Map Versions

The National version of the RCN follows consistent methods across the United States as described in Anderson et al. 2023 A Resilient and Connected Network of Sites to Sustain Biodiversity under a Changing Climate published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

The Customized version of the RCN represents a version of the national dataset that has been further reviewed and augmented by science and conservation staff in each of The Nature Conservancy’s seven North America Divisions. The augmentations reflect local site knowledge, field checking of connectivity linkages, and restoration work to restore resilience.

Most additional areas were added within the current categories of the RCN, with additions to resilience, flow, and biodiversity. Two new categories were added for restoration sites that were below the national resilience threshold but had recognized biodiversity value or diffuse flow.

Additions to the customized RCN include:

• Longleaf pine areas in the SE: adding in longleaf pine biodiversity areas and adding in restorable longleaf priority areas that areas of average resilience
• New York: adding in additional recognized biodiversity, continental connectors, and restoration sites
• Rocky Mountains and Desert Southwest: connectors, biodiversity areas and restoration sites
• Northeast: Connectors and areas for restoration
• Wisconsin: Resilient areas were added for wetlands, and recognized biodiversity additions
• North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota: added areas of resilience, recognized biodiversity, and connectivity to add augmentations to the RCN
• Oklahoma and Kansas: Native grasslands, spatially represented as untilled lands were added as Resilient with confirmed diversity
• Arizona: High quality grasslands were added as resilient with confirmed biodiversity and restorable grasslands were added to the restoration class. Riparian Areas (both the San Pedro TNC conservation area and the AZ native linear features buffered by 500 m) were added to the map as Resilient Concentrated Flow (Climate Informed) with Confirmed Biodiversity
• Pacific Northwest: Added areas of Flow and Recognized Biodiversity
• California: Prioritized state-based analysis over ecoregion analysis. Most notably, adds more areas of concentrated climate flow. Also added areas of flow and recognized biodiversity