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New Maps of Imperiled Species Distributions Can Support Landscape Conservation in the Conterminous United States

One of the primary objectives of many landscape conservation efforts is to safeguard habitats for species that are at-risk of extinction. Some incentives to support landscape conservation are based on demonstrating protection for imperiled species, such as ESA listed species, or state-designated Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). However, many imperiled species distributions are poorly known, particularly for taxonomic groups other than terrestrial vertebrates. Newly published spatial analyses led by NatureServe, in partnership with Esri and TNC, provide the first high resolution view of where our nation’s most imperiled species are found, including not just vertebrates but also over 1500 vascular plants, dozens of pollinators, and hundreds of crayfishes and mussels. Leveraging nearly 50 years of high quality occurrence data collected by the nation’s Natural Heritage Programs, NatureServe, the Natural Heritage Network, and partners developed species habitat models for over 2200 at-risk plants and animals in the conterminous US. The individual maps were then stacked and analyzed to produce spatially-explicit indicators of conservation value for our nation’s most imperiled species. In this webinar, Dr. Healy Hamilton, Chief Scientist at NatureServe, will provide case studies of how landscape conservation efforts can leverage these spatial biodiversity data, such as assessing the degree of overlap with areas of unprotected range-restricted imperiled species.

Apr 20, 2022 04:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)