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region which are presently protected from uncontrolled development and 

 those which are properly preserved and managed as natural areas. (2) 

 The second phase involved determining and mapping the locations of 

 ecologically important and significant flora, fauna, biotic communities 

 and ecosystems. This was done on the basis of a full literature search 

 and of existing field studies and recommendations from available sources 

 as well as preliminary field checks of the information thus received. 

 (3) Selected ecological criteria were assigned numerical ratings and, 

 by the use of overlay maps and a computerized data storage and 

 retrieval system, all the locations noted from phase 2 were given a 

 numerical rank. Thus, locations with the highest ecological value 

 could be determined and proposed as the primary targets for procurement 

 and other protective measures. 



A final and crucial phase (4) was not within the scope of the 

 contract for this study: it remains to conduct extensive field checks' 

 and feasibility studies of the proposed areas. The purpose of such 

 fieldwork is threefold: to determine if the ecological information 

 used in this study was accurate and up-to-date; to determine how 

 vulnerable the proposed sites are to development and other intrusion; 

 and to determine such matters as ownership, availability, cost of 

 acquisition and the requirements for proper management after procure- 

 ment. 



NOTE: This survey should not be considered final or complete. Some 

 prime natural areas may have been inadvertently missed which 

 should have been included. The Center for Natural Areas 

 welcomes any and all additional ecological information to 

 improve its knowledge of the Bay region. 



