A. The Virginia Natural Heritage Program is hereby established and shall be administered by the Department.
1. Produce an inventory of the Commonwealth’s natural heritage resources, including their location and ecological status.
2. Maintain a natural heritage data bank of inventory data and other relevant information for ecologically significant sites supporting natural heritage resources. Information from this data bank will be made available to public agencies and may be made available to private institutions or individuals for environmental assessment and land management purposes.
3. Develop a Natural Heritage Plan which establishes priorities for the protection, acquisition and management of registered and dedicated natural areas and natural area preserves.
C. The Program shall include other functions as may be assigned by the Director for the registration, dedication, protection and stewardship of natural areas and natural area preserves.
History
1989, c. 553.
