Structure, Preparation and Precautionary Principle

This is an essential chapter as it sets the scene for the remainder of the book. It begins with an overview of the entire planning process and establishes the key components of any management plan. These can be expressed in plain language as: Why are we here? What have we got? What is important? What do we want? What must we do? This simple outline is followed by a detailed structure and recommended contents for a management plan. There is no ‘one size fits all’ in management planning: individuals and organisations will invariably wish to tailor a format to meet their specific requirements, but there are advantages to be gained when an organisation adopts a corporate standard. There are a number of issues that have to be considered. These include the size of a plan: it should be as large as the site requires and no larger. Planning should be an inclusive process or a team effort. Planners should understand the difference between outputs, i.e. the incidental by-products of conservation management (for example, a management plan), and outcomes, i.e. the purpose of conservation management (for example, habitats and species in the required condition). Finally, there is an important relationship between conservation planning and the precautionary principle. We cannot afford to take unnecessary chances when managing our natural environment.

Keywords action plan, description, evaluation, legislation, objectives, plan contents, plan structure, policy, precautionary principle, preparation