Eco-Logical Grant Program Projects

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A Pocket Guide
to the

Eco-Logical
Approach

cover image from A Pocket Guide to Eco-Logical, which consists of four photos: (1) an aerial photo, tinted blue, of a peninsula; (2) a photo, tinted green, of a stone bridge across a calm waterway; (3) a photo, tinted yellow, of three ducks flying above a wetland with a vast valley and low mountains in the background; and (4) a photo, tinted gray, of a two-lane roadway traversing a few hills as it recedes in the distance, with tall mountains in the background

What is Eco-Logical?

Do you want to accelerate project delivery, improve your partnerships with resource and regulatory agencies, reduce environmental permit processing times, and achieve better environmental outcomes? The Eco-Logical approach can help you accomplish all of these goals.

How does Eco-Logical work? Transportation agencies collaborate with partners and stakeholders during the planning process to understand transportation needs, identify and prioritize ecosystem and cultural resources, and discuss strategies to avoid or mitigate impacts in advance of project design. This early collaboration and documentation of priorities lead to agreed-upon mitigation strategies, timely permit decisions, and accelerated project delivery.

State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) engaged in Eco-Logical report improved relationships with partners and co-developed tools and datasets that lead to mutually beneficial outcomes.

9 Steps

Graphic showing the nine steps of the Eco-Logical Process: Step 1: Collaboration; Step 2: Eco Status; Step 3: Develop REF; Step 4: Assess REF; Step 5: Prioritize; Step 6: Crediting; Step 7: Agreements; Step 8: Implement; and Step 9: Update REF.

The Eco-Logical approach organizes current methods for natural resource identification, avoidance, minimization, and mitigation into a systematic, nine-step process.

1. Build and strengthen collaborative partnerships and vision

2. Characterize resource status and integrate natural environment plans

3. Create a regional ecosystem framework (REF)

4. Assess effects on conservation objectives

5. Establish and prioritize ecological actions

6. Develop crediting strategy

7. Develop programmatic consultations, biological opinion or permits

8. Implement agreements, adaptive management, and deliver projects

9. Update REF and plan

Why Eco-Logical?

Transportation agency staff that have implemented Eco-Logical call out numerous benefits:

Memorandums of agreement for data sharing and interagency coordination
Programmatic agreements on advance mitigation
Time savings through accelerated project delivery
Improved water quality and wildlife movement from projects developed through Eco-Logical

“We used the Eco-Logical approach to restore confidence in the transportation planning process, while at the same time resolving issues that prevented productive dialog in the past.”
- Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning
Organization staff

“The level of stakeholder engagement and input has been enlightening and tremendous.”
– Missouri Department of Transportation staff