IPTD-631
State Wildlife Action Plan Enhancement – Increasing Implementation and Engagement through Custom Geospatial Reports for Conservation Partners
Description
We want to be able to link data with our State Wildlife Action Plan database to existing GIS layers. Those linkages will allow our conservation partners and the conservation-minded public to make queries based on location.
Based on the query, the report should include:
• A map of an area of interest
• A list of species within the area of interest
• Priority Actions and the threat each action addresses
• CHANJ parcels to protect within the interest area
• Links to documents that contain more information
Wishlist of functionality for tool:
• An interactive map to view the locations of the species or habitat of interest.
• Ability for users to map a point, line, or polygon to identify their area of interest.
• A form a partner can enter data associated with an area of interest such as: name, contact information, organization, conservation action(s) taken, location of action taken, metric of action taken (i.e., acres, time spent, species surveyed). Ideally the form would use drop-downs (with species data structured to allow export into Biotics database); the resulting data on actions taken could stand alone as a “conservation results” database.
• Ability to identify most-used tools that would help inform future revisions
Problem Statement
Having a geospatial tool to engage those partners is essential to implementing the State Wildlife Action plan thereby improving the outcome of our at-risk species. It may also help us track implementation metrics allowing us to report metrics to the USFWS and Northeast Region.
BGIS has built similar platforms, including NJFW, and using existing layers and tools, is seems reasonable to assume it will not be a major project for BGIS.
Project Justification
What it does not do is provide a geospatial component/location to find the same content and data based on a more refined location. The conservation partners looking to undertake area specific actions require more precise area searches.
Working with BGIS, ENSP will create a portal that uses existing data layers that generates a report based on the user’s query (location, habitat, threats, actions, and species’ guilds). A link on the SWAP website will direct user’s to this tool.
Using existing data layers and SWAP content will help us meet the grant deadline of November 1, 2026.
Use the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) principle