ACE Connectivity (Ranks 4 & 5)

Terrestrial Connectivity is one of the main outputs of the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Areas of Conservation Emphasis (ACE) project. This dataset evaluates how an area contributes to animal movement and general ecological flow. It includes information on corridors that allow for species migration, including narrow channels through highly disturbed areas which are critical for retaining the last threads of connectivity in these areas, as well as high usage areas between large, contiguous and natural landscapes which are described as intact. The ACE Ranks are used to indicate level of connectivity conservation urgency, with essential corridors and linkages emphasized with highest level scores of 4 or 5. Areas that have high connectivity, but have not been identified as having channelized areas for species corridors or habitat linkages, are given a rank 3. Large, intact regions which also contribute to connectivity but possess greater redundancy on account of their size, are given a lower rank of 2. Areas that show no opportunity for connectivity are given the lowest rank of 1.<o:p></o:p> Ranks 4 and 5 are used as an exclusion in the biological planning priorities component of the Core and SB 100 Terrestrial Climate Resilience Study Screens. This ensures that areas of technical resource potential identified through screening avoid lands with higher conservation value for connectivity.<o:p></o:p> For more information about this layer and its use in electric system planning, please read the Land Use Screens Staff Report in the CEC Energy Planning Library. <o:p></o:p>陆地连通性（Terrestrial Connectivity）是加州鱼类和野生动物部（California Department of Fish and Wildlife）保护重点区域（Areas of Conservation Emphasis, ACE）项目的核心产出之一。本数据集用于评估区域对动物迁徙及整体生态流的贡献程度，涵盖支撑物种迁徙的廊道相关信息：包括穿越高度受干扰区域的狭窄通道——此类通道是维系该区域仅剩连通性脉络的关键——以及被定义为“完整景观”的大型连续自然景观间的高频使用区域。ACE等级用于表征连通性保护的紧急程度：核心廊道与连接通道将获得最高等级评分4或5，以凸显其优先级；连通性水平较高但尚未被划定为物种廊道或栖息地连接通道的区域，将被赋予等级3；虽同样有助于提升连通性，但因规模较大而具备更高生态冗余度的大型完整景观区域，将被授予较低等级2；无任何连通性提升潜力的区域，则被赋予最低等级1。 等级4与5将被纳入《核心与SB 100陆地气候韧性研究筛查框架》的生物规划优先级模块的排除范围，此举可确保通过筛查识别出的技术资源潜力区域，避开具备更高连通性保护价值的土地。 如需了解该图层及其在电力系统规划中的更多应用信息，请查阅加州能源委员会（California Energy Commission, CEC）能源规划库中的《土地使用筛查工作人员报告》。