Grassland conservation is a priority within the GCP LCC. We held a series of meetings and conference calls with partners to identify areas of need both conceptually and geographically. Based on the meeting outcomes, we identified specific tasks that could be accomplished within our scope, including development of datasets and demonstration of a freely available decision support software tool (DST): NatureServe Vista. We generated more than 30 new datasets and posted more than 35 datasets on the GCP LCC Conservation Planning Atlas (CPA). Data were provided for three geographic regions that corresponded to the areas of interest of different partners: the entire LCC, Oklahoma only, and two, 2-county areas in the Coastal and Fayette Prairies of Texas. Partners found high potential for use of LiDAR data for fine-resolution evaluation of grassland, shrubland, and woodland habitat. The dynamic DST was developed in concert with partners active in Texas, and was tested by staff from several organizations. Partners indicated that there was potential utility of the dynamic DST (given adequate training), especially in areas with rapidly changing conditions.
Future projects will have the advantage of knowledge generated from this project. Specific partner needs can be approached within a better-developed framework and should be able to build off datasets we have provided. Some examples of needs that could be addressed include:1. Refinement of data needed to enhance targeting and management of juniper and deciduous ruderal shrublands and woodlands throughout the LCC,2. Refinement of data for targeting and management of woody species / grassland mosaics that enhance habitat for specific species, such as Northern Bobwhite, using LiDAR-based shrub and tree distribution and density,3. Further consideration and refinement of grassland landscape patches and attribution for conservation importance based on biological and landscape condition attributes throughout the LCC as a support to regional-scale conservation planning,4. Development of grassland quality data from a combination of on-the-ground surveys, LiDAR vegetation height and density data, and air photos for specific areas of interest, especially near public lands and private conservation lands,5. Development of use case scenarios and training designed for partners who want decision support using data sets posted on the Conservation Planning Atlas,6. Use of the dynamic DST by partners in regional planning applications where currently available data are sufficient to support the types of decisions being made.7. Use of the dynamic DST by partners in multi-county planning applications areas where conservation or development actions are proceeding apace, such as urbanizing areas along the I-35 corridor, or in the vicinity of Houston, but where data requirements for existing grassland location/quality/condition are limited.
