Communities should prohibit or restrict the development of lands with significant natural resource value, including but not limited to farms, wetlands and wildlife corridors. This effort may require specific plans on a community designated priority, such as a greenway or passive outdoor recreation. This conservation can be integrated into existing zoning districts through density standards. It can also be done through overlay districts with specific standards to maintain the functionality and/or values of types of land (e.g., to prevent fragmentation of priority forest blocks) and based on environmental data (e.g., USDA prime agricultural soils). Another option is to make it a priority for consideration in the development review process by planning boards, zoning boards and other relevant municipal bodies. Communities might partner with local land trusts to conserve land via easement or fee simple acquisition by municipality.
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