A Regional Approach to Stewardship Mapping for the

Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project

Southwest Regional GAPArizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah

US-IALE 2004, Las Vegas, Nevada: Transdisciplinary Challenges in Landscape Ecology

Andrea E. Ernst*Julie Prior-Magee

Kenneth G. Boykin

New Mexico Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research UnitNew Mexico State University

AcknowledgmentsNate Peterson, Research Associate Natural Resource Ecology LabColorado State University

Jennifer Puttere, Research SpecialistNew Mexico Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research UnitNew Mexico State University

Chris Godlewski, GIS TechnicianNew Mexico Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research UnitNew Mexico State University

Many Individuals at the Federal, State, and NGO AgenciesWho have provided GIS Data, Invaluable Knowledge, and Time!

Stewardship:

(n.) Map which Combines Attributes of Land Ownership, Management, and a Measure of Intent to Maintain Biodiversity

(a.) Language Spoken Only in Acronyms

Why the term Stewardship?

• Because Legal Ownership of a Land Tract does not Necessarily Equate to the Entity Charged with Managing the Resource

• Because a Single Steward may Subdivide Land into Units that may be Managed for Different Purposes that Affect Biodiversity

2 Main Objectives

1.) Develop a Digital Map of Land Ownership Boundaries Describing Ownership with Internal Management Areas & Entities Responsible for Management

2.) Attribute Individual Land Units with GAP Management Status Categories for Purpose of Describing Management Status of Elements of Biodiversity and Identifying Potential Gaps

Methods Used ForLand Ownership

Data Layer

Step 1 Collect Updated Base Data

Step 2Separate Individual ManagementCategories From Base Data i.e. BLM, State Trust

Geodatabase= Better ToolAttribute Domains Based on GAP Management Coding System

GAP_Status Only allow 1-4Class_Desc 1000 = Federal LandsOwner_Desc 1100 = Bureau of Land ManagementManager_Desc 1101 = Area of Critical Environmental ConcernDivisionParcel_Name River MountainsParcel_Desc Text = Reason for ACEC =Bighorn Sheep HabitatSource_New Nevada State BLM Office Updated 01/03

PROS: Change in Attribute Domain automatically changes Data TableHelps Eliminate Misspellings i.e. Bureau of Land ManageentSaves Time from Typing Individual Attribute; Creates Uniformity

Step 3Convert to Geodatabase, Attribute with Domains

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Collect Updated Base Data

Separate Individual/Detailed ManagementCategories From Base Data i.e. BLM, State Trust

Convert to Geodatabase, Attribute with Domains

Collect Spatial Data from Local Source i.e. NPS GIS Data Set, Utah Division of State Parks

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Collect Updated Base Data

Separate Individual/Detailed ManagementCategories From Base Data i.e. BLM, State Trust

Convert to Geodatabase, Attribute with Domains

Collect Spatial Data from Local Source i.e. NPS GIS Data Set, Utah Division of State Parks

Convert to Geodatabase, Attribute with Domains

Step 6 Merge Datasets Together

Step 7Validate Geodatabase Topology, Using TopologyRules such as ‘Must Not Overlap’ & ‘No Gaps’

Step 8Fix Topological Errors, Address Slivers

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Collect Updated Base Data

Separate Individual/Detailed ManagementCategories From Base Data i.e. BLM, State Trust

Convert to Geodatabase, Attribute with Domains

Collect Spatial Data from Local Source i.e. NPS GIS Data Set, Utah Division of State Parks

Convert to Geodatabase, Attribute with Domains

Merge Datasets Together

Validate Geodatabase Topology, Using TopologyRules such as ‘Must Not Overlap’ & ‘No Gaps’

Cross Check with Original GIS Data, Spreadsheet

Fix Topological Errors, Address Slivers

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Collect Updated Base Data

Separate Individual/Detailed ManagementCategories From Base Data i.e. BLM, State Trust

Convert to Geodatabase, Attribute with Domains

Collect Spatial Data from Local Source i.e. NPS GIS Data Set, Utah Division of State Parks

Convert to Geodatabase, Attribute with Domains

Merge Datasets Together

Validate Geodatabase Topology, Using TopologyRules such as ‘Must Not Overlap’ & ‘No Gaps’

Cross Check with Original GIS Data, Spreadsheet

Fix Topological Errors, Address Slivers

Merge More Data, REPEAT

Methods Used ForManagement Status

Data Layer

Criteria Used to Define Management Status Categories

• Permanence of Protection from Conversion of Natural Land Cover to Unnatural.

• Relative Amount of the Land Unit Managed for Natural Cover (5% Maximum Amount Managed in Unnatural State).

• Inclusiveness of the Management, i.e., Single Species vs. Ecosystem.

• Type of Management (i.e., Suppresses or Allows Natural Disturbance) and Degree that it is Mandated Through Legal and Institutional Arrangements.

Status 2

Status 3

Status 4

Status 1Permanent Protection from Conversion of Natural Land Cover, Mandated Management Plan, Disturbance Events are Allowed to Proceed.

Permanent Protection from Conversion of Natural Land Cover, Mandated Management Plan, May ReceiveUses that Degrade Quality of Natural Communities, i.e.Disturbance Suppression.

Permanent Protection from Conversion of Natural Land Cover for the Majority of the Area but Subject toExtractive Uses (i.e. logging, mining), Recognizes T&E Species Protection.

No Known Institutional Mandates to Prevent Conversionof Natural Land Cover to Anthropogenic Habitat Types,Generally Allows Conversion to Unnatural Land CoverThroughout.

Collection of Management Plans

• Currently Collect Resource Management Plans (RMPs) from the BLM

• Individual Plans for the National Parks, Forests, and National Wildlife Refuges

• If No Plan is Available, can Conduct Interviews with Knowledgeable Personnel

Not Subject to Institutional

Management Plan?

YESStatus 4

LANDTRACT

Status 1

Status 2

Status 2

Status 3

Protection Legally/

Institutionally Binding?

TotalSystem

Protected?

DisturbanceAllowed?

DisturbanceSuppressed?

Partial SystemProtected &Managed for

Natural Values?

YES YES YES

NONO

Managed forIntensive Use?

YES

Subject to Institutional

Management Plan?YES

YES

YES

Status 3

NO

NO

NO

Dichotomous Key for Management Status Categorization

Stewardship Layer

Analysis

• Comparing Relative Amount of Managing Entity Responsibility in Relation to Other Managing Entities

• Indicate a Potential Need for Change in Management Strategies for Areas Important to Biodiversity Maintenance

Importance of Stewardship Map in GAP Process

• Help Reveal Opportunities for Cooperative Management, More Equitable Distribution of Responsibility

• Spatial Documentation of the Existing Network of Conservation Lands

• Base Map from which future Designs for Conservation Networks Can be Built Upon

QUESTIONS?