Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><P><SPAN>Stream/riparian, wetland, or forested areas that provide connections between patches of significant wildlife habitat (Map 14) of the Hinesburg Town Plan. Developed and maintained by the town with contributions from Vermont Fish & Wildlife and other consultants, including revisions by Alex Weinhagen (Director of Planning & Zoning, Town of Hinesburg) and David Hirth (Hinesburg Conservation Commission, HCC). The layer was originally mapped in 2008 by Polly Harris (Stantec), Jens Hilke (VT Fish & Wilflife), Natalie Steen (LandWorks), and Gerry Livingston (HCC).</SPAN></P><P><SPAN /></P><P><SPAN>For more information visit the </SPAN><A href="https://www.hinesburg.org/townplan/" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Hinesburg Town Plan </SPAN></A><SPAN>webpage</SPAN></P></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><DIV><DIV><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Interior forest blocks are the subset of forest blocks that provide the highest quality and often the largest areas of interior forest habitat. These priority forest blocks were identified by state ecologists and biologists during the </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN>Vermont Conservation Design</SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>. Interior forest blocks were evaluated and ranked based on the amount and quality of interior forest habitat, topographic diversity, and capacity for other associated ecological functions. In 2020, Native Geographic, LLC remapped the Hinesburg blocks to reflect current conditions and to improve the data resolution. Using 2016 National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) and 2018 Vermont Ortho aerial imagery and 911 data, all highest priority and priority blocks were remapped at a scale of 1:5,000 or finer. This updated mapping replaces the original block boundaries that were derived from </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN>2006 National Land Cover Data</SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>, but the original block rankings, such as Highest Priority or Priority, were retained. </SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 4 2;"><SPAN STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN /></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 4 2;"><SPAN>HIGHEST PRIORITY: The largest and/or highest-ranked interior forest blocks in the surrounding biophysical region. They are critical for maintaining interior forest habitat and associated ecological functions. As part of this remapping, the northerly highest priority blocks were merged with a previously adjacent, but separate block. These blocks had been separated by a large wetland. The more southerly highest priority block was also enlarged to include areas of young forest, shrub, and wetland cover. </SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 4 42;"><SPAN /></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN>For more information about interior forest blocks visit the </SPAN><A href="https://vtfishandwildlife.com/conserve/vermont-conservation-design" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Vermont Conservation Design </SPAN></A><SPAN>webpage.</SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN /><SPAN /></P></DIV></DIV></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Interior forest blocks are the subset of forest blocks that provide the highest quality and often the largest areas of interior forest habitat. These priority forest blocks were identified by state ecologists and biologists during the </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN>Vermont Conservation Design</SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>. Interior forest blocks were evaluated and ranked based on the amount and quality of interior forest habitat, topographic diversity, and capacity for other associated ecological functions. In 2020, Native Geographic, LLC remapped the Hinesburg blocks to reflect current conditions and to improve the data resolution. Using 2016 National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) and 2018 Vermont Ortho aerial imagery and 911 data, all highest priority and priority blocks were remapped at a scale of 1:5,000 or finer. This updated mapping replaces the original block boundaries that were derived from </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN>2006 National Land Cover Data</SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>, but the original block rankings, such as Highest Priority or Priority, were retained. </SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 4 2;"><SPAN /><SPAN /></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 4 2;"><SPAN>PRIORITY: </SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>Priority blocks are highly ranked interior forest blocks relative to the surrounding biophysical region. They provide important interior forest habitat and help to buffer and maintain the integrity of the highest priority interior forest blocks.</SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 4 42;"><SPAN /></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN>For more information about interior forest blocks visit the </SPAN><A href="https://vtfishandwildlife.com/conserve/vermont-conservation-design" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Vermont Conservation Design </SPAN></A><SPAN>webpage.</SPAN></P></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Subset of forest blocks that are part of a larger inter-connected network of forests, riparian areas, and other habitats that provide connectivity across the state and broader northeast region. These forest blocks were identified by state ecologists and biologists during the Vermont Conservation Design. A variety of other data layers, connectivity computer models, and studies were used to evaluate and identify the connector blocks. Block boundaries were remapped by Native Geographic, LLC in 2020 (see Interior Forest Blocks). </SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN /></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN>HIGHEST PRIORITY: </SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>Block is central to the larger inter-connected network of forest blocks across the state and broader northeast. Statewide, the highest priority connector block network includes the spines of the major mountain ranges, connections to outside Vermont, and connections across the state</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>’</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>s nine biophysical regions. </SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN /></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>For more information about connector blocks visit the </SPAN><A href="https://vtfishandwildlife.com/conserve/vermont-conservation-design" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Vermont Conservation Design </SPAN></A><SPAN>webpage.</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Subset of forest blocks that are part of a larger inter-connected network of forests, riparian areas, and other habitats that provide connectivity across the state and broader northeast region. These forest blocks were identified by state ecologists and biologists during the Vermont Conservation Design. A variety of other data layers, connectivity computer models, and studies were used to evaluate and identify the connector blocks. Block boundaries were remapped by Native Geographic, LLC in 2020 (see Interior Forest Blocks). </SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN /></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN>PRIORITY: </SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>Block provides alternate pathways and redundancy to the highest priority Connector Blocks network. These blocks help to support and maintain the integrity of the highest priority blocks.</SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN /></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>For more information about connector blocks visit the </SPAN><A href="https://vtfishandwildlife.com/conserve/vermont-conservation-design" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Vermont Conservation Design </SPAN></A><SPAN>webpage.</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Subset of the forest blocks that include combinations of bedrock, soils, landforms, and/or other physical landscape features that are either rare in Vermont or the surrounding region. These forest blocks were identified by state ecologists and biologists during the Vermont Conservation Design to supplement the physical diversity included in the highest priority interior forest blocks and connector blocks and to ensure that the state</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>’</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>s full diversity of physical habitats is captured in and represented by the overall Vermont Conservation Design network.</SPAN></SPAN></P><DIV><P><SPAN /></P><P><SPAN>For more information about physical landscape diversity blocks visit the </SPAN><A href="https://vtfishandwildlife.com/conserve/vermont-conservation-design" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Vermont Conservation Design </SPAN></A><SPAN>webpage. </SPAN></P></DIV></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Includes the town</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>’</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>s interconnected network of streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes and the immediately adjacent riparian and valley bottom forests, wetlands, and other natural/semi-natural covers. These areas were identified by state ecologists and biologists during an early update of the Vermont Conservation Design. These areas are critical to natural stream, river, and floodplain processes, contribute to broader ecological connectivity across the landscape, and provide important wildlife and plant habitat and travel corridors. </SPAN></SPAN></P><P /><P STYLE="margin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>For more information about riparian wildlife connectivity visit the </SPAN><A href="https://vtfishandwildlife.com/conserve/vermont-conservation-design" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Vermont Conservation Design </SPAN></A><SPAN>webpage</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><DIV><DIV><P STYLE="font-weight:bold;margin:0 0 4 0;"><SPAN>Core wildlife habitats are large tracts of forest and wetlands and smaller areas of interior forest with few roads or houses. These areas are identified has as a wildlife habitat of special concern in the Hinesburg Town Plan and included in Map 14 of the Plan. This dataset was developed by the Town of Hinesburg around 2012 and consists of blocks 700 acres or larger, and interior areas (100m meters from edge) of smaller blocks. </SPAN></P><P /><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>For more information visit the </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Hinesburg Town Plan </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN> webpage:</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN><A href="https://www.hinesburg.org/townplan/" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>https://www.hinesburg.org/townplan/</SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN><SPAN>.</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></DIV>