Resource Lands Assessment Ecological Network Model

<p><b>Open the Data Resource:</b> <a href='https://gis-data.chesapeakebay.net/RLA/Final/Ecological_network/Ecological_network.zip' rel='nofollow ugc'>https://gis-data.chesapeakebay.net/RLA/Final/Ecological_network/Ecological_network.zip</a></p> <p>The Resource Lands Assessment provides a regional, multi-state look at the most important remaining resource lands in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Geographic Information Systems models and expert knowledge help assess the value of resource lands within the watershed to provide guidance to state and local governments in their land protection strategies, serve as a resource for the land trust community, suggest conservation focus areas to complement watershed restoration plans and identify areas important to the forest products industry.</p> <p>Each of the six assessment models uses a series of GIS data layers that were selected to represent ecological, cultural or socio-economic phenomena. Data layers were selected based on their importance in assigning value to the landscape and weighted using input from resource experts within and outside of the Chesapeake Bay Program. Each assessment model contains different assumptions for appropriate data, the use of weights and the limitations regarding display and interpretation of the composite results.</p> <p>The Ecological Network Assessment aims to identify the most important remaining habitats in the Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and D.C. portions of the Bay watershed. The assessment applies a “hubs and corridors” approach, which is based on principles of landscape ecology and conservation biology, that suggest that size and connectivity are critical factors of high integrity habitat.</p> <p><a href='Habitat Assessment Methodology Summary' rel='nofollow ugc'>Read a summary of the Resource Lands Assesssment methodology (PDF)</a>.</p>