Prioritizing land conservation in East Tennessee: A parcel-scale geospatial analysis to assist a land trust's multi-criteria decision making

Abstract

With increasing development pressures, ever-present funding limitations, and complex stewardship responsibilities, land trusts place a premium on devoting resources to the most promising conservation projects. Taking advantage of the growing abundance of geospatial data, land trusts are taking steps to integrate geospatial analysis into the decision-making framework. This analysis assists a land trust in the Southeast with developing a robust system for evaluating parcels by predicted conservation value. It explores tradeoffs in preference for various landscape metrics like scenic value and aquatic resources and how they impact parcel value depending on the focus of partnering agencies. The analysis further identifies parcels with attributes that could support forest management or attract specific funding opportunities. Ultimately, the priority results assist the land trust in responding to project inquiries as well as developing a proactive conservation strategy.