Project Ranking Systems

This paper presents a methodology for rating existing or potential conservation land according to ten criteria weighted to reflect the needs of the local community in which the land is located. The ratings may be used to determine priority for public acquisition.

Form used by the Central Indiana Trust to score potential land protection projects based on their environmental value and organizational costs/benefits.

System used by Lancaster Farmland Trust to score potential projects. Measures farms on a variety of features within five main categories: soils, development pressure, farm viability, farmland concentration potential, and special characteristics. The scores help the board of trustees decide the dollar amount to offer a farm owner for a conservation easement.

Describes the Nova Scotia Nature Trust's process for selecting properties to conserve. Aims to optimize the use of NSNT resources by selecting properties that have the highest level of compatibility with NSNT’s mission and goals.

Ranking system used by the all-volunteer South County Conservancy to prioritize potential conservation projects. Scores properties based on features like size, groundwater protection, historic value, and ecologically significant habitat.