Chapter 6 Conservation Goals and Priorities
networks) and analytical results (e.g., projected changes in suitability for a species or ecosystem, interpretations, or recommendations), is included. 6.2.3.6 Southeast Conservation Blueprint The Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS) develops and supports the Southeast Conservation Blueprint (Blueprint), a living spatial plan that identifies priority areas across the Southeast and Caribbean for a connected network of lands and waters. SECAS is a regional conservation partnership that was started in 2011 by the states of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) and the federal agencies of the Southeast Natural Resource Leaders Group. Governed by an executive-level joint party committee of SEAFWA, SECAS brings together state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, private landowners and businesses, Tribes, partnerships, and universities (SECAS 2025) . The Blueprint is based on a suite of natural and cultural resource indicators representing terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. It also includes a connectivity analysis that identifies corridors linking coastal and inland areas and spanning climate gradients. So far, more than 2,500 people from over 650 different organizations have actively participated in developing the Southeast Blueprint—including more than 30 NCWRC employees. Appendix 6, Reference Document 6-1 contains a summary of Blueprint priorities in North Carolina. Because the Blueprint serves as a climate adaptation strategy, incorporating the Blueprint priorities supports ecosystems more resilient to climate change impacts now and in the future. In particular, two of the underlying Blueprint indicators—resilient terrestrial sites and resilient coastal sites—capture places with the capacity to continue supporting species diversity and ecosystem function in the face of climate change and sea level rise (SECAS 2025) . The Blueprint identifies areas where conservation action would have the biggest impact for a connected network of lands and waters. A range of conservation activities could benefit those priority areas, including management, economic incentives, and protection. So far, the Southeast Blueprint has helped bring in $370 million in conservation funding to protect and restore 400,000 acres. The Blueprint is accessed through an online map tool that provides a simple web-based interface that informs conservation decisions through exploration of data on priority areas, recommended actions, and landscape context. The interface is a map that identifies habitats of particular concern and prioritizes them using a hierarchical system. The map uses a color matrix to depict conservation priorities in a hierarchy of highest, high, and low priorities, and indicates which areas need further investigation to understand conservation needs. The web-based Blueprint map is hosted through Data Basin (see Section 6.2.4.5 above), which facilitates uploading digital files with spatial data or downloading maps that delineate particular areas of interest.
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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