Information About Rare Species for a Permit Requirement
NH Heritage maintains a database of known locations of rare species and exemplary natural communities. Federal, state, and local agencies may require a check of this database to determine whether a proposed project could impact rare species or critical habitat. There is a $25 fee for this service.
There are two ways to request a check of the NH Heritage database:
1. Use the DataCheck Tool. This is an interactive web page that can be used to provide NH Heritage with basic information about a project, including a map.
First Time Users: Please print this PDF for step-by-step instructions for the mapping portion of the DataCheck Tool.
If there are no NH Heritage records anywhere in the vicinity, a letter to that effect will be e-mailed within 24 hours and there is no fee.If NH Heritage records are in the vicinity, a review by NH Heritage is needed. This review can be requested using the DataCheck Tool, and payment of the $25 fee can be made online using a credit card, or by sending a check.
Important Note: the Tool can only be accessed using the Windows Explorer browser.
2. Submit a request form (pdf version) (Word template version) to NH Heritage. There is always a fee for this service, and payment is by check only.
Information About Your Property
NH Heritage can check its database to see if we have any rare plant, rare animal, or exemplary natural community records on your property. Please fill out a short form to request such a check. There is no fee for this service. However, the results cannot be used for permit requirements (the scope of the database check is different). See above to request information for a permit requirement.
Please note that very little of New Hampshire has been inventoried for biodiversity, so even if something is on your property, it has probably not been recorded. A field survey would provide better information on what species and communities are indeed present. NH Heritage is sometimes able to do property-specific inventories for towns or individuals, but only after we have worked out a formal contract to cover our expenses.Information for Town or Other Planning Projects
We recommend contacting our office to discuss planning projects so we can help you obtain the information that will best inform your planning decisions. Please contact us by e-mail or telephone (603-271-2214) or fax (603-271-6488). For GIS mapping, NH Heritage information is available for town and regional planning projects in a buffered format only. NH Heritage respects landowner privacy concerns, and therefore masks specific rare plant, rare animal, and exemplary natural community locations within randomly shifted one-mile diameter circles. This information is available through the GRANIT system with prior written permission from NH Heritage.
Town and County Species and Natural Community Lists
Lists of known rare plants, rare animals, and exemplary natural communities in each New Hampshire town are available in the Publications section.
Inventories
NH Heritage has been conducting inventories for land managers and landowners for more than 15 years. Our rates are competitive and our products are outstanding. Surveys are tailored to meet the information needs of the client.
1. Detailed Property Inventories: Inventories for clients such as the Army Corps of Engineers have included careful surveys for rare plants, exemplary natural communities, and rare animals (in coordination with the Nongame & Endangered Wildlife Program). In addition to site descriptions and high quality maps, we provide management considerations to facilitate informed land use decisions.
2. Town Inventories: Town-wide analyses and field inventories for rare plant populations and exemplary natural communities can be a tremendously useful planning tool. Products typically include detailed site descriptions, high quality maps, and management considerations. We are also able to describe the statewide importance of significant features (a particular wetland in Odiorne Point State Park, for example, is the only coastal salt pond community in New Hampshire). Please note that inventories on private property are conducted only with landowner permission.
3. Regional Landscape Analyses: We combine cutting-edge technology with extensive ecological knowledge to identify areas with high potential to support rare plant populations and exemplary natural communities. These initial analyses are valuable guides for field inventories and planning efforts.
a NH Heritage ecologist surveys a population of
Dryopteris fragrans, a rare cliff fern, on the side
of a cliff at Crystal Cascade in Pinkham Notch.
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