Mapping and Prioritizing Habitat Restoration, Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan, Joey Wisby, The Nature Conservancy

1. Joey Wisby
GIS Manager
Tennessee Chapter of
The Nature Conservancy

2. Relational Databases
(MS Access)
 Data Management
 Modeling
 Input/Output
GIS
(ArcGIS)
 Spatial Relationships
 Mapping Results
 Visualizatioin/Interaction
 Capture & Organize Information about 8 Elements
 Detailed
 Comprehensive
 Spatially Explicit
 Define relationships between elements
 Use models to allow evaluation and prioritization

3. Sources:
• TDEC Natural Heritage
• TVA Heritage
• TWRA Non-Game Inventory Program
• TWRAAquatic Database (TADS)
• Scientific Collection Permits
• Various Others – BISON, etc.
Faunal Group 2005 2013
Aquatic 5,268 22,035
Subterranean 961 6,000+
Terrestrial 19,396 47,525
Mollusk Hosts n/a 131,008

4. Species Conservation Priority Score:
• Weight by Rarity/Legal Status
• G Rank (40 pts)
• S Rank (40 pts)
• Federal Status (10 pts)
• TN State Status (10 pts)
• Exponential (G1 = 40, G2 = 20, G3 = 10, etc)
•Viability/Confidence Scores for Observations
• Last Observation Date (old records, less points)
• Heritage EO Ranks Where Available

5. • Terrestrial Occurrences Linked to 700-acre hexagon clusters
called rosettes
• Aquatic Occurrences Linked to NHDPlus Flowlines & Associated
Catchments
• Subterranean Observations Linked to Cave Systems
• Cave system entrances linked to 100-acre hexagons

15. • Assume mapped semi-natural habitat restored to dominant matrix
forest type within subregion
• Use restored habitat preference scores (P) for existing GCN
occurrences in/around semi-natural habitat
Net Restoration Priority =
Restored Score – Current Semi-natural Score
 If had antecedent or other potential restoration habitat map, could
use to dictate restoration scenario

17. Terrestrial Habitat
Priorities
Stones River
Watershed

18. Potential Wetland
Priorities
Stones River
Watershed

19. Aquatic Habitat
Priorities
Stones River
Watershed

20. Riparian Priorities
for Adjacent and
Downstream Aquatic
Habitats
Stones River
Watershed

21. Riparian Priorities
for Terrestrial and
In/Downstream
Aquatic Habitats
Stones River
Watershed

22. Riparian Priorities
for Terrestrial and
In/Downstream
Aquatic Habitats
Stones River
Watershed