Protecting Natural Resources

Natural resources in southwest Indiana are integral to the identity of the region and many individual communities within it. These important resources include but are not limited to: agricultural lands; forestlands, karst terrain; stream and the associated corridors and floodplains; wetlands; groundwater resources, including public and private drinking water; wildlife and wildlife habitat, including endangered, threatened, or rare species; and high quality natural communities.

Select the tools below. Tools in gray boxes are not recommended for that level of planning capacity.

LEVEL 1:	LEVEL 2:	LEVEL 3:	LEVEL 4:
See Increasing Local Fundamental Planning Capacity	Land Ownership and Conservation Easements *	Land Ownership and Conservation Easements *	Land Ownership and Conservation Easements *
	Conservation Subdivision Ordinance *	Conservation Subdivision Ordinance *	Conservation Subdivision Ordinance *
	Hillside / Steep Slope Protection *	Hillside / Steep Slope Protection *	Hillside / Steep Slope Protection *
	Open Space and Recreation Planning *	Open Space and Recreation Planning *	Open Space and Recreation Planning *
	Scenic Viewshed Protection *	Scenic Viewshed Protection *	Scenic Viewshed Protection *
	Tree Protection Ordinance *	Tree Protection Ordinance *	Tree Protection Ordinance *
	Forest Protection *	Forest Protection *	Forest Protection *
	Agricultural Land Preservation Techniques *	Agricultural Land Preservation Techniques *	Agricultural Land Preservation Techniques *
	Stream Corridor Protection *	Stream Corridor Protection *	Stream Corridor Protection *
	Wetland Protection *	Wetland Protection *	Wetland Protection *
	Watershed Protection *	Watershed Protection *	Watershed Protection *
	Groundwater / Wellhead Protection	Groundwater / Wellhead Protection	Groundwater / Wellhead Protection
	Karst Landscape Preservation	Karst Landscape Preservation	Karst Landscape Preservation
	Biodiversity/ Habitat Protection *	Biodiversity/ Habitat Protection *	Biodiversity/ Habitat Protection *

* Tools Under Construction

The benefits provided by the region’s set of natural resources are as varied as the resources themselves. Natural resources contribute directly to the local economies within the region through the production of agricultural and forest commodities and value-added products, as well as through the recreation and tourism industries. Less directly, natural resources provide quality of life and aesthetic benefits that retain current residents and attract new ones. Natural resources also provide many of the environmental services often associated with hard infrastructure at a much lower cost, such as storm water conveyance, wastewater treatment, and drinking water provision.

The construction of I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville is likely to spur new development along the highway and place pressure on the region’s resources. Sustainable development and decision making is particularly important to southwest Indiana communities as they seek to maximize the benefits derived from the new highway and manage the potential negative consequences. Sustainable development incorporates social, economic, and environmental considerations to ensure that future generations continue to have a rich quality of life. Contrary to popular belief, the protection of natural resources and building a healthy economy are not mutually exclusive.

The incorporation of natural resources into community planning efforts and public education will be particularly critical to sustainable development and decision making. Comprehensive planning throughout the state typically involves only cursory review of a limited number of resources, commonly including only steep slopes, floodplains, wetlands, and the soil conditions appropriate for the location of individual on-site wastewater treatment (septic) systems. Development regulations often deal with natural resources issues as an after-thought. More complete consideration and treatment is needed to manage and protect these important resources effectively.

Public education, while critical, is likely to be a challenge. Residents often take these important resources for granted and few understand the complexity of relationships between individual natural resources or between natural resources and the built environment. Because natural resources are interconnected in complex ecosystems and sometimes hidden, development and land use actions can have significant consequences in near and seemingly distant locations. A lack of knowledge also can have significant consequences for land owners and communities when decisions are made independent of the realities of natural hazards such as stream or karst floodplains or the contamination of drinking water supplies.

To assist local communities in their efforts to incorporate natural resources into community planning, the tools presented in this section include resource data, public education resources, and a variety of regulatory and non-regulatory implementation options. Communities should consider their needs and local implementation capacity when selecting among potential tools and various treatments, from simple to complex, within those tools.