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Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership
Public Input
 
 
       
 
Summary of Stakeholder and Public Input 
The Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership (PBP) conducted a broad stakeholder and public input process to assist in developing the statewide Pennsylvania Biodiversity Conservation Plan. As one part of this process, PBP hosted a series of facilitated focus groups designed to gather critical information and input from a broad range of stakeholders about important biodiversity issues in Pennsylvania. The focus groups were facilitated by The Drager Group, Morgantown, PA. In addition, a pencil-and-paper survey was made available for the public to complete at conferences and meetings attended by PBP staff as well as on the PBP website.
 
The objectives of the overall input process were:
To engage a broad range of individuals in the planning process by gathering their perceptions about a range of topics concerning biodiversity.
To engage stakeholder groups in the planning process by gathering their perceptions about a range of topics concerning biodiversity.
To document and summarize their input for use by PBP task forces and the Biodiversity Conservation Plan Team in developing the Pennsylvania Biodiversity Conservation Plan.
As a secondary objective, increase awareness of PBP, its activities, and the development a statewide plan for conservation of biodiversity in Pennsylvania.
 
Overall Results
Fifteen stakeholder focus groups were conducted.
Approximately 11,000 individual responses were received for focus group topics.
680 public comment forms were completed.
Every county in the state was represented by at least one public comment form.
 
Stakeholder Focus Groups
The facilitation process used in the focus groups was designed to provide a high level of objectivity and to mitigate or reduce as much as possible any participant bias and response contamination. Each topic was presented individually and participants were allowed a few minutes to record their responses on index cards. The responses were collected and read to participants without comment. The topics presented to each focus group were:
What are the five most important issues relative to biodiversity in Pennsylvania?
What are the five least important issues relative to biodiversity in Pennsylvania?
What role should [participant’s organization/type of organization] play in biodiversity conservation in Pennsylvania?
Relative to accomplishing the specific mission of the organization(s) participants represent, what should be in the biodiversity conservation plan?
Relative to accomplishing the specific mission of the organization(s) participants represent, what should not be in the biodiversity conservation plan?
What is the participant’s vision of the best achievable condition of biodiversity in Pennsylvania in ten years?
What format(s) should the plan be in? Should the plan include maps? If yes, what types? If no, why not?
Other suggestions and comments.
 
Focus Group Participants and Location of Focus Group Meetings (see map at top of page)
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Harrisburg
Forest products industry representatives, Kane
Governor’s Advisory Council on Hunting, Fishing, and Conservation, Erie
Oil and gas industry representatives, Warren
Pennsylvania Academy of Science, Monroeville
Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators, Altoona
Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals, Eastern Section, Blue Bell
Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals, Western Section, Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership Board, Warren
Pennsylvania Biological Survey Steering Committee, Kempton
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Harrisburg
Pennsylvania Forest Products Association, State College
Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg
Southeastern Pennsylvania land trusts, Doylestown
Southwestern Pennsylvania land trusts, Sewickley
 
Focus Group Results: Issues
General agreement on most important issues.
Most important issues include habitat (loss, fragmentation, preservation), education, invasive species, need for comprehensive statewide planning, and deer management.
Less agreement on least important issues, but the most frequently mentioned response was focusing on individual species or habitats.
 
Focus Group Results: Contents of the Biodiversity Plan
Overwhelmingly, participants identified the need for clear and well-defined strategies in the plan.
The plan should NOT focus on individual species or habitat.
The plan should avoid specific recommendations on regulations or laws and restrictions on the rights of individual landowners and developers.
 
Public Comment Forms
The public comment form was designed as a simple method of gathering input from diverse individuals through a short pencil-and-paper format (see sample comment form). These forms were administered by PBP staff at conferences, meetings, lectures, and focus groups as well as available on the PBP website. A total of 680 forms was completed at locations throughout the state. Every county in the state is represented by one or more completed comment forms (see map at top of page). A summary of the answers is presented below in descending order of the number of responses.
 
Public Comment Forms: Greatest Threats to Biodiversity
Development/sprawl
Habitat loss
Invasive species
Pollution
Poor land planning
 
Public Comment Forms: What Issues Should be Included in the Biodiversity Plan
Research and education
Development of a statewide & community-based effort and plan
Wetland preservation
Preservation of land and open space
Development of county and local guidelines
 
Public Comment Forms: Specific Areas or Habitats to Preserve
Variety of specific local and regional sites
All of Pennsylvania
Wetlands
Water resources and watersheds
Appalachian Mountains
Old growth forests
 
Full Public Input Report (7 pages, PDF)
Sample Public Comment Form (2 pages, PDF)
 
  Last Updated: Dec 07

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