Abstract:
The Washington Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is interested in
creating a method by which to identify statewide functional connectivity in order to guide a more
effective conservation planning process. Past conservation planning efforts by TNC had
established conservation priorities separately for terrestrial and freshwater habitats, and did not
consider functional connectivity as a necessary component of conservation targets. I developed
this method using geospatial analysis and NHDPlus, a free geospatial data package, to identify
focal habitat in western Washington in relation to stream reaches using hydrological catchments.
I also identified the effect of high-impact land use on water quality in those catchments. I
created a graph network of focal habitat, and analyzed it in order to identify patches and scales
important for maintaining connectivity. The result is a method that uses readily available,
standardized data to identify functionally connected habitat for multiple focal species at many
spatial scales. It includes a hydrological component that incorporates freshwater protection.
With additional study, the method can be used to incorporate a functional connectivity
perspective in conjunction with existing conservation planning strategies. By identifying
functional connectivity as an integral component of conservation planning, conservation efforts
will better protect biodiversity by allowing for functional, viable populations to exist.
