A Baseline Report (often referred to by different names, such as Baseline Documentation Report, Conservation Report) is the snapshot of the conservation features and values of the property. This document outlines what is of conservation importance about the property and any future monitoring, interpretation of the CE and necessary enforcement will be based on this baseline document.
The Baseline Report is generally prepared by the CE holder, but landowner involvement leads to a more effective report. The landowner will likely have the most knowledge about the property and may have existing conservation inventories that can be used. If the landowner is not involved, they will at least need to sign off that the report is a valid representation of the property.
The following sections may be included in the Baseline Report:
Context : The Baseline Report should explicitly reference the conservation purpose of the CE, making it clear that the assessment and inventories included are expressed in terms of that conservation purpose. When the conservation values being protected are part of a larger picture, that regional context should be described.
Human Footprint : The Baseline Report should include a description of the existing human footprint (house, barn, road, shed, etc.) and land use activities, and should identify any activities that are to be grandfathered.
Natural or Conservation Features : The Report should include a listing and description of the features of the landscape the parties are hoping to protect. This could include water/hydrology, vegetation, surficial geology, wildlife, archeologically significant areas, scenic views and/or agriculturally-productive land.
Monitoring and Stewardship : As the Baseline Report is the basis of future monitoring and stewardship, the report should be structured to support that future work. This should include detailed descriptions of the photo-points so they can be replicated, and recommendations on monitoring approaches where applicable.
