Midwest Conservation Blueprint Ecoregions

<div>This polygon layer contains the spatial boundaries of the ecoregions used for the spatial stratification of the Midwest Conservation Blueprint. Breaking down the Midwest Landscape into Ecoregions reduces processing time of our spatial planning software and ensures a fairer comparison of indicators across an ecologically diverse region. By stratifying the landscape, each map pixel will only be compared and prioritized in relation to other pixels of the same ecosystem type. Ecoregional boundaries are based on the EPA’s Level II, III, and IV Ecoregions and were created to reduce variation in ecoregional size while differentiating unique ecosystem types. </div><div><br /></div><div>For full mapping details, please refer to the <a href='https://fws.maps.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/e983a4ff0f6d475cb9336fba1c1fbbaa/data' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>Midwest Conservation Blueprint 2024 Development Process</a>. For a complete download of all Blueprint input and output data, visit our <a href='https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/64cac708d34e70357a355550' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>ScienceBase repository</a>, which contains all files used in each annual blueprint update. </div>