Planning is an iterative, intentional process of continuous learning, adaptation, and enhancement for the future. Natural resource-based planning needs to ensure that decision makers creatively respond to human and environmental changes and guide them rather than resist them.

Planning is a powerful tool and one of the most effective ways of reaching your community's long term goals. But even at its best, planning is a series of educated predictions based on current understanding of environmental, economic, and social conditions. Keep in mind that your stated course of action (plan implementation) may need to be modified as these conditions change.

Observing the results of plan implementation through monitoring and evaluation is a key step in the planning process. A good plan sets up a mechanism to collect data over time (monitoring), and to periodically analyze the data and learn about what is happening and why (evaluation). A solid plan also allows for adaptation over time as conditions affecting the community change. This is particularly important if your community is implementing the plan (or a specific project) in phases. If early phases do not meet your stated goals, take careful note of what can be learned, and support fundamental changes to the overall plan. Then, congratulate yourself for monitoring and evaluating your progress so you did not make the same mistake twice!

A monitoring and evaluation plan needs to be in place before implementation starts. Common strategies for monitoring include:

Indicators: An indicator is simply something that tells you if your community is working toward its goals (see examples below). Data about the indicator is collected on a regular basis and periodically analyzed so your community can learn about changes taking place. Getting the local citizenry involved with monitoring your chosen indicators is a great way to promote public involvement. There are many natural resource professionals, as well as citizen monitoring programs that can help with setting up and implementing such a program.

Some examples of indicators (there are many more, and your community can create its own based on your goals):

1. water clarity
2. amount or percentage of impervious surface
3. amount/quality of forest cover
4. number of street trees
5. presence of sensitive species (e.g., trout, blanding's turtles)
6. index of biotic integrity (stream macroinvertebrates, fish)
7. amount/quality of open space protected
8. number of innovative storm water management strategies implemented