© The Nature Conservancy View/Download: Please click on the link(s) below and you will be given the choice of opening or saving to disk. JPG Download (JPG, 1.1 MB, Created September 01, 2007)

GIS is a critical tool to aid in setting conservation priorities, especially when funding is limited. Taking a broad, statewide approach to ecological analysis, The Nature Conservancy is able to rank watersheds based on the existing conditions, stresses, and potential future stresses, and then focus on specific site strategies where it is most appropriate.

Census data provides correct population density, housing density, and population change. Land cover and road density are also used in classifying watersheds. Public lands and privately held conservation lands and easements are given values based on the level of protection. Watershed ranking occurs by assigning weighting factors to the ecological criteria and level of protection. The results represent an index of relative quality that can be used for comparative purposes across the state to help conservation organizations both to validate current work and to guide decision making regarding resource allocation in the future.

Data Source(s): New York Department of Environmental Conservation, New York Department of Environmental Protection, New York Office of Parks and Recreation, New York Department of Transportation, The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Geological Survey, and U.S. Census Bureau

Original map size is 36in x 48in. Click on the image to access a 9inx12in version of the map (150 dpi, JPEG format).