GIS in Conservation Planning
Moderator: William L. Allen, III	© & Author Info

Abstract

This paper is an outline of the moderator's presentation to the session on GIS in Conservation Planning. It includes background information, a case study of the Chattooga Watershed Conservation Plan, and links to related Websites.

GIS in Conservation Planning

Framework for regional conservation planning was developed by:

Mark A. Benedict, PhD., The Conservation Fund

Margaret (Peggy) Carr, ASLA, University of Florida Department of Landscape Architecture

Dr. Paul D. Zwick, University of Florida Geoplan Center

History of environmental planning and landscape design adapted from presentations by:

Margaret (Peggy) Carr, ASLA, University of Florida Department of Landscape Architecture

Thomas S. Hoctor, University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

• Parks, nature-based recreation, natural scenery, concern for human health
• Principles of preservation and conservation, land ethic
• Overlay analysis, land capability, land suitability
• Biodiversity, landscape processes
• Landscape ecology: communities, ecosystems, and landscapes
• Conservation biology

• A regional vision for resource conservation
• A program for its implementation
• A process to identify conservation priorities in the context of large ecological systems and human use of the landscape.

 A regional landscape approach to conservation is a strategy that:

• recognizes the importance of interactions between the built environment, rural lands and, native ecosystems
• incorporates planning and management at appropriately large spatial scales to ensure the conservation of biological diversity.

The Conservation Fund, North Carolina Office

Chattooga River Watershed Coalition

Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition

Dr. Kerry Brooks, Clemson University

• 179,000 acres in three states (NC, SC, GA), with three National Forests
• Watershed Ownership: Nantahala NF, NC (16%), Sumter NF, SC (13%), Chattahoochee NF, GA (41%), Private Ownership (30%)

• Identify, restore and protect large blocks of unfragmented forest habitat representing all native forest types in the Chattooga River watershed.

• Protect and restore forest interior and old-growth habitat for endangered and threatened animal and plant species;
• Protect and restore aquatic habitats; and
• Maintain and restore critical wildlife corridors linking adjacent natural areas within the watershed, and outside of the watershed along the Blue Ridge Escarpment.

• Landowner contact and education
• Conservation options for landowners (sustainable forestry plans, fee and less-than-fee acquisition)
• Influence Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) revision process.
• Promote sustainable economic development.
• Model for protection in the Southern Appalachian region.

A Comprehensive network of ecological reserves, conservation areas, buffer zones, landscape linkages and corridors that function as a unit to effectively conserve biological diversity over long time scales.

• Protect currently existing remnants of mature forest interior habitat;
• Restore corridors of similar habitat to link the remnants;
• Buffer habitat from intensive human activity through designation of restoration areas.
• Link protected areas on a larger scale to other forest interior blocks in the region.

Which areas in the watershed are already protected from further fragmentation?

Which areas in the watershed are existing and potential old growth (i.e. potential core habitat areas)?

Which areas in the watershed closely approximate or are currently mature forest interior ha

How wide should a stream or river corridor be to maintain its functional characteristics?

What strategies might be used to protect high quality aquatic habitat?

Are the core protection areas large, contiguous blocks of habitat that reduce existing fragmentation and establish forest interior habitat linkages within and outside of the watershed?

How effective is the proposed conservation plan, relative to currently protected areas, in protecting forest interior habitat and element occurrences of sensitive species?

Exercise developed by Will Allen and Cheryl Crupi, The Conservation Fund

To provide participants with an opportunity to explore the basic concepts of GIS analysis:

• Overlaying existing data layers,
• Creating new data layers for analysis,
• Using GIS to build consensus for regional conservation planning.

Role-play participants will be members of the land acquisition committee of a newly founded land trust. The land trust was initially established in response to threats of development of a tract of land along the watershed's major river. Now that the threatened tract has been protected, the land trust board has decided it wants to develop a strategic land conservation plan to guide future acquisition efforts. This committee is charged with developing this strategic plan.

VI. Contact Information
Will Allen
GIS Director
The Conservation Fund
P.O. Box 271
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Phone: 919-967-2223
FAX: 919-967-9702
E-Mail: will@arcana.com

VII. Web Links of Interest
The Conservation Fund
Short Course: GIS Design for Regional Conservation Planning
Society for Conservation GIS
University of Florida GeoPlan Center
National Conservation Training Center