Videos
Data Needs Assessment Foundational Research for Appalachian Region
The Data Needs Assessment research project was undertaken to review a variety of resources on conservation planning - such as datasets and tools - and provide packages of products, data, and identified gaps to improve conservation planning in the Appalachian Region. A suite of core conservation planning products and data from principal investigators at Clemson University are found below. These products and information generated from this foundational assessment were incorporated into the Interactive Conservation Planning and Design effort and in the drafting of the regional conservation plan for the Cooperative.
LANDFIRE Data Applications for Research in Fire Ecology, Forest Mgmt in California
Brandon Collins presents the second in a series of webinars that LANDFIRE co-hosts with the California Fire Science Consortium. Collins is a USFS Research Forester based in Davis, CA, whose interests involve characterizing effects of fire and fuels treatments on forests at both the stand and landscape levels. He says, "My research intends to provide meaningful information to managers interested in improving forest resiliency and incorporating more natural fire-vegetation dynamics across landscapes."
Protecting the Tennessee River Gorge
A video documenting why the Tennessee River Gorge Trust's work is necessary.
Conserving Imperiled Aquatic Species in the UTRB
A team of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scientists, with assistance from U.S. Geological Survey, have developed a collaborative conservation strategy examining cost-effective approaches for efforts to conserve and manage 36 imperiled freshwater fish and mussel species in the 22,360 square-mile Upper Tennessee River Basin.
Environmental Flows from Water Withdrawals in the Marcellus Shale Region
The rivers and streams of the Central Appalachians are home to more than 200 species of fish and other aquatic life. They also provide a reliable source of drinking water, recreational opportunities and associated economic benefits to people living in large cities and surrounding communities. Stream Impacts from Water Withdrawals in the Marcellus Shale Region
Assessing Vulnerability of Species and Habitats to Large-scale Impacts: CCVA
New vulnerability assessments for 41 species and 3 habitats in the Appalachians are now available. The conservation community can view and search each of these assessments by relative raking or vulnerability scores, conservation status ranks, state and subregion of assessment, and higher taxonomy. In addition, principle investigators NaturServe compiled the results of 700 species assessments previously completed by other researchers as well as assessments on several habitats.
Classification and Mapping of Cave and Karst Resources
Cave and karst systems are unique environments that occur throughout the Appalachians. They provide habitat for a diverse array of species and are an important source of domestic water supply for Appalachian communities. However, a lack of classification and mapping information on these ecosystems creates a significant barrier to conservation.
Riparian Restoration Decision Support Tool
An innovative riparian planting and restoration decision support tool is now available to the conservation community. This user-friendly tool allows managers and decision-makers to rapidly identify and prioritize areas along the banks of rivers, streams, and lakes for restoration, making these ecosystems more resilient to disturbance and future changes in climate. It will also help the conservation community invest limited conservation dollars wisely, helping to deliver sustainable resources.
Energy Forecast Mapping Tool Tutorial
This video presentation by Judy Dunscomb, Senior Conservation Scientist at The Nature Conservancy, provides a detailed overview of how to use the Energy Forecast Mapping Tool.
Products and Tools for Energy Modelling
Models of wind, shale gas, and coal development for the entire study area have been created to predict potential future energy development and impacts to natural resources within the Appalachians. Models and data from all development projections populate a web-based mapping tool to help inform regional landscape planning decisions.
Assessing Future Energy Development
Assessing Future Energy Development across the Appalachian LCC uses models that combine data on energy development trends and identifies where these may intersect with important natural resource and ecosystem services to give a more comprehensive picture of what potential energy development could look like in the Appalachians. A web-based mapping tool allows policy makers, land management agencies, industries, and others to see where development may likely occur and intersect with important natural values to inform regional landscape planning decisions. Ultimately this information is intended to support dialogue and conservation on how to effectively avoid, minimize, and offset impacts from energy development to important natural areas and the valuable services they provide.
Document: January Core Team Meeting Notes/Summary
Notes and summary of presentations and discussions at the January Core Team meeting.
Climate Change's Growing Threat to Public Lands
Secretary Jewell attended the 2014 World Parks Congress in Australia, where she stressed the need for international cooperation on public lands and the growing threat of climate change.
Assessing Future Energy Development across the Appalachians
The Nature Conservancy - with support from the FWS - has completed a study to assist policy makers, land management agencies, and industry in assessing potential future energy development and how that may overlap with biological and ecological values.
Document: Notes from 09-26-2014 Core Team Meeting
Annotated notes from Kevin McGarigal's presentation and transcript of discussions by Core Team.
Video Update: Climate Change Vulnerability Research
This presentation from Lesley Sneddon of NatureServe provides an update to the Steering Committee on this Appalachian LCC funded research project. Research is compiling climate change vulnerability assessments and other relevant information on vulnerable species and habitats, discerning the various methodologies and criteria used in these assessments, and using a team of expert peer reviewers to recommend the most efficient, effective, and appropriate methods for adoption by the Appalachian LCC for conservation and adaptation planning. The recommended method will then be deployed, resulting in vulnerability assessments for a suite of key species/habitats selected in consultation with partners of the Appalachian LCC.
Climate Change Vulnerability Research Update
This presentation from Lesley Sneddon of NatureServe provides an update to the Steering Committee on a Appalachian LCC funded research project. Research is compiling climate change vulnerability assessments and other relevant information on vulnerable species and habitats, discerning the various methodologies and criteria used in these assessments, and using a team of expert peer reviewers to recommend the most efficient, effective, and appropriate methods for adoption by the Appalachian LCC for conservation and adaptation planning. The recommended method will then be deployed, resulting in vulnerability assessments for a suite of key species/habitats selected in consultation with partners of the Appalachian LCC.
