AIKEN --- There's no denying that part of Aiken's charm lies in its abundant natural resources, and city officials are taking steps to protect those resources.

The open space task force, appointed by the Aiken City Council in July 2003, recently submitted its plan, outlining recommendations for preserving green space in Aiken.

Consultants from BioHabitats in Raleigh, N.C., finished the inventory, conducted over the summer, of natural resources in a 66.7-square-mile area of open space in Aiken's utilities service district.

"The task force wholeheartedly agrees that adequate space is essential to Aiken's future quality of life and a proactive plan to needs to be delivered to ensure that we meet future open space needs," City Manager Roger LeDuc said in a memorandum to the city council.

The open-space-priorities plan includes a definition of open space and a methodology for selecting it.

Mr. LeDuc said the city council accepted the task force's plan at the council's Nov. 12 meeting.

"We intend to have a future meeting with some of the committee members and staff to determine where we go from here," he said, adding that the council will decide at that meeting whether to appoint a new commission, hire a person to assist the city in making future decisions regarding open space or use existing staff.

Planning Commissioner Bill Reynolds, who is also chairman of the task force, said Aiken is fortunate in its abundant green space, which includes Hitchcock Woods, Hopelands Gardens, the equestrian fields and the heavily wooded parkways.

"However, Aiken has been 'discovered' and there is increasing demand to fill existing open spaces inside and outside the city with residential and commercial developments," he wrote in a letter to the city manager.

The report also included a natural resources inventory, which identified three noteworthy findings:

- Upper Three Runs Creek, which contains one of the most diverse aquatic insect populations in North America, and possibly, the world.

- The Shaws Creek watershed, which serves as a primary source of water for Aiken.

- Carolina Bay Nature Reserve, across from Virginia Acres Park.

Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com.