Fostering greater use of habitat models for managing rare and invasive plants on public lands Active
Habitat models can provide critical information on the current and potential distribution of plant species, as well as help target and support conservation efforts. Despite their potential utility in public land management, model use may be constrained by a variety of factors including staff access to and trust in models. In this project, we seek to bring together model users and model developers to identify specific actions that can be taken to foster greater use of habitat models for managing rare and invasive plants on public lands.
Background
Habitat models can be used in a variety of ways to help manage rare and invasive plants on federal public lands. For example, resource managers can use habitat models to identify locations to survey for rare plant species, create lists of potential invasive species in a region, or prioritize areas for invasive plant surveillance. Although scientists create many habitat models which could inform and strengthen management efforts, barriers to model access and application often prevent models from being used in public lands decisions.
Project goal and objectives
A prior study investigated BLM resource managers’ use of habitat models for rare plants, and the potential challenges managers face in using those models. Our goal is to expand on this earlier research by identifying opportunities for fostering greater use of habitat models by public land management staff in their decisions regarding rare and invasive plants.
Our objectives are to:
- Organize two workshops that bring together habitat modelers and model users to collaboratively brainstorm creative solutions to foster greater use of habitat models in managing rare and invasive plants.
- Generate guidelines to aid in the development of contract language for the production of habitat models intended for use in public lands decision making.
Anticipated benefits
Understanding and addressing challenges related to the use of habitat models for rare and invasive plants can enhance the utility of science products that are intended to support public land management. Bringing together habitat modelers and model users can build connections and understanding between these two communities, fostering efforts by both parties to strengthen the use of habitat models in public lands decisions.
Developing habitat models for rare plants to inform decision making on multiple-use public lands
INHABIT: A web-based decision support tool for invasive plant species habitat visualization and assessment across the contiguous United States
Invasive Annual Grass (IAG) Spatial Dataset Compilation and Synthesis
Identifying priority science needs for strengthening the science foundation for decision making in the Bureau of Land Management
Understanding the use of habitat models for managing and conserving rare plants on western public lands
Developing a toolkit for coproducing actionable science to support public land management
Habitat models can provide critical information on the current and potential distribution of plant species, as well as help target and support conservation efforts. Despite their potential utility in public land management, model use may be constrained by a variety of factors including staff access to and trust in models. In this project, we seek to bring together model users and model developers to identify specific actions that can be taken to foster greater use of habitat models for managing rare and invasive plants on public lands.
Background
Habitat models can be used in a variety of ways to help manage rare and invasive plants on federal public lands. For example, resource managers can use habitat models to identify locations to survey for rare plant species, create lists of potential invasive species in a region, or prioritize areas for invasive plant surveillance. Although scientists create many habitat models which could inform and strengthen management efforts, barriers to model access and application often prevent models from being used in public lands decisions.
Project goal and objectives
A prior study investigated BLM resource managers’ use of habitat models for rare plants, and the potential challenges managers face in using those models. Our goal is to expand on this earlier research by identifying opportunities for fostering greater use of habitat models by public land management staff in their decisions regarding rare and invasive plants.
Our objectives are to:
- Organize two workshops that bring together habitat modelers and model users to collaboratively brainstorm creative solutions to foster greater use of habitat models in managing rare and invasive plants.
- Generate guidelines to aid in the development of contract language for the production of habitat models intended for use in public lands decision making.
Anticipated benefits
Understanding and addressing challenges related to the use of habitat models for rare and invasive plants can enhance the utility of science products that are intended to support public land management. Bringing together habitat modelers and model users can build connections and understanding between these two communities, fostering efforts by both parties to strengthen the use of habitat models in public lands decisions.