Appendix Q
Addendum 1
2. CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITY AREA DST
The Conservation Opportunity Area (COA) tool identifies areas predicted to contain the least amount of protected habitat for an ecoregion and natural community selected by the user. The top five areas from the analysis results are depicted on a map using HUC12 boundaries. The datasets that form the foundation for the COA analysis are range maps for terrestrial species and the national land cover data developed by the USGS ’ Southeast Gap Analysis Program (GAP). As noted on the GAP website, the composition and structure of dominant vegetation is an easily described measure of habitat for animals and can be used as an indirect indicator of animal distributions. The predicted species distribution datasets used in the COA tool include amphibians, mammals, reptiles, breeding birds, and wintering waterfowl. While aquatic habitats are represented in the COA tool, range maps for freshwater aquatic species (fish, mussels, crayfish, snails) are not provided in this version of the DST.
Components of the COA
The GAP range and land cover data have been correlated with a list of terrestrial SGCN and habitats in NCWAP Appendix H, a crosswalk table linking species with their habitats. The habitat and species information provided in the table is described in NCWAP Chapters 3 and 4. The four ecoregions used to group habitats used in the COA tool are described in NCWAP Chapter 4 and are shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Ecoregion Boundaries
Ecoregions are often defined based on landscape settings and patterns that are influenced by climate, soils, land surface form, and potential natural vegetation. The boundaries used for these groupings can be useful for organizing, interpreting, and reporting information about land-use dynamics. The COA analysis results can be used to facilitate a wide
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2020 Addendum NC Wildlife Action Plan
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