The commission must determine criteria for inclusion in the
register to fulfill not only the definition of a natural area but the natural
heritage resources and site considerations within the priorities and criteria
for conservation in the Plan. The commission, department, the committee upon
request pursuant to OAR
736-045-0100(6)(b),
and the Institute for Natural Resources pursuant to ORS
352.808(2)(g)
will use the following criteria in evaluating a candidate natural area proposed
for inclusion in or removal from the Register:
(1) The priority for protection in the plan
of the primary natural heritage resources objective and other natural heritage
resources in the candidate natural area;
(2) Whether the natural heritage resource
occurrence(s) is an adequate representative of the type; or whether the site
can feasibly be restored to provide adequate representation of the ecosystem
type, including habitat for at-risk species;
(3) The extent to which each natural heritage
resource has retained its natural character, and processes
i.e., a measurement of the degree of human-caused disturbance;
or, the degree of feasibility of restoring the target natural character and
processes;
(4) The health and
viability of the natural heritage resource occurrence(s),
i.e., the ability of each natural heritage resource occurrence
to perpetuate itself or its natural sequence of development in the candidate
natural area;
(5) The number of
natural heritage resources that will be adequately represented in the candidate
natural area;
(6) The degree of
uniqueness and educational and natural interpretation values of a geologic
resource(s);
(7) The priority of
protection given in the plan to each special species of plant or
animal;
(8) The contribution the
particular candidate natural area will make to the protection of the special
species;
(9) Manageability,
i.e., the capability of the candidate natural area to be
managed to protect and maintain the natural values, as well as to make it
available and useful for its designated purposes;
(10) Whether there are alternative methods of
accomplishing the same purposes of this division; and
(11) The cost effectiveness of including a
candidate natural area in the register.
