Accuracy, accessibility, and institutional capacity shape the utility of habitat models for managing and conserving rare plants on western public lands

Conservation Science and Practice
By: , and 

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Abstract

Public lands are often managed for multiple uses ranging from energy development to rare plant conservation. Habitat models can help land managers assess and mitigate potential effects of projects on rare plants, but it is unclear how models are currently being used. Our goal was to better understand how staff in the Bureau of Land Management currently use habitat models to inform their decisions, and perceived challenges and benefits associated with that use. We first examined litigation documents to determine whether the agency has been challenged on its use of data for rare plants and found no relevant legal challenges. Second, we analyzed model use in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents and found no clear citations of habitat models. Finally, we conducted interviews with agency staff who analyze potential effects of proposed actions on rare plants in NEPA documents. The primary challenges interviewees faced in using models related to data organization and access, model quality and accuracy, and institutional capacity. Interviewees believed models could be used more to inform decisions and actions to conserve rare plants and rare plant habitat on public lands and recommended improving staff access to models, creating models for additional species, and addressing staffing limitations.

Study Area

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Accuracy, accessibility, and institutional capacity shape the utility of habitat models for managing and conserving rare plants on western public lands
Series title Conservation Science and Practice
DOI 10.1111/csp2.13131
Year Published 2024
Language English
Publisher Wiley
Contributing office(s) Fort Collins Science Center
Description e13131, 17 p.
Country United States
State Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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