Planning the "Avoid-Reduce-Compensate" sequence at the landscape level: what contribution can ecological network modeling make to the implementation of natural compensation sites?

Abstract

Many observers of the mitigation hierarchy now agree on the need to plan it at the landscape scale, in particular to better consider the effects of land-use planning on ecological networks. In this respect, ecological network modeling tools can help assess the effects of development and offsets at a larger spatial scale. Here, we describe how their use can improve offset practices, and more specifically the implementation of natural offset sites (SNC in French). We propose an approach to assess and monitor the level of ecological connectivity within their sales area in order to jointly calculate the gains from offsetting and the cumulative effects of the different developments projects planned there.