Identifying and prioritizing potential conservation sites in the Upper Oconee subbasin
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Author(s)
Hardy, Dean
Fowler, Laurie
Advisor(s)
Editor(s)
Carroll, G. Denise
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Abstract
Landscape scale conservation planning informed
by stakeholders is necessary for effective conservation
action. We developed a watershed level conservation
planning approach by working with two local land
trusts that operate in the Upper Oconee subbasin of northeast
Georgia. Emphasizing the interdependency of ecological
processes and human livelihood to area residents
motivates stewardship; hence, we focused on conservation
values that draw these linkages. In the United States, private
landowner conservation is essential for successful
protection of ecological processes and biodiversity. The
prevalent route for involving private landowners with
conservation is through partnerships with land trusts. A
rapid proliferation of land trusts across the U.S. over the
past decade indicates the increasing importance of private
land conservation efforts. As our primary objective, we
developed a GIS model for evaluating nine conservation
features in the watershed using a weighted scoring system
modified from the Georgia Land Conservation Program
evaluation criteria. We extracted the 70 highest-ranking
parcels as target recruitment parcels. The land trusts will
begin targeting these 70 parcels for easement recruitment
immediately. The second objective included quantifying
these nine conservation features for current easements and
other conservation lands to aid development of strategic
conservation plans. Land trust personnel agreed with the
relative scoring of their current holdings. We provided the
land trusts access to the entire database of values for the
features analyzed in all 34,024 parcels, empowering them
to visit a potential easement site with a priori knowledge;
thereby, enhancing the efficiency of their finite funding
and personnel resources.
Sponsor
Sponsored by:
Georgia Environmental Protection Division
U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Water Science Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Water Resources Institute
The University of Georgia, Water Resources Faculty
Date
2009-04
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Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Proceedings