CCP Habitat Model

<p><b>Open the Data Resource:</b> <a href='https://www.chesapeakeconservation.org/our-work/goal-mapping/habitat' rel='nofollow ugc'>https://www.chesapeakeconservation.org/our-work/goal-mapping/habitat</a></p>
<p><b>Open the Map Viewer:</b> <a href='https://chesbay.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=e961d8ef2367436d8a3603b3491f0b2b' rel='nofollow ugc'>https://chesbay.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=e961d8ef2367436d8a3603b3491f0b2b</a>
</p><p><b>Open the Map Service:</b><a href='https://cicgis.org/arcgis/rest/services/CCP/Habitat/MapServer' rel='nofollow ugc'>https://cicgis.org/arcgis/rest/services/CCP/Habitat/MapServer</a>
</p><p>The Chesapeake Conservation Partnership Habitat Model is a suitability model aimed at identifying a network of large natural areas and corridors sufficient to allow nature to respond to a changing climate and land development, support thriving populations of native wildlife, migratory birds, fish and plants, and sustain at-risk species. This map focuses on four mappable resources: The lotic core network (rivers and streams), lentic core network (lakes and ponds), aquatic buffers and a terrestrial core-connector network. The data layer includes the following:</p>
<p>Aquatic Core Network: This consists of the streams, lakes and ponds that are intact, connected and support a wide diversity of aquatic species and ecosystems. The core areas are based on the Index of Ecological Integrity and are scaled to HUC 6 watersheds and were developed through a set of regional analyses that assess the physical and biological value of aquatic systems and species across the Northeast region.</p>
<p>Aquatic Buffers: Aquatic buffers surround the aquatic (both lotic and lentic) cores. Buffers represent the areas estimated to have a strong influence on the integrity of the aquatic cores based on watershed processes.</p>
<p>Terrestrial Core-connector Network: Core areas are intact, well-connected places that, if protected, will continue to support a broad diversity of fish, wildlife, plants and the ecosystems on which they depend. These include especially intact, resilient examples of each major ecosystem type. They contain widespread ecosystems such as hardwood forests, rare natural communities and important habitat for a variety of fish, wildlife and plants. Core areas are stratified by HUC 6 watersheds. Core areas are linked together by a network of connectors. The connectors allow movement of animals and plants from one core area to another, and establish a flow pattern for ecological features and processes, as landscape conditions and climate change. Note: The initial terrestrial core-connector network did not seem to sufficiently address landscape features adjacent to tidal waters that contribute to tidal aquatic habitat integrity. To partially address this, a National Wetlands Inventory derived potential black duck habitat layer was used to supplement the terrestrial core network. Future deliberations of the partnership will consider ways to strengthen the assess and prioritize the habitat conservation value of wetlands and terrestrial habitat adjacent to tidal waters.</p>