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Analyses  |  Ecosystem Spatial Analysis

The purpose of the ecosystem spatial analysis (ESA) was to identify priority areas for biodiversity conservation. The ESA integrated three basic approaches to conservation planning:

  • Representation of a broad spectrum of environmental variation (e.g., vegetation, geoclimatic, and aquatic classes).
  • Protection of special elements: concentrations of ecological communities; rare or at-risk ecological communities; rare physical habitats; concentrations of species; locations of at-risk species; locations of highly valued species or their critical habitats; locations of major genetic variants.
  • Conservation of critical habitats of focal species, whose needs helped planners address issues of habitat area, configuration, and quality. These were species that (a) needed large areas or several well connected areas, or (b) were sensitive to human disturbance, and (c) for which sound habitat suitability models were available or could be constructed.

Scenarios

To assist the Central Coast Land and Resource Management Planning (Central Coast LRMP) in its decision-making, the Ecosystem Spatial Analysis team was asked to explore a number of possible scenarios and options for protected areas. Using the analytical layers from the ESA and combining them with data about the timber harvesting land base, and the location of proposed protected areas, the ESA team generated a number of scenarios that allowed stakeholders to explore the spatial consequences of their decisions. In order to support this exploration, the ESA team also generated a series of maps that more clearly described the distribution of ecosystem and habitat values by watershed within the LRMP area.

The ESA team used these maps and site selection software known as SITES to help the CCLRMP table consider the relative value of different protected area solutions, and to perform gap analysis of proposed areas. Gap analysis is an evaluation of how much of each ecosystem and habitat type is captured in the proposed areas for protection, relative to the total available in the entire Central Coast LRMP area. Proposed protected areas were evaluated in terms of how well they captured biodiversity values relative to the amount of land they encompassed. This technique was also used to explore trade-offs between biodiversity and other competing values. As these results emerged, and as different scenarios were proposed, the results were presented in a series of meetings with CCLRMP table, CCLRMP technical leads, and with the Joint Solutions Project.

Ecosystem Spatial Analysis Maps

The ESA maps are grouped into .PDF files by topic area. Click on the topic area heading to download all of the maps listed for this topic.

Terrestrial overview (.zip archive: 5 Mb - large!)

Map 1. Central Coast, North Coast, and Haida Gwaii LRMP Boundaries

Map 2. Ecosections and Terrestrial Stratification Units

Map 3. Ecological Drainage Units
 

Terrestrial special elements (.zip archive: 1.5 Mb)

Map 4. Conservation Data Centre Element Occurrence Records
 

Terrestrial ecosystems (.zip archive: 20 Mb - large!)

Map 5. Forested and Developed Landscape

Map 6a. Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification

Map 6b. Seral Stage and Site Index

Map 7. Focal Ecosystems
 

Terrestrial focal species (.zip archive: 7 Mb - large!)

Map 8. Habitat Suitability Model for Marbled Murrelet

Map 9. Nesting and Foraging Habitat Suitability Models for Northern Goshawk

Map 10. Mountain Goat Winter Range Habitat Model

Map 11. Grizzly Bear and Black Bear Habitat Capability
 

Freshwater ecosystems (.zip archive: 1.5 Mb)

Map 12. Freshwater Ecosystems
 

Aquatic focal species (.zip archive: 17 Mb - large!)

Map 13. Habitat Suitability Model for Tailed Frog

Map 14. Steelhead Population Status: Winter Run

Map 15. Steelhead Population Status: Summer Run

Map 16. Salmon Population Status: Coho

Map 17. Salmon Population Status: Chinook

Map 18. Salmon Population Status: Chum

Map 19. Salmon Population Status: Even Year Pink

Map 20. Salmon Population Status: Odd Year Pink

Map 21. Salmon Population Status: Sockeye
 

Nearshore marine overview and biodiversity
(.zip archive: 25 Mb - large!)

Map 22. Nearshore Ecosection Stratifications

Map 23. Nearshore Cost Parameters

Map 23a. Shoreline Cost Index

Map 24. Nearshore Data Collection Regions
 

Offshore marine overview (.zip archive: 6 Mb - large!)

Map 25. Seabird Colonies

Map 26. Moulting Seaducks

Map 27. Anadromous Streams

Map 28. Bathymetry

Map 29. Benthic Topographical Complexity

Map 30. Ecological Regions and Data Regions
 

Human impacts assessment (.zip archive: 2 Mb)

Map 31. Human Impacts Assessment
 

Terrestrial conservation utility Part 1
(.zip archive: 22 Mb - large!)

Map 32. Conservation Utility of CIT Analysis Units: Existing protected areas locked in

Map 33. Conservation Utility of CIT Analysis Units: Existing and Candidate protected areas locked in

Map 34. Conservation Utility of CIT Analysis Units: Existing, Candidate, and Option protected areas locked in

Map 35. Conservation Utility of CIT Analysis Units: No areas locked in

Map 36a. Tier One Analysis Units for CIT ESA: Existing protected areas locked in

Map 36b. Conservation Priority for CIT ESA Analysis Units: Existing protected areas locked in

Map 37a. Tier One Analysis Units for CIT ESA: Existing and Candidate protected areas locked in
 

Terrestrial conservation utility Part 2
(.zip archive: 30 Mb - large!)

Map 37b. Conservation Priority for CIT ESA Analysis Units: Existing and Candidate protected areas locked in

Map 38a. Tier One Analysis Units for CIT ESA: Existing, Candidate and Option protected areas locked in

Map 38b. Conservation Priority for CIT ESA Analysis Units: Existing, Candidate and Option protected areas locked in

Map 39a. Tier One Analysis Units for CIT ESA: No areas locked in

Map 39b. Conservation Priority for CIT ESA Analysis Units: No areas locked in

Map 40. Relative Biodiversity Index for Coastal LRMP’s
 

Nearshore conservation options (.zip archive: 8 Mb - large!)

Map 41. Neashore Summed Solution Gradient

Map 42. Nearshore Option A

Map 43. Nearshore Option B

Map 44. Nearshore Option C
 

Offshore marine conservation utility
(.zip archive: 1 Mb)

Map 45. Deepwater Marine Conservation Utility

ESA Report
( 3.7 Mb)

ESA Appendices
( 2.3 Mb)

ESA Presentation
( 4.9 Mb)

ESA Data
<not yet available>

ESA Maps

 

 

http://www.citbc.org.