Critical Habitat is a habitat area critical to the conservation of a listed species.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical habitat !he above link states: "nder the endangered species act# all habitat $%st be designated for all threatened species and endangered species. &esignations of critical habitat $%st be based on: !he best scientific infor$ation available 'n an open p%blic process 'n specific ti$efra$es (age ): "nder *irst +ction ,teps: !o better %nderstand r%ral land %ses# create and prioriti-e an inventor. of
far$lands# forestlands# prairies# and other critical habitats that $a. be at risk d%e to develop$ent press%re. !ake appropriate steps /e.g.# incentives# s%pport agric%lt%ral econo$.# p%rchase or transfer of develop$ent rights# r%ral -oning changes0 to achieve goals.

(age 12:
*irst +ction ,teps: !o better %nderstand r%ral land %ses# create and prioriti-e an inventor. of far$lands# forest lands# prairies# and other critical habitats that are at risk d%e to develop$ent press%re.

(age 34:
*irst +ction ,teps: !o better %nderstand r%ral land %ses# create and prioriti-e an inventor. of far$lands# forest lands# prairies# and other critical habitats that are at risk d%e to develop$ent press%re.

5. co$$ents for pages )# 12# 34: !he writers of this plan love to %se the words critical habitat beca%se it so%nds so environ$entall. strong# even if it is %sed in the wrong conte6t. !he other possibilit. is that the. want to label all forest lands# prairies and far$lands as critical habitat. *%rther$ore# since the designation $%st be in an open p%blic process do we e6pect the co%nt. to designate critical habitats in secret as the. have created their plan7 (age 89: However# even at a $ore $odest growth rate than previo%s decades# r%ral residential growth strains !h%rston Co%nt.:s e$ergenc. services# needs infrastr%ct%re that is costl. to $aintain# and p%ts forest land# far$lands# and critical habitats at risk of %rbani-ation. ,o%rce: !h%rston ;egional (lanning Co%ncil. 5. co$$ent: <ot it right that ti$e.

(age 8=: (rotecting critical habitats while $aintaining propert. rights. 5. co$$ent: !hat wo%ld be nice. ;e$oving growth press%res on prairie lands and other nat%ral lands $aintains critical habitats %ntil the. can be protected b. long>ter$ strategies. 5. co$$ent: Here it is again. (rairie lands and nat%ral lands are now defined as critical habitats according to this plan. (age 9=: !his can be acco$plished b. identif.ing priorit. far$lands /s%ch as ?ocall. &esignated *ar$ ?ands0# forest lands# prairie and other critical habitats that $a. be eligible for the progra$. *%nd the (&; progra$ %sing local conservation f%t%res f%nds or thro%gh a local bond approved b. voters. &evelop a cooperative $anage$ent agree$ent between !h%rston Co%nt. and local land tr%sts /e.g.# Capitol ?and !r%st and @isA%all. ?and !r%st0 to $anage the progra$. 5. co$$ents: @ow priorit. far$lands /s%ch as ?ocall. &esignated *ar$ ?ands0 have been added to the critical habitats.