat oriented overlay districts. Similarly, BwH is also available to assist local land trusts in strategic conservation planning and prioritizing local conservation focus areas.
Contact us for more information and to schedule a BwH presentation in your area.
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| A New Look to BwH Maps
If you haven't seen the BwH maps lately, you're in for a surprise! Each map has a new look and improved appearance and some include additional information. Information related to aquifers, watersheds and drinking water supply has been added to the Water Resources and Riparian Habitats Map, for example, and impervious surface coverage has been added to most maps. The Conserved Lands Map and Aerial Imagery Map have been combined into one and we are now providing a Regional Map which presents data from the three core BwH maps (Water Resources and Riparian Habitats, High Value Habitats and Undeveloped Blocks) from a regional perspective.
Contact us to request updated maps for your town.
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Beginning with Habitat Partners |
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