New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules
Ncr - Commissioner, Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
Chapter Ncr 300 - NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM
Part Ncr 302 - DEFINITIONS
Section Ncr 302.01 - Definitions

(a) "Commissioner" means "commissioner" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, II, namely "the commissioner of the department of natural and cultural resources."

(b) "DataCheck" means the results of using the DataCheck tool or a request submitted in accordance with Ncr 308.02 (b).

(c) "DataCheck tool" means an online data screening tool provided by the department of environmental services and the natural heritage bureau where the public can screen for known locations of rare species and exemplary natural communities.

(d) "Data sharing agreement" means a formal understanding that articulates the data that is being shared, how the data is allowed to be used, and for how long that data is allowed to be used.

(e) "Department" means "department" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, III, namely "the department of natural and cultural resources."

(f) "Ecological integrity assessment" means an assessment of the current status of the composition, structure, processes, and connectivity of a particular occurrence of an ecosystem type.

(g) "Endangered species" means "endangered species" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, IV, namely "any species of plant that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range within the state, or any species determined to be an endangered species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act."

(h) "Endangered Species Act" means "Endangered Species Act" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, V, namely "the Endangered Species Act of 1973, Public Law 93-205, as amended."

(i) "Environmental review" means a natural heritage bureau review of potential impacts to protected species, exemplary natural communities, and natural community system occurrences to enable planning, permitting, and funding.

(j) "Exemplary natural community" means "exemplary natural community" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, VII, namely "a viable occurrence of a rare natural community type or a high quality example of a more common natural community type as designated by the natural heritage bureau based on community size, ecological condition, and landscape context."

(k) "Natural community" means an interactive assemblage of organisms, their physical environment, and the natural processes that affect them.

(l) "Natural community system" means more than one natural community co-occurring on the landscape and having a common set of characteristics such as climate, landforms, disturbance, nutrients, soils, bedrock, and hydrology.

(m) "Natural heritage bureau" means "natural heritage bureau" as defined in RSA 217-A:3I, XI, namely " the bureau, administered within the division of forests and lands of the department which collects and analyzes data on the status, location, and distribution of native plant species and natural communities in the state, and develops and implements measures for the protection, conservation, enhancement and management of native New Hampshire plants."

(n) "Natural heritage bureau database" means the database that has records of current or formerly rare, threatened, endangered, and tracked plant and wildlife species, and exemplary natural communities.

(o) "Natural heritage inventory" means "natural heritage inventory" as defined in RSA 217-A:3II, XI, namely "the list of protected species developed in accordance with RSA 217-A:5, I and II."

(p) "Person" means "person" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, XIV, namely "an individual, corporation, company, association, society, firm, partnership, joint stock company, or any department or instrumentality of the federal government, of any state or its political subdivisions, or of any foreign government."

(q) "Plant" means "plant" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, XV, namely "any member of the plant kingdom, including seeds, roots, and other parts of plants."

(r) "Protect" and "protection" means "protect" and "protection" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, XVI, namely "to use and the use of all methods and procedures that are necessary to bring any species to the point at which the measures provided pursuant to this chapter are no longer necessary. Such methods and procedures include, but are not limited to, all activities associated with scientific resources management such as research, census, law enforcement, habitat acquisition, and maintenance."

(s) "Protected species" means "protected species" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, XVII, namely "any plant species designated as endangered or threatened under this chapter."

(t) "Species" means "species" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, XVIII, namely "any species, subspecies, or variety of plant."

(u) "Threatened species" means "threatened species" as defined in RSA 217-A:3, XX, namely "any species of plant likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range within the state, or any species of plant to be determined to be a threatened species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act."