Recognized Biodiversity Value: The Conserving Nature’s Stage focus on abiotic drivers of biodiversity is meant to complement, not replace, biodiversity-based conservation priorities. In this map, we assembled information on places recognized for their biodiversity value (rare species, intact habitat, or exemplary natural communities) in separate studies. These include the results of 67 ecoregional assessments completed by The Nature Conservancy between 1999 and 2009, which identified sites representing multiple-viable examples of rare species and natural communities (Groves 2003). Additionally, we reviewed the results of 48 state wildlife action plans, and integrated information from 35 of them, to create maps of conservation opportunity areas for species of greatest conservation need. We also include recent information from the Natural Heritage Network (and other sources) on high quality species and community occurrences, and protected land managed for biodiversity and natural processes (GAP 1). This assessment ensures that the network encompasses the footprint of current biodiversity areas while integrating them with representative abiotic features which underpin that biodiversity, ensuring that networks of resilient sites are distributed across all abiotic ‘stages’ needed to conserve future biodiversity.

Biodiversity Data Sources: Ecoregion-based, State-based, Addtional Sources.