(a) Conservation areas are areas of public or private land that are maintained in a natural or semi-natural state through active, planned management to provide ecological services such as:
(1) Pollinator, bird or other wildlife habitat.
(2) Improved groundwater infiltration or reduction of sediments in runoff.
(3) Restoration of desirable native plant species and communities.
(4) Other beneficial or recreational purposes.
(b) Conservation areas may have a variety of vegetative cover types, including but not limited to forest, woodland, grassland, and wetlands; and these cover types are expected to progress through a variety of successional stages over time and according to management practices.
(c) Bona fide conservation areas may be established and maintained within the Village under the following conditions:
(1) The conservation area has a written management plan prepared or approved by a professional wildlife biologist, forester, conservationist or similarly qualified individual acceptable to the Mayor.
(2) The boundaries of the conservation areas are clearly marked through painted blazes, signage, fencing, stakes, clearly delineated mowed firebreaks, or other suitable methods.
(3) For privately-owned parcels less than one acre in size, the combined area of any designated conservation areas on the parcel may not exceed an area of fifty percent (50%) of the total parcel size.
(4) For privately-owned parcels exceeding one acre in size, and for publicly-owned parcels of any size, designated conservation areas may be of any size, including the entire parcel.
(d) Conservation areas are not simply land that is allowed to go feral; areas within the Village that are in a ruderal and unmanaged condition shall not be extended recognition as conservation areas and must comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
(e) All normally-accepted natural resources management practices shall be allowable on designated conservation areas, to include the use of prescribed burning, mowing and pesticide use, so long as the practices are prescribed in the written management plan, and subject to any state or federal laws or regulations governing the practices.
(f) All designated conservation areas shall be maintained in a condition that does not post a threat to health and safety, to include reduction of wildfire hazard through maintained firebreaks, elimination of noxious weeds, mitigation of hazard trees, and any other hazards identified by Village authorities.
(Ord. 2023-11. Passed 8-28-23.)