Imperiled Species - Critical Habitat (Midwest Conservation Blueprint 2026 Indicator)

<p><strong>Definition</strong></p><div style='background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255); border:0px solid currentcolor; box-sizing:border-box; color:rgb(74, 74, 74); font-family:&quot;Avenir Next W01&quot;, &quot;Avenir Next W00&quot;, &quot;Avenir Next&quot;, Avenir, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; line-height:1.5; text-align:start; text-decoration-color:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; word-spacing:0px;'>This indicator identifies the prevalence of species listed as threatened or endangered within the Midwest Landscape. It prioritizes areas based on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s final and proposed Critical Habitat designations. Pixels can take the following values:</div><div style='background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255); border:0px solid currentcolor; box-sizing:border-box; color:rgb(74, 74, 74); font-family:&quot;Avenir Next W01&quot;, &quot;Avenir Next W00&quot;, &quot;Avenir Next&quot;, Avenir, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; line-height:1.5; text-align:start; text-decoration-color:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; word-spacing:0px;'><ul><li>1 –&nbsp;Final or proposed critical habitat, not a natural asset</li><li>2 – Natural assets within final or proposed critical habitat</li></ul><div style='border:0px solid currentcolor; box-sizing:border-box; font-family:inherit; line-height:1.5;'><strong>Selection</strong></div><div style='border:0px solid currentcolor; box-sizing:border-box; font-family:inherit; line-height:1.5;'><font style='border:0px solid currentcolor; box-sizing:border-box; font-family:inherit; line-height:1.5;'>This indicator was chosen as a targetable, important feature of the MLI goals that will be used to track conditions over time and prioritize areas for conservation. Indicators were defined through elicitation and prioritization exercises with federal and state participants. Criteria for the indicators includes 1) actionable, 2) measurable, 3) relevant to multiple groups across the region, and/or 4) representative of other social and/or environmental values.&nbsp;</font><br />&nbsp;</div><div style='border:0px solid currentcolor; box-sizing:border-box; font-family:inherit; line-height:1.5;'><strong>Input Data &amp; Mapping Steps</strong></div><div style='border:0px solid currentcolor; box-sizing:border-box; font-family:inherit; line-height:1.5;'>This indicator originates from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service HQ Critical Habitat layer. To create this layer, MLI partners, members, and staff completed the following mapping steps: projected all input data to NAD83 (2011) UTM Zone 15N, converted the data to a 30m raster, and emphasized natural assets within critical habitat, leading to the following categories: 0 – Not final or proposed critical habitat, 1 – Final or proposed critical habitat, not a natural asset, 2 – Natural assets within final or proposed critical habitat. Finally, we removed highly altered areas using our Highly Altered Areas mask.<br />&nbsp;</div></div><div style='background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255); border:0px solid currentcolor; box-sizing:border-box; color:rgb(74, 74, 74); font-family:&quot;Avenir Next W01&quot;, &quot;Avenir Next W00&quot;, &quot;Avenir Next&quot;, Avenir, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; line-height:1.5; text-align:start; text-decoration-color:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; word-spacing:0px;'>For full mapping details, please refer to the&nbsp;<a style='border:0px solid currentcolor; box-sizing:border-box; color:rgb(0, 97, 155); font-family:inherit; line-height:1.5; text-decoration:none;' target='_blank' href='https://fws.maps.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/e983a4ff0f6d475cb9336fba1c1fbbaa/data' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>Midwest Conservation Blueprint Development Process</a>. For a complete download of all Blueprint input and output data, visit the&nbsp;<a target='_blank' href='https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/69851105b66b018dbd961c58' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>Midwest Conservation Blueprint 2026 Data Download.</a></div>