About Conservation Efforts Database
The Conservation Efforts Database (CED) is a web-based, geospatial tool for tracking efforts that have been made to conserve plant and animal species across geographic landscapes in the United States. It’s divided into modules, with each focusing on a specific species or habitat. These modules designed by local working groups coordinating with CED staff and are tailored to the species or habitat.
The CED is capable of
- Allowing multiple users to enter data from different locations through our web-based platform or via our batch upload tools that allow large agencies to enter the data more efficiently
- Uploading and storing documents associated with the effort
- Linking conservation actions to one or more threats (one-to-many relationships)
- Reporting that allows summaries of the conservation actions at multiple scales (e.g., management zones, populations, or priority areas for conservation)
Accounting for actions at multiple scales from small easements to statewide planning efforts.
The goals of the CED follow four primary principles:
- Security - Partners determine access and permissions to their information
- Transparency - Data that are approved for release by the partner can be viewed by the public. This is usually limited to basic summary information.
- Partner-driven - Features and functions are developed from partner feedback
Science-based - Peer-reviewed science that describes responses to threats and/or conservation actions
The CED combines data from disparate agencies and groups and converts them into a set of standardized tables, fields, and domain values that work across these groups to inform adaptive management, project planning, and the evaluation of restoration outcomes.
The CED concept is applicable to a number of monitoring needs and the CED Team can develop geographically-based or species specific ‘modules’, tailored for partners and end-users. Currently, the CED operates the Sagebrush module, tracking the implementation of conservation actions in the sagebrush biome; as well as two modules to track the recovery of listed species: the Gunnison sage-grouse and Lahontan cutthroat trout. The CED allows users to enter conservation effort and other data in one of two ways. The first is single record data entry. This is done one record at a time via our website. The CED has also developed mechanisms to transfer information from existing databases to the CED to reduce staff-time required to enter information, a process we generally refer to as our batch upload products.
The CED Team is currently expanding the existing Cutthroat module to capture the range of Westslope and Yellowstone cutthroat trout in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. We are also developing a module to track implementation of management actions in the central grasslands biome and the Klamath Basin, both of which are expected to be complete in 2026.
Through development of these CED modules, we can take data from disparate sources and convert them into a ‘common currency’ to inform adaptive management, project planning, and to assist with assessment to evaluate outcomes.
Additional Treatment Databases
See below for a list of additional land treatments being conducted throughout the DOI.
Land Treatment Digital Library
| Treatment Database | Data Source (DS) | Web Service (WS) | Metadata (MD) |
| Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration | DS | WS | MD |
| Forest Service Activity Monarch Butterfly Habitat Restoration | DS | WS | MD |
| Forest Service Hazardous Fuels Treatments | DS | WS | MD |
| Forest Service Range Vegetation Improvement (All Years) | DS | WS | MD |
| Forest Service Silviculture Reforestation (All Years) | DS | WS | MD |
| Forest Service Silviculture Timber Stand Improvement (All Years) | DS | WS | MD |
| Forest Service Timber Harvest (All Years) | DS | WS | MD |
| Integrated Resource Restoration | DS | WS | MD |
| LTDL Treatments | DS | WS | MD |
| LTDL Treatments Frequency | DS | WS | MD |
| National Park Service Fuels Treatments Locations | DS | WS | MD |
| OR Land Treatments (OWRI) | DS | WS | MD |
| Stewardship Contracting | DS | WS | MD |
| UT Land Treatments (WRI) | DS | WS | MD |
Interested in a Customized Version of CED?
The CED Team is interested in working with you to capture and store your data on your terms. With appropriate resources, we can create a customized CED module that will allow you to track and store your data. We will work with you to create a customized layout and add fields that meet your organization's needs. If the CED does not have the features or layout you are looking for, we encourage you to visit our sister database, the Land Treatment Digitial Library (LTDL) to determine if it better suits your needs. The LTDL has a more complex, treatment focused data entry system that can still be synced with the CED. If you have questions on either the CED or LTDL feel free to contact us at conservationefforts@fws.gov
Related Information
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Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET): A USGS-facilitated Decision-support Tool for Sagebrush Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration Actions
Sagebrush ecosystems represent one of the most imperiled systems in North America and face continued and widespread degradation due to multiple factors including invasive species and increased human development. Effective sagebrush management must consider how to best conserve and restore habitats to stem the decline of species that rely on them, especially given limited conservation resources. To...
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Gunnison Sage-grouse Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)
In partnership with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and other partners, scientists from USGS Fort Collins Science Center are working to create a suite of prioritization scenarios that will inform adaptive management for Gunnison sage-grouse.
Check out how the BLM shows their GIS data here.