The NRI procedure described here involves a two-phase process: the Basic Inventory, and Detailed Inventory Studies. It is recommended that the Basic Inventory be completed BEFORE proceeding with the Detailed Inventory Studies. For communities that have already started work on an NRI or are updating an existing NRI, the data requirements for the Basic Inventory should be reviewed and gaps identified. The same can be done for Detailed Inventory Studies.
Basic Inventory is generated from data layers that are already available in GRANIT, GRANITView and the NH Wetlands Mapper, and doesn't require any other data collection. This is the first step to complete in conducting a NRI.
Detailed Inventory include a combination of GIS (Geographic Information System) data from the mapping sources listed above, field data, data from other sources, and generally requires more detailed documentation. Detailed Inventory studies are optional and will vary depending on a community's priorities.
The first step in an NRI is to collect and map readily available natural resources information to get an initial picture of the community’s natural resources. All of the information required for the Basic Inventory is already available through GRANIT, GRANITView and the NH Wetlands Mapper.
The purpose of the Basic Inventory is to give an initial visual overview of a community’s natural resources and is what every community should have in their NRI, at the minimum. It provides a basis for assessing the current status of natural resources in the study area and helps set goals for future steps in the inventory process. This can help the work group refine their focus, identify information gaps, and prioritize next steps. The Basic Inventory uses existing, publicly available information and does not require additional data collection. The Basic Inventory includes maps and documentation of data in a narrative report,
The list of Suggested Basic Inventory Components and associated NRI maps is provided below. Refer to the NRI Components section for discussion about the data behind the maps.
Sample NRI Maps provides examples of the Basic Inventory Maps. Communities may wish to add additional maps, or display data in different combinations than show in the sample maps. To learn more about what the narrative report looks like, refer to examples of completed community NRI's.
List of Suggested Basic Inventory Elements
- Conservation and Public Lands
- Water Resources (surface and ground water resources and wetlands).
- Farmlands
- Forest Resources
- Habitats and Wildlife
- Unfragmented Blocks
- Zoning and Tax Map Parcels
- Regional Conservation Plans
The Basic Inventory maps and accompanying narrative report can be put to immediate use by town boards making decisions that impact natural resources. The Basic NRI provides the building blocks for putting together a Conservation Plan. By taking these maps to community events, communities have the opportunity for both for public education and to solicit additional input from the community.
Once the Basic Inventory is complete, it can be expanded as needed over a period of time, depending on the work group’s specific needs and prioritized goals. The purpose of the Detailed Inventory Studies is to collect additional information that supports the primary goals of the NRI. This may involve incorporating information from other studies, initiating new studies, using existing GIS-based data, and/or collecting local data. Detailed inventory studies are optional and can be included as and when a community needs the data.
Detailed Inventories involve more than GIS maps. Documentation in the form of narrative descriptions and supporting data tables are an important component of these studies. While the maps provide an important and often enlightening visual image (valuable for public education), some data don’t lend themselves display on a map and are best documented in a narrative report. For example, the information and results from a wetland inventory and evaluation study are presented in tabular, graphic and narrative form, along with individual wetland maps, that can be incorporated into the NRI as a subsection or an addendum.
List of Detailed Inventory
These are examples of some common studies completed for an NRI. Other studies or data sources may be added depending on your goals. It is generally more efficient to focus on one detailed study at a time, noting that there can be multiple data requirements involved in evaluating a single resource or priority. Not all the Detailed Inventory Studies listed need to be completed by all communities. Depending on the prioritized goals, the work group can select to conduct those studies that best meet their needs.
Each of the suggested detailed inventory studies below is linked the NRI Elements that includes relevant information and resources. Note that this list is not exhaustive, and there may be other detailed studies that a community elects to take.
To find more detailed information about these studies, click on the relevant sections found on the Water Resources page:
- Buffers for Surface Waters
- Groundwater Studies (including resources of local or regional significance)
- Shorelands
- Surface Water Quality Studies
- Wetlands Inventory and Identification of Prime Wetlands
- Inventory of Active Farmlands
- Inventory of Scenic Resources
- Inventory of recreation resources
