Locality Assistance Program for Natural Heritage Conservation
Program Mission and Goals |
Locality Liaisons |
Tools & Services |
Data Subscriptions & Map of Locality Subscribers |
Contact your Locality Liaison |
Program Mission & Goals
Through the ‘Locality Assistance Program for Natural Heritage Conservation,’ the Virginia Department of Conservation
and Recreation’s Division of Natural Heritage (DCR-DNH) assists local conservation partners in fully utilizing natural
heritage resource information as well as the consultative services we provide to ensure protection of natural heritage
resources.
The Locality Assistance Program seeks to establish natural heritage resource information as part of fundamental locality
decision-making criteria through tools such as:
- project Review
- project Sitings
- comprehensive planning
- zoning amendments
- open space and green infrastructure planning, and
- purchase and transfer of development rights (PDR/TDR) programs
Locality Liaisons
The DCR Locality Assistance Program for Natural Heritage Conservation is implemented by Locality Liaisons. Locality
Liaisons serve as primary DCR-DNH points of contact for:
- local governments
- planning district commissions
- land trusts and
- other conservation partners
Locality Liaison Kristal McKelvey mans the Locality Liaison display at an Earth Day event.
Locality Liaisons are available to provide presentations on the Locality Assistance Program, and Natural Heritage Data
Explorer to interested localities and other conservation partners. They can also provide basic information on the Virginia
Conservation Lands Needs Assessment and the Land Conservation Data Explorer.
Each presentation is tailored to the specific organization and is followed by a discussion of the organization’s needs.
Tools & Services
The Locality Assistance Program offers a suite of optional tools and services to localities and other local conservation
partners. Locality Liaisons can provide assistance in selecting amongst the various options in order to tailor the program
to local needs.
A full list of the tools and services available in the DCR Locality Assistance Program for Natural Heritage Conservation
can be found here.
Data Subscriptions & Map of Locality Subscribers
Many localities and other conservation partners throughout Virginia have Natural Heritage Resource Data Subscriptions.
Montane Depression Wetland Community
The subscription provides users with data concerning natural heritage resources (rare, threatened and endangered species,
significant natural communities, caves and karst features). Data is available in the form of a shapefile to integrate into
an existing GIS, or by access to the
Natural Heritage Data Explorer. Subscriptions are free to local governments and other
non-profit organizations. A
data license agreement is required. Subscriptions last one year, and quarterly updates are
provided.
View a map of local governments that currently have data subscriptions to determine if localities in your area have
natural heritage data to utilize in decision-making.
Contact Your Locality Liaison
![](images/echilaev.jpg)
Echinacea laevigata - Smooth Coneflower Please contact your Locality Liaison for additional information or to schedule a presentation for your locality or
organization. View the Locality Liaison Service Areas map, to determine which Locality Liaison services your jurisdiction.
Kristal McKelvey, Coastal Zone Locality Liaison
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Division of Natural Heritage
217 Governor Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804-692-0984
Email:
kristal.mckelvey@dcr.virginia.gov
Vacant, Piedmont and Mountain Zone Locality Liaison
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Division of Natural Heritage
217 Governor Street
Richmond, VA 23219
This project was funded in part by the Virginia Coastal Program at the Department of Environmental Quality through Grant
#NAO8NOS4190466 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management,
under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of
the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, or any of its subagencies.