The deliberate translocation of animals or plants is somewhat controversial. Many biologists oppose this on the grounds that it is unnatural. However, given certain guidelines it is a useful technique that is often successful. Suitable criteria for the assessment of a species' suitability for (re)introduction have been produced by International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are:

1. Good historical evidence that the species occurred in the area in the past.
2. Clear understanding of the original reasons for local extinction.
3. Cause of previous extinction no longer operates, or can be removed.
4. Unlikely to recolonise naturally.
5. Reintroduction stock should come from the closest population available to the original stock.
6. Sufficient animals must be introduced to minimize any future risk of inbreeding in the new  population.
7. The donor population must be sufficiently large to safely sustain the loss of the an animals removed for translocation.

Design opportunities: overview
1. Introduction
Wildlife conservation is increasingly focusing on the wider environment, and on our immediate surroundings as viable wildlife habitats. Consequently the decisions made when designing and managing the external environment strongly influence a site's potential for wildlife. Reptiles and amphibians are good examples of animals which respond to modest changes in landscape design.

Many landscape schemes fall short of achieving this potential. The key reasons for this are:
1. Failure to consider a scheme's potential beyond meeting its primary objectives.
2. Insufficient consideration of ecology in early assessments.
3. Designing wildlife habitats into plans too late in the design process.
4. Not having an adequate understanding of basic ecological principles or the needs of species or their habitats.
5. Failing to maintain habitats after construction.

It is impossible here to be prescriptive or identity design solutions appropriate to all situations. Instead this text recommends a process for closer integration of wildlife opportunities in landscape design schemes and their subsequent management. The following pages will consider the design strategies, design and maintenance and management plans for amphibians.

2. Scope for developing opportunities on a site
Within landscape design and management there is a need for greater consideration for the scope for wildlife enhancement. This can be done through more reasoned analysis of what is desirable, technically feasible and through the development of a design strategy. Many factors exist which should be used to promote this approach.

(Provided by and reproduced with permission of: English Nature)